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Two Bolton baronesses have issued a joint statement about the current situation at Bolton Wanderers Football Club.
On Sunday evening, the club's proposed deal to buy on-loan striker Christian Doidge from Forest Green Rovers collapsed.
In the aftermath, the Gloucestershire club's Chairman Dale Vince criticised Wanderers counterpart Ken Anderson.
Mr Dale said Bolton had failed to honour their financial obligations and did not pay Doidge during his four-month loan, saying that Rovers had continued to pay his wages.
He also claimed that Mr Anderson described himself as a secured lender, so "didn't care" if Forest Green took legal action against the club.
Of Mr Anderson, Mr Dale added: "[He] is not just giving Bolton Wanderers a bad name, he's giving football a bad name.”
On Monday evening, Mr Anderson posted a 1,580 word statement on the official Bolton Wanderers website, where he addressed a number of issues, including the failed transfer, Mr Dale's comments and the recent coverage he has received from The Bolton News.
In response, two baronesses from Bolton have issued their own joint statement where they address the current ownership of the club.
Rt Hon Baroness Ann Taylor of Bolton and Baroness Trish Morris of Bolton released the statement on Tuesday afternoon.
It reads: "Through decades of following Bolton Wanderers, with season tickets first at Burnden Park and throughout the years at our fantastic new stadium, we have seen many ups and downs in the club’s fortunes, both on and off the pitch. But the events of the last few weeks and months have, for the first time, moved us to speak publicly about our grave concern over the way Bolton Wanderers – our beloved football club – is being run.
"We have spent months listening to empty promises from the Chairman and his excuses as to why wages and bonuses have not been paid on time. We have seen Marc Iles, the esteemed journalist from the Bolton News, having his credentials withdrawn after asking legitimate questions about the way the club is being run. And in the last few days we have heard reports of shameful behaviour in transfer dealings with other clubs.
"We can no longer stand idly by and watch our club being treated like this. The staff deserve better, the players deserve better and most important the fans deserve better. Every football club deserves to be run by someone who sees themselves more of a custodian than a 'secured lender'. Bolton Wanderers belongs to the community and its loyal and devoted fans are embarrassed by the way it is being run and genuinely worried about what the future holds for our once proud football club.
"We grew up watching Bolton Wanderers, and we brought our children up watching Bolton Wanderers. We have cheered, cried, shouted, frozen for decades and we want our football club to survive to allow future generations of Wanderers fans to enjoy the ups and downs of following such a wonderful club. If things continue as they are, we are seriously worried that this may not be the case."
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On Sunday evening, the club's proposed deal to buy on-loan striker Christian Doidge from Forest Green Rovers collapsed.
In the aftermath, the Gloucestershire club's Chairman Dale Vince criticised Wanderers counterpart Ken Anderson.
Mr Dale said Bolton had failed to honour their financial obligations and did not pay Doidge during his four-month loan, saying that Rovers had continued to pay his wages.
He also claimed that Mr Anderson described himself as a secured lender, so "didn't care" if Forest Green took legal action against the club.
Of Mr Anderson, Mr Dale added: "[He] is not just giving Bolton Wanderers a bad name, he's giving football a bad name.”
On Monday evening, Mr Anderson posted a 1,580 word statement on the official Bolton Wanderers website, where he addressed a number of issues, including the failed transfer, Mr Dale's comments and the recent coverage he has received from The Bolton News.
In response, two baronesses from Bolton have issued their own joint statement where they address the current ownership of the club.
Rt Hon Baroness Ann Taylor of Bolton and Baroness Trish Morris of Bolton released the statement on Tuesday afternoon.
It reads: "Through decades of following Bolton Wanderers, with season tickets first at Burnden Park and throughout the years at our fantastic new stadium, we have seen many ups and downs in the club’s fortunes, both on and off the pitch. But the events of the last few weeks and months have, for the first time, moved us to speak publicly about our grave concern over the way Bolton Wanderers – our beloved football club – is being run.
"We have spent months listening to empty promises from the Chairman and his excuses as to why wages and bonuses have not been paid on time. We have seen Marc Iles, the esteemed journalist from the Bolton News, having his credentials withdrawn after asking legitimate questions about the way the club is being run. And in the last few days we have heard reports of shameful behaviour in transfer dealings with other clubs.
"We can no longer stand idly by and watch our club being treated like this. The staff deserve better, the players deserve better and most important the fans deserve better. Every football club deserves to be run by someone who sees themselves more of a custodian than a 'secured lender'. Bolton Wanderers belongs to the community and its loyal and devoted fans are embarrassed by the way it is being run and genuinely worried about what the future holds for our once proud football club.
"We grew up watching Bolton Wanderers, and we brought our children up watching Bolton Wanderers. We have cheered, cried, shouted, frozen for decades and we want our football club to survive to allow future generations of Wanderers fans to enjoy the ups and downs of following such a wonderful club. If things continue as they are, we are seriously worried that this may not be the case."
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