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Ken Anderson sounded genuinely upbeat when he told The Bolton News on October 18 he was in discussions with two credible investors.
Publicity gained from our story revealing details of a club-produced “teaser” document which detailed his 94.5 per cent stake-holding was available for £25million had apparently brought forward serious interest from Eastern Europe and the Far East.
A couple of days later the chairman backed up his comments in his own column on the official website, admitting he need not necessarily sell Wanderers lock, stock and barrel, but would be open to investors and especially those who would take the club to the ‘next level.’ Exciting times indeed.
On Wednesday afternoon – six days after his interview – a puzzling club statement suddenly looked to discredit the same stories.
Welcome to the perplexing world of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.
There seems no rhyme nor reason for the timing, nor veracity and urgency of the message. No specific article fell into the chairman’s crosshairs, the broader target of ‘local and national media’ used instead. An equally ambiguous claim of wrongdoing was levelled against a “small number of people have agendas that are not in the best interests of our football club”.
Anderson has never been shy of taking those he felt deserve it to task in his columns and yet this correspondence, written officially and referring to himself in the third person, was quite out of character.
There is little evidence to suggest there has been “continuous speculation” in the media, local or national – written, TV or radio. The idea of foreign investors or owners did, of course, provoke interest but so few details were in the public arena it did not bear a great amount of scrutiny.
Gossip understandably coursed through social media, for that is the way of things. Trying to control or regulate Twitter or Facebook, however, would be like attempting to herd cats.
The same fans were left scratching their heads, pondering what the purpose of such a statement could possibly be? If its aim was solely to stop speculation, then it did not do a very good job.
Most likely it is an indication discussions with potential investors have not gone according to plan. The so-called ‘tyre-kickers’ are a frustrating by-product of any sales process, as we found out in the two or three years Eddie Davies tried to step away. One can only hope it ends with fewer tears shed.
In the past 24 months, people have queued up to say they were interested in buying or investing in the club. Some have been more convincing than others.
Just about every continent on the planet has been represented at the negotiating table at one time or another. And it has fallen on the broad shoulders of experienced football administrator Paul Aldridge to deal with the majority of the workload, sorting out the small amount of wheat from the considerable chaff.
By releasing a message to say all bets were off, the intention was probably to scare off time-wasters. Any credible buyer, backed by serious and available cash, would pay little notice.
So where does this leave Wanderers? Anderson told The Bolton News last week there were plans afoot to sign players on loan in January, regardless of the state of play with third-party investors. Concerns have been raised by auditors in the last two sets of company accounts on this front, but the statement released yesterday suggested plans were in place to cover the Football League’s requirements.
“Our financial budgets have been prepared in line with the regulations of the EFL and proof of funding to enable the club to operate within this budget will be provided as every club in the league is required to make,” it read.
Until recently, Anderson has talked about refinancing in the context of the club’s challenge to the ACV order currently in place on the stadium, hotel and car park land. A decision is imminent on this front, and should it be upheld, more questions will be asked of Wanderers’ financial stability and to what extent his plans are affected.
Wednesday’s leftfield statement did little but raise tension at a time when the team were starting to gather some momentum on the pitch. Wanderers go to Fulham two unbeaten and boasting their strongest squad yet this season. From being written off by nearly everyone in the Championship, some are now reluctantly admitting Phil Parkinson’s side could beat the odds.
It is important the club are answerable to their decisions, and Anderson’s accessibility has been a welcome change to that which went before. But this feels like complaining the fire is too hot while you are still holding the matches.
Wanderers may now want to heed their own advice and choose more carefully when to speak and when to stay silent.
Sometimes it’s just the best way.
Source
Publicity gained from our story revealing details of a club-produced “teaser” document which detailed his 94.5 per cent stake-holding was available for £25million had apparently brought forward serious interest from Eastern Europe and the Far East.
A couple of days later the chairman backed up his comments in his own column on the official website, admitting he need not necessarily sell Wanderers lock, stock and barrel, but would be open to investors and especially those who would take the club to the ‘next level.’ Exciting times indeed.
On Wednesday afternoon – six days after his interview – a puzzling club statement suddenly looked to discredit the same stories.
Welcome to the perplexing world of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.
There seems no rhyme nor reason for the timing, nor veracity and urgency of the message. No specific article fell into the chairman’s crosshairs, the broader target of ‘local and national media’ used instead. An equally ambiguous claim of wrongdoing was levelled against a “small number of people have agendas that are not in the best interests of our football club”.
Anderson has never been shy of taking those he felt deserve it to task in his columns and yet this correspondence, written officially and referring to himself in the third person, was quite out of character.
There is little evidence to suggest there has been “continuous speculation” in the media, local or national – written, TV or radio. The idea of foreign investors or owners did, of course, provoke interest but so few details were in the public arena it did not bear a great amount of scrutiny.
Gossip understandably coursed through social media, for that is the way of things. Trying to control or regulate Twitter or Facebook, however, would be like attempting to herd cats.
The same fans were left scratching their heads, pondering what the purpose of such a statement could possibly be? If its aim was solely to stop speculation, then it did not do a very good job.
Most likely it is an indication discussions with potential investors have not gone according to plan. The so-called ‘tyre-kickers’ are a frustrating by-product of any sales process, as we found out in the two or three years Eddie Davies tried to step away. One can only hope it ends with fewer tears shed.
In the past 24 months, people have queued up to say they were interested in buying or investing in the club. Some have been more convincing than others.
Just about every continent on the planet has been represented at the negotiating table at one time or another. And it has fallen on the broad shoulders of experienced football administrator Paul Aldridge to deal with the majority of the workload, sorting out the small amount of wheat from the considerable chaff.
By releasing a message to say all bets were off, the intention was probably to scare off time-wasters. Any credible buyer, backed by serious and available cash, would pay little notice.
So where does this leave Wanderers? Anderson told The Bolton News last week there were plans afoot to sign players on loan in January, regardless of the state of play with third-party investors. Concerns have been raised by auditors in the last two sets of company accounts on this front, but the statement released yesterday suggested plans were in place to cover the Football League’s requirements.
“Our financial budgets have been prepared in line with the regulations of the EFL and proof of funding to enable the club to operate within this budget will be provided as every club in the league is required to make,” it read.
Until recently, Anderson has talked about refinancing in the context of the club’s challenge to the ACV order currently in place on the stadium, hotel and car park land. A decision is imminent on this front, and should it be upheld, more questions will be asked of Wanderers’ financial stability and to what extent his plans are affected.
Wednesday’s leftfield statement did little but raise tension at a time when the team were starting to gather some momentum on the pitch. Wanderers go to Fulham two unbeaten and boasting their strongest squad yet this season. From being written off by nearly everyone in the Championship, some are now reluctantly admitting Phil Parkinson’s side could beat the odds.
It is important the club are answerable to their decisions, and Anderson’s accessibility has been a welcome change to that which went before. But this feels like complaining the fire is too hot while you are still holding the matches.
Wanderers may now want to heed their own advice and choose more carefully when to speak and when to stay silent.
Sometimes it’s just the best way.
Source
