30 local businesses backing supporters trust bid to buy Bolton Wanderers

The newly-formed Bolton Wanderers Supporters’ Trust has launched an ambitious takeover bid to create the 'ultimate community club'.

A shortlist of 30 local businesses and individuals has been drawn up, many of whom have already pledged financial support to a trust-led offer, which is expected in the next three weeks.

It is understood that the University of Bolton is one of the institutions working to secure the future of the town’s team.

Faced with a High Court winding up petition on February 22 over a £2.2 million unpaid tax bill and crippled by costs of £1 million a month, the club has struggled to find a new owner since being put up for sale by Farnworth-born, lifelong fan Eddie Davies around 18 months ago.

The trust was set up on January 6 and now boasts a membership of more that 5,000. After initially targeting a place on the board alongside new ownership, the promise of significant financial support has prompted them to appeal to Mr Davies to give them access to financial information that can enable them to present a concrete bid.

Richard Hurst, the chairman of one of the town’s oldest businesses Richard Threllfall Group Ltd, has confirmed the huge local interest in giving Wanderers a fresh start under completely new ownership.

He said: “We have a list of approaching 30 businesses that we think could be persuaded to invest money in the new Bolton Wanderers.

“None of these individuals have got anything to do with the existing board.

“They are all lifelong fans who we hope will put a substantial amount of personal money into the future Bolton Wanderers.”

The plan is currently being driven by a steering group of 12 lifelong Bolton fans with a range of skills, from barristers and website designers to financial experts and former local councillors.

They are working towards forming an elected board, but Mr Hurst, who has confirmed he will step down before any elections, has underlined that the trust will not have any existing ties with the current club hierarchy.

Concerns had been raised that Mr Hurst had sat on a board of trustees at the Wanderers Free School alongside Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside and vice-chairman Brett Warburton.

Mr Hurst added: “None of the current board are involved in the steering group or the bid.

“As far as my involvement with Phil Gartside, we have had discussions because one of my current positions is as chairman of the Bolton Arena Trust, next door neighbours to the Macron Stadium, and we have had discussions about that.

“I would not classify myself as a personal friend. I have never been out socially with him, to his house for dinner or anything like that.

“We have had business discussions in that area – which we still hope will come off – to develop sports facilities in that area for the community.”

The trust has confirmed that its bid will require that assets such as the stadium, training ground and hotel are not sold.

But the ongoing costs will require a significant funding drive from the trust in the coming weeks, which is why the trust is now pushing Wanderers for access to their financial information.

“The club is being sold for nothing,” said Mr Hurst. “Eddie Davies has kindly agreed to write off the money that the club owes him. But the money we need to raise is to pay-off the immediate debts and carry on with the day-to-day running of the business.” 

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

it's alright these business people saying yes they'll contribute but when it actually comes down to it would they? How much money would they actually raise and they would need to understand it would be an ongoing thing and not a one off.

Come on Roger hurry up and splash the cash 

They should be shot for headlines like that. I'm amazed that the BN hasn't been done for lying given that the 30 businesses the ST would like to support them haven't committed to do so. Outrageous behaviour.

wanderlust wrote:They should be shot for headlines like that. I'm amazed that the BN hasn't been done for lying given that the 30 businesses the ST would like to support them haven't committed to do so. Outrageous behaviour.

Totally agree. This is pure male bovine faeces but what do you expect from Iles and Nixon these days? They make Tom and Jerry look like Einstein and Hawking with their junk. It's obvious that someone at the club, possibly ED himself is desperate to push the ST bid to the fore and make it look like a done deal even though the trust doesn't legally exist yet and these businesses haven't even been formally approached yet. 

It's garbage. Eddie needs to get out now and the BN needs to sack this liar if it's ever going to regain even an ounce of credibility.

wanderlust wrote:They should be shot for headlines like that. I'm amazed that the BN hasn't been done for lying given that the 30 businesses the ST would like to support them haven't committed to do so. Outrageous behaviour.

That point has made on the BN site in the comments section by myself and a few others to a mixed response.

So it's "job done" as far as the ST / Iles cabal is concerned.

Even though it's an outright fucking lie, it's good propaganda and it's out there and it's sticking.

And that's what they rely on......

"boasts" a "membership" 

arent these people just declaring interest i didn't know any membership was offered up yet?

you can be a member they just haven't taken the £10 fee yet. I have signed up and i'll wait to see what happens with the elections

Richard Hurst, Chairman of Threlfall's will be stepping down before the Trust is elected. Would this be so his company won't be giving us some money? Suggestions coming out about Direct Debits mentioning £20 and £30 a month. And grading of contributions so that various levels of gizzets will be offered. The sum mentioned was £500 to £3,000. So a slant towards the professional rich. You couldn't make it up!... Oh, hang on, they are.

Seems to me that the ST are working through the lengthy process of incorporation and are just getting on with it. Only when that's done and they spell out their objectives, scope, structure, mem and arts etc will we have any idea about what they intend to do and who will effectively manage - and who will effectively control the ST.

All this bull about them wanting to buy the club seems to be coming from the BN. The ST are certainly not in a position to make any decisions let alone set strategy.

wanderlust wrote:
All this bull about them wanting to buy the club seems to be coming from the BN. The ST are certainly not in a position to make any decisions let alone set strategy.

The announcement came directly from the ST.

It is on their site.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

BN simply just reported it.

And at the risk of repeating myself, Hurst did a radio interview with Bolton FM (which I didn't even know existed until yesterday) in which he admitted that:

They have absolutely no secured funding yet, but plan to approach "30 or so local businesses" if they get the nod from ED.

These being the ones that Iles erroneously suggested are queueing up to throw money at the Truss in today's latest propaganda piece.

He went on to say that they haven't even formulated the beginnings of a business plan yet and will do so "as and when they see the books", the idea being (and I'm quoting him directly now) to "spend two or three days" doing it, before formally presenting it to ED.

All before the 22nd.

It's all bollocks and that's why there are a few of us who think it stinks so badly.

It all backs up the theory that ED is behind all this bollocks, having facilitated the set up of the ST to use as a vehicle to pass on ownership to person or persons as yet unnamed.

I do believe, Breaders, that he also mentioned and named the now ELEVEN members of the steering group. Did you hear that? Once they get it up to thirteen I'll be looking for Jesus.

Yeah, I picked up on that.

I'm watching the Truss' website for updates on the missing names but as yet.......well, you know.

Another interesting bit from the interview and Iles' subsequent collusion in spinning this shit was when Hurst said there was one member he couldn't name.

He rattled off a quick list which included the ones we know about plus the new ones they've put on their site and said "there's another but we can't name him publicly".

One of the ones he'd named (Bower) then tweeted Iles and said "I'm the un-named member. Publish this and let's avoid a conspiracy".

Which Iles then did with a smug comment attached.

So there's still someone knocking about the steering group who doesn't want to be named and they've tried swerving any controversy but getting one of the ones who was actually named to say it was him.

But Bower was definitely name-checked by Hurst before he went on to say that there was another one who couldn't be named.

It all happened very quickly and it struck me as more smoke and mirrors and had a whiff of sleight of hand misdirection about it.

Utter con show, all of it.

I cannot believe so many gullible people exist. Still, we'll soon have £50,000 then we'll show 'em. On duty at six, long night so might be able to fathom out what's happening. And with a loss to Leeds I might just kick the control tower cat. 

You take care with that scope - Don't be a dope! 

(Not that there's much danger of that.)

Bollotom2014 wrote:I cannot believe so many gullible people exist. Still, we'll soon have £50,000 then we'll show 'em. On duty at six, long night so might be able to fathom out what's happening. And with a loss to Leeds I might just kick the control tower cat. 

Gullible on what though? 

Should we all believe that Ed's behind the ST? 

P.S You kick a cat and I'll be kicking you.