Bolton players strike!!

It’s been clear since the takeover that the Anderson’s do not have the cash to sustain the club. Be a real shame if that crashes our pre season now.

Ken knows the score now.If he won't pay the wages on time, the players won't turn out for him.

On a dumb scale of 1 to 10 this has to score a 12. What is Ken thinking here? It's taken forever to try and sort out things like the embargo and just when it appeared we might be turning the corner at last the players don't get paid? He needs to get his backside to the office and sort that pronto.

This could be a case of Ken trying to delay paying to the last possible moment and failing to judge how thin the player's patience would be rather than an actual lack of funds but either way it's poor tactics especially when we're supposedly trying to bring in new talent to improve the squad. I doubt it will help with the League or FA either who may well choose to put us under embargo all over again as bad as the one in place when Ken first came in.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

This has culminated in certain players not receiving their June wage.

Could this be as simple as the released players not being paid bonuses? Let's be honest, Ken isn't going to be dashing down to the bank to make payments to players who have already fooked off.

Storm in a teacup. Some of the abuse being sent LA's way is embarrassing.

Ken will have it sorted by the end of the weekend.

You may have a point? this is the June wage bill so would probably be the last of all the released players. We have shipped out 17 loan and permanent players brought in three, so in theory our wage bill is now lower by a huge amount than any time in the last few years, so if we could pay all those why can't we sustain the new wage bill?

The surprising thing is that the players now contracted have made this decision, the damage for new incoming players could be catastrophic.

After a season of wanting more stikers, we've now a team full of 'em.

Leeds_Trotter wrote:After a season of wanting more stikers, we've now a team full of 'em.

Excellent LT!

Natasha Whittam wrote:

This has culminated in certain players not receiving their June wage.

Could this be as simple as the released players not being paid bonuses? Let's be honest, Ken isn't going to be dashing down to the bank to make payments to players who have already fooked off.

Storm in a teacup. Some of the abuse being sent LA's way is embarrassing.

Ken will have it sorted by the end of the weekend.

True enough... but who would want to come to our club now?  Anyone with value will have to think twice about coming... and those with no future would be delighted to get a chance. Ugh!

Dear God the anti-Anderson's are all out in force on social media tonight!

There are two sides to every story and let's hear Anderson's side before we run around like headless chickens.

Yes, it is wrong if contracted wages and agreed contract clauses are not met on time but it is not as uncommon as it may seem, it has happened to me when one of the council's I was working at had 'computer issues' as we were told at the time.

The money came through the next week and anyone who incurred any costs because of it were reimbursed.

I'm not saying that is the same thing that happened here, maybe Mr Anderson has had a delay in changing some of his assets (land, property, etc,) into cash, maybe he was expecting to finance these overdue player payments from any amount surplus from the land deal to pay off the Brett Warburton loan and the sale as hit a glitch at the last moment? It could be something genuine rather than him being shady.

Maybe things are really bad - but let's hear the other side of the story first before demanding the lynching the anti-Anderson's have wanted ever since the day Ken set foot in the club.

He's got out of far trickier financial circumstances in the past and no doubt he will get out of this one too.

Clearly there is ill will within the camp, which is surprising to me because so many players re-signed for us in the last month or so - so they clearly knew what was going on previous and must have been happy to sign up again.

I think there is probably a bit more to this than what we've been told yet and if so no doubt it will come out sooner or later.

It is a bit sad though that these players - many of whom must be millionaires - couldn't put out a statement AND still played the match, if for no other reason for the few loyal fans who have spent good money to be there and support them.  A ninety minute kick about is hardly likely to weaken their cause and they could donate whatever appearance money due to a charity - even a local one to St Mirren's ground.

Hardly as though anyone of them (even the kids) are exactly on the bread-line or will be needing to go to the local food bank next week!

Please don’t try and categorise this as pro or anti-Anderson, it’s got nothing to do with what’s happening at the club. 

The fact paid players have supported the unpaid shows a strong, united dressing room IMO - and they have a right to strike if the owner has failed to fulfill promises.

Sluffy wrote:Dear God the anti-Anderson's are all out in force on social media tonight!

There are two sides to every story and let's hear Anderson's side before we run around like headless chickens.

Yes, it is wrong if contracted wages and agreed contract clauses are not met on time but it is not as uncommon as it may seem, it has happened to me when one of the council's I was working at had 'computer issues' as we were told at the time.

The money came through the next week and anyone who incurred any costs because of it were reimbursed.

I'm not saying that is the same thing that happened here, maybe Mr Anderson has had a delay in changing some of his assets (land, property, etc,) into cash, maybe he was expecting to finance these overdue player payments from any amount surplus from the land deal to pay off the Brett Warburton loan and the sale as hit a glitch at the last moment?  It could be something genuine rather than him being shady.

Maybe things are really bad - but let's hear the other side of the story first before demanding the lynching the anti-Anderson's have wanted ever since the day Ken set foot in the club.

He's got out of far trickier financial circumstances in the past and no doubt he will get out of this one too.

Clearly there is ill will within the camp, which is surprising to me because so many players re-signed for us in the last month or so - so they clearly knew what was going on previous and must have been happy to sign up again.

I think there is probably a bit more to this than what we've been told yet and if so no doubt it will come out sooner or later.

It is a bit sad though that these players - many of whom must be millionaires - couldn't put out a statement AND still played the match, if for no other reason for the few loyal fans who have spent good money to be there and support them.  A ninety minute kick about is hardly likely to weaken their cause and they could donate whatever appearance money due to a charity - even a local one to St Mirren's ground.

Hardly as though anyone of them (even the kids) are exactly on the bread-line or will be needing to go to the local food bank next week!

True enough Sluffy... but KA should have put out a statement to fend off the bad headlines... which will cost us some players we may have had a shot at.  KA has kept us from bankruptcy, got us promoted, and kept us up, so we owe him for that.  At the same time, KA should have gotten ahead of the bad press... and he probably knows that... I give him credit for being a smart businessman.  I also think this is one of the worst miscues he could have made... only hoping he makes good quickly and gives us a good story of what happened. This bodes poorly for paying off the September debt as well.  C'mon Ken... we want you to make money and bring investment in to the club... here's rooting for you... but get ahead of bad press please.

Ken has said before that in the off season, money is a problem as there isn't as much happening.

While I agree that players shouldn't have to wait for their money, they shouldn't go on strike over it. Them doing so a day before a game is very selfish, especially when some fans will now be out of pocket. Not to mention that most of this sorry lot almost got us relegated last year, and they need all the Pre-season preparation they can get.

So if you didn’t get paid for two months you’d just sit and wait?

T.R.O.Y wrote:So if you didn’t get paid for two months you’d just sit and wait?

Whose not been paid for two months?

The article says 'some' players haven't been paid for June and it's only the 7th July today.

Never said they haven’t?

My question remains the same LT.

As Sluffy pointed out, the statement says a select few. Should any of my work colleagues not get paid on time, I wouldn't kick up and fuss and go on strike. Is it wrong? Yes. Should players go to extreme lengths to ruin our pre season and potentially mess up our entire season? No!

Leeds_Trotter wrote:As Sluffy pointed out, the statement says a select few. Should any of my work colleagues not get paid on time, I wouldn't kick up and fuss and go on strike. Is it wrong? Yes. Should players go to extreme lengths to ruin our pre season and potentially mess up our entire season? No!

I guess for the players to go on strike, then it must mean something serious to them.

All I was saying (apart from let's hear the other side of the story first) is that they could easily have made their statement and even said all future friendly games would not be played until the matter is resolved satisfactorily but due to fans of both sides having made commitments to the St Mirren game which is less than 24 hours away they will, out of good intent to all, honour and play the game and donate their match fees to a local charity.

How hard would that have been, they would have made their point and nobody needed to have suffered such as Glos who is travelling up from Gloucestershire for the game and Celtic Wanderers nine year old son wanting to watch his favourite team Bolton for the very first time!

Consideration is not just a one way street.

Another side effect of this is that it might well scupper the signing of any new players- the famed 8 that Parky wants. Would you join a firm where the business doesn't pay the wages?

Leeds_Trotter wrote:As Sluffy pointed out, the statement says a select few. Should any of my work colleagues not get paid on time, I wouldn't kick up and fuss and go on strike. Is it wrong? Yes. Should players go to extreme lengths to ruin our pre season and potentially mess up our entire season? No!

Each to their own, but i would kick off if anyone in my business didn’t get paid. Particularly as this is not the first time.

In view of the statement issued by the players yesterday l would like to make the following observations.
[size=26]1) With the exception of one player ALL the players have been paid their salaries.
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[size=26]The player who was not paid his salary has not been involved at the club for the last two seasons. When the salaries were paid at the end of last month, discussions were ongoing with two clubs about a possible loan / transfer of the player.
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[size=26]The player had publicly stated that he was happy to continue his stay at the club where he was on loan last season. Indeed the player’s agent was also talking to clubs about a possible loan / transfer. This player is the club’s highest paid player and costs the club in excess of £1 million a season.

2) The Championship retention bonuses and loyalty fees were planned and authorised to  the bank for payment on Friday. .However, the players gave me an ultimatum that unless these sums were received on Friday they would not take part in the game planned for Saturday against St Mirren.
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[size=26]Having personally assisted in funding many of the payments for the players’ salaries, for the majority of the time that l have been involved with the club,  I was not prepared to be threatened or blackmailed.
It is misleading to say that they have not been paid on time, as for many months now,  ALL the staff at the club have been paid on time,  particularly since l have been the majority shareholder.[/size]
 
[size=26]A number of the players who were on the tour have no outstanding bonuses and have no reason to be in dispute.
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[size=26]3) None of the players who extended their contracts raised any concerns about previous problems as suggested in their statement and virtually every player we released wished to extend their stay. These are not the actions of a disaffected group, I am sure you would agree.
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[size=26]To put it into perspective the net amount outstanding to those on the tour was about 2.5% of the annual gross total player payroll.
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[size=26]I have never hidden the details of the financial crisis the club was in upon my arrival and the problems going forward.
The support from the non-playing staff, supporters, suppliers and the football family has been unwavering and the reason why I continue to support financially from my family’s wealth.
 
It is very disappointing that those few individuals who have been handsomely rewarded for their services have chosen to take such an aggressive stance and tarnish the name of our club and caused such inconvenience to those who have supported them so unreservedly.

4) It is very unfortunate that the players took the decision not to play today and the club will take the appropriate actions against those involved.

Hopefully the players who chose not to play today will personally reimburse the supporters for their loss and inconvenience caused by their actions.

I have of course seen the comments in the Bolton News on Friday and have to say that l am disappointed that those involved did not wait to see my  response  before personally commenting in the media and on social media, or even make any attempt to contact me for my view.

Of course, contracts are contracts, but as often happens in business and in life generally things happen that affect all manner of contracts. As we are all aware, these same contracts are often ignored by players as well when it suits them.

I stated last summer about my views on paying players’ bonuses in June, long before the club receive their bonus in August and my views on this have not changed. The same cash flow problems will continue to occur in the quiet non=playing months when there is little or no revenue for many clubs and businesses, as long as  ‘Football Creditors‘ are treated differently to anyone else and as everyone knows, the players are always guaranteed payment one way or the other and before anyone else. Hopefully, in the future players’ contracts will address this problem so that they are paid at the same time as the clubs.

As regards, the comments about the player sales, these funds have been used to keep the club alive over the last two years due in the main to the excessive and unsustainable salaries previously paid to and for players. As long as l am involved, I will continue to do my best to run the club in a commercially prudent manner to try to ensure that going forward the club will not again suffer from the same mistakes of the past and work to eradicate the trading losses that caused these financial problems.

I will not be making any further statements on these matters.
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If he had put this statement out before the press got hold of it things would of been a lot different

The players supporting a player who is on 2 or 3 times more than them while disappointing hundreds of travelling fans who are out of pocket is not on.  The player hasnt played for us for two years.  

Yes we have a responsibility to keep contractual agreements but like with dean moxey last year, i doubt he will be in need of a food bank.

As has already been stated by others posters, june is a tough month for the club, yes it should of been planned for but for the fans who have forked out on tickets and train tickets (in some cases twice due to the time change) i think that the players who are on many many times their salary should reimburse them.

As for iles, i think he is an utter bellend.  Knew no facts yet couldnt wait to dig the knife in.

Maybe ken was hoping amos would be gone by now and with the salary he is on , maybe thats another reason we have not been able to bring in the players we would like to.

Just my opinion