Bolton

[Mark kavanagh]

Was in the east stand of university of bolton stadium on Saturday what a sad state of affairs . Gates opened 15 minutes before the first game ( to keep costs down according to gate girl) , only 4 stewards for 5000 saints supporters ( once again to reduce costs) , hardly any bar staff on which resulted in punters abandoning their wait after 45 minutes as the next game was starting and saddest of all 5 buckets catching rainwater dripping through various leeks in the roof.

I know as a tranmere supporter I'm meant to celebrate this but frankly I dont. How a once great club has been allowed to deteriorate like this is shocking. There should be an enquiry setup not only into Anderson's leadership but into the efl who have let this happen. Every club is only 1 bad owner away from ending up like this...... disgraceful

 

[Reremnart]

Somebody high up in the Football League management structure should be asked some serious questions as to how Anderson and Day were allowed to take over Bolton and Bury in the first place . What happened to the Fit and Proper person screening of potential club owners? Has the FA/FL actually ever blocked anybody from taking over a club? I certainly can`t remember it if it has.

 

[nelsonpfc]

They didnt learn when we went through it twice - albeit once was under the EFL. They turned around and said they didn't have the money to do a proper check on Vladimir Anatov and it wasn' t their fault. One quick google of his name showed up potential fraud allegations.

 

[nelsonpfc]

This is what the EFL said when we questioned it back 2011
"The league argues it does not have resources to investigate potential buyers, nor to defend a more sophisticated ownership test. Greg Clarke, its chairman, is seeking prevention rather than cure, encouraging clubs to be responsibly run rather than looking for further scrutiny of owners. "

 

[Luke Imp]

Heads need to roll somewhere in the EFL because on top of Bury and Bolton, there's Macclesfield, Notts County, Morecambe, Oldham and probably a couple of others I've forgotten about who have struggled to pay wages this season.

Then there was the Blackpool situation that rumbled on for ages.

 

[WhiteRussian]

In the end, what actually can the EFL do? Recommend the club don't allow someone to buy them?

The only way I could see them doing it is threatening to kick a club out if the league if a certain party buys them.

The legal ramifications could be horrendous if that person takes the hump and does have money to sue.

 

[nelsonpfc]

Surely the EFL are there to protect their clubs? They should be doing research into the new owners back grounds, checking where the money is coming from. Potential legal challenges that may cause issues. Business portfolio history etc... The Charlton mess has been going on for ages and the Blackpool one went on since the premier league days. They should be more proactive as they only seem to get involved after its too late. They should never let any of the members enter administration. Thats not something that happens overnight.

 

[GodsGift]

In the end, what actually can the EFL do? Recommend the club don't allow someone to buy them?

The only way I could see them doing it is threatening to kick a club out if the league if a certain party buys them.

The legal ramifications could be horrendous if that person takes the hump and does have money to sue.

Bolton wouldn't be in this position had the EFL not allowed Ken Anderson to take over, which is exactly what they ought to have done given he had previously been banned from being a director for 8 years after seven of his companies went bust.

And let's not forget they allowed Owen Oyston, a convicted rapist and proven asset stripper, to continue to own Blackpool. Thankfully they were saved by Valeri Belokon's application in the High Court, which ended with them entering receivership, because the EFL just watched on and did nothing.

 

[WhiteRussian]

But my question is what can the EFL actually do. The don't own the club so that can't actually stop any sale can they?

 

[GodsGift]

But my question is what can the EFL actually do. The don't own the club so that can't actually stop any sale can they?

I don't understand your point? They should be able to stop someone like Ken Anderson buying a club, absolutely. It's called their Owners' and Directors' Test, which as it currently stands is not worth the paper its written on.

It takes one second to google his name to find out he's been banned before for his poor running of businesses, that's literally all it should take to realise he's not fit to be the custodian of a football club.

 

[KeithH]

I don't understand your point? They should be able to stop someone like Ken Anderson buying a club, absolutely. It's called their Owners' and Directors' Test, which as it currently stands is not worth the paper its written on.

It takes one second to google his name to find out he's been banned before for his poor running of businesses, that's literally all it should take to realise he's not fit to be the custodian of a football club.

They cannot stop anybody from buying a "club" what they buy is the ltd company who own the club and is governed by company law.
What they CAN do is use the golden share and withdraw it forcing a club out of the EFL.
Exactly what they are now doing to us.

 

[GodsGift]

They cannot stop anybody from buying a "club" what they buy is the ltd company who own the club and is governed by company law.
What they CAN do is use the golden share and withdraw it forcing a club out of the EFL.
Exactly what they are now doing to us.

If they ban someone from being an owner, chances are they won't waste their time and buy the limited company, will they?

 

[WhiteRussian]

They cannot stop anybody from buying a "club" what they buy is the ltd company who own the club and is governed by company law.
What they CAN do is use the golden share and withdraw it forcing a club out of the EFL.
Exactly what they are now doing to us.

Thanks, that's what I was asking.

 

[Muzzle]

Well, the either have a fit and proper test, and write it in to the srticles that all clubs sign or don't bother, and let any chancer own a club. By the way, the first sign of this shit storm was Maxwell, and I am sure Oxford fans might have an interesting stance on that

 

[mase]

Well, the either have a fit and proper test, and write it in to the srticles that all clubs sign or don't bother, and let any chancer own a club. By the way, the first sign of this shit storm was Maxwell, and I am sure Oxford fans might have an interesting stance on that

Us and Reading fans tbf

 

[Muzzle]

are we bothered about Reading ?

 

[mase]

are we bothered about Reading ?

Of course not but they were the other team involved when Maxwell was around and tried to merge the two of us

 

[Muzzle]

Of course not but they were the other team involved when Maxwell was around and tried to merge the two of us

I always forget about them

 

[Super_horns]

The fact the EFL seemed quite happy to let Bassini almost take control of Bolton sums them up with regard to the fit and proper test.

 

[Muzzle]

The fact the EFL seemed quite happy to let Bassini almost take control of Bolton sums them up with regard to the fit and proper test.

You probably didn't see it on TV down where you are, but he turned up at the stadium a week ago, handful of "documents" proving he had bought the club, and that he had proof of funding....you'd have loved it

 

[Super_horns]

You probably didn't see it on TV down where you are, but he turned up at the stadium a week ago, handful of "documents" proving he had bought the club, and that he had proof of funding....you'd have loved it

Someone did post a link to a local news interview !

I just hope him messing you around hasn't damaged any chances of a real take over ?

 

[Boletus Edulis]

But my question is what can the EFL actually do. The don't own the club so that can't actually stop any sale can they?

Make an example, and that appears to be what they are doing with Bury.

 

[PuB]

I don’t think they are making an example of Bury, you’re in such a mess it’s almost impossible to unpick how you got there in the first place, let alone how you survive it.

 

[shoddycollins]

If they ban someone from being an owner, chances are they won't waste their time and buy the limited company, will they?

I think that's the logic behind it. The only power the EFL has is that they can kick a club out, but if a potential owner is told the club will be kicked out if they bought it, they're hardly going to buy it anyway.

 

[Kim Mitten]

But my question is what can the EFL actually do. The don't own the club so that can't actually stop any sale can they?

Actually be run like proper sports leagues, the EFL and Premier League are the most shoddily run professional sports leagues in the entire world.
I still don't understand why both the EFL and PL don't do what the National League does and have an end of season AGM where all members have to show how they are going to fund the upcoming season.
If Bolton and Bury had shown up to the National league AGM in this current state they would have been chucked out, no second chances, no 15th, 19th, 450th different deadline, just out, goodbye.

I don't actually mind who buys a football club as long as they can show some kind of viability, which is pretty much what the Non-league set up in this country and every European league wants. But the PL and EFL don't actually seem to give a toss about the viability of a football club, as long as the brand keeps on ticking by and they're selling those shirts in China and making cup draws in Bangkok nightclubs then fantastic.

I say this all supporting a club who regularly takes the piss out of the taxpayer, has had umpteen court appearances for not paying anybody and should by any rights have been out on its ear long ago but fortunately Southend United are part of the Football League so we'll just carry on losing millions of pounds a year while using HMRC like a bank loan.

 

[KeithH]

I don’t think they are making an example of Bury, you’re in such a mess it’s almost impossible to unpick how you got there in the first place, let alone how you survive it.

He supports Bury South!!
We know why we are in a mess just couldn't do anything to stop it.

 

[KeithH]

If they ban someone from being an owner, chances are they won't waste their time and buy the limited company, will they?

Grizzly is only after the ground, he does not give a shit about the football club so chances are he would have paid his pound anyway. Then still refused to pass info to the EFL and wouldn't lose any sleep over their "sanctions" We are not dealing with a football man here but a cold-blooded asset stripper.

 

[mase]

Grizzly is only after the ground, he does not give a shit about the football club so chances are he would have paid his pound anyway. Then still refused to pass info to the EFL and wouldn't lose any sleep over their "sanctions" We are not dealing with a football man here but a cold-blooded asset stripper.

Similar to this guy who did my local team then

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-46292999

 

[KeithH]

So it seems

 

[Luke Imp]

Actually be run like proper sports leagues, the EFL and Premier League are the most shoddily run professional sports leagues in the entire world.
I still don't understand why both the EFL and PL don't do what the National League does and have an end of season AGM where all members have to show how they are going to fund the upcoming season.
If Bolton and Bury had shown up to the National league AGM in this current state they would have been chucked out, no second chances, no 15th, 19th, 450th different deadline, just out, goodbye.

I don't actually mind who buys a football club as long as they can show some kind of viability, which is pretty much what the Non-league set up in this country and every European league wants. But the PL and EFL don't actually seem to give a toss about the viability of a football club, as long as the brand keeps on ticking by and they're selling those shirts in China and making cup draws in Bangkok nightclubs then fantastic.

I say this all supporting a club who regularly takes the piss out of the taxpayer, has had umpteen court appearances for not paying anybody and should by any rights have been out on its ear long ago but fortunately Southend United are part of the Football League so we'll just carry on losing millions of pounds a year while using HMRC like a bank loan.

I've repeated myself many times before on here about this but the irony is that the EFL have wage caps in L2 and L1 and FFP in the Championship yet bend over backwards for sides who break them and the NL allow clubs to spend what they want yet don't mess about.

The league with no rules treat clubs more harshly than the league with the rules, which are clearly broken!