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A majority of Wanderers fans have indicated they will not be asking for refunds from the club if the season is abandoned.
The Bolton Wanderers Supporters’ Trust posed the question to its members last week and say they have received an overwhelming response from those potentially willing to waive compensation for the un-played games.
No official poll or survey has yet been collated but based on the feedback they have been given thus far the Trust is looking to engage with the club to potentially open the matter for serious discussion in the coming weeks.
A statement from the Trust said: "Both on social media and as a direct response to an email sent to members, the feedback was very positive with many supporters happy for the club to retain those funds where they were in a position to do so, and a number telling us of their interest in offering a monthly donation if that was an option.
"We also appreciate that not everyone feels able to or wants to make that offer in the current climate, and some of the feedback makes that clear; but having had such a positive resonse overall we have now reached out to Football Ventures about this initiative, and also the process of issuing refunds for those who want them."
Wanderers sold tickets for the home game against Peterborough United, which was due to be played on March 14, but was postponed along with the rest of the English football calendar on government advice.
In total, five home games are still to be played – which factoring in the cost of the lowest priced solo adult season ticket at the University of Bolton Stadium, amounts to £63.55.
It is still unclear what will happen with the remainder of the League One campaign and though the EFL held a meeting yesterday, announcing that they had pushed back the date at which clubs will be allowed to return to training to May 25, there was no firm guidance on whether the competition will be resumed.
A decision on whether to continue football behind closed doors could be “weeks away” according to one club source.
Meanwhile, football finance expert Gerald Krasner, a partner at Begbies Traynor and former chairman of Leeds United, believes that clubs must start playing behind closed doors as quickly as possible to avoid a long-term disaster for the sport.
“We’re unlikely to see the wealthy clubs in the Premier League succumb to profound financial distress as long as they continue to be bolstered by large television revenues. But what is absolutely essential, especially for the EFL clubs, is that they finish the season by playing the remaining matches behind closed doors,” he said.
“The reality is that people have managed without football for more than a month now and there’s a real danger that unless the momentum can be regained and fans can begin to watch matches on TV again, the impetus will be lost and the draw of football will be diminished in the long term. If that was to happen, the television money would soon desert the game too.”
Source
The Bolton Wanderers Supporters’ Trust posed the question to its members last week and say they have received an overwhelming response from those potentially willing to waive compensation for the un-played games.
No official poll or survey has yet been collated but based on the feedback they have been given thus far the Trust is looking to engage with the club to potentially open the matter for serious discussion in the coming weeks.
A statement from the Trust said: "Both on social media and as a direct response to an email sent to members, the feedback was very positive with many supporters happy for the club to retain those funds where they were in a position to do so, and a number telling us of their interest in offering a monthly donation if that was an option.
"We also appreciate that not everyone feels able to or wants to make that offer in the current climate, and some of the feedback makes that clear; but having had such a positive resonse overall we have now reached out to Football Ventures about this initiative, and also the process of issuing refunds for those who want them."
Wanderers sold tickets for the home game against Peterborough United, which was due to be played on March 14, but was postponed along with the rest of the English football calendar on government advice.
In total, five home games are still to be played – which factoring in the cost of the lowest priced solo adult season ticket at the University of Bolton Stadium, amounts to £63.55.
It is still unclear what will happen with the remainder of the League One campaign and though the EFL held a meeting yesterday, announcing that they had pushed back the date at which clubs will be allowed to return to training to May 25, there was no firm guidance on whether the competition will be resumed.
A decision on whether to continue football behind closed doors could be “weeks away” according to one club source.
Meanwhile, football finance expert Gerald Krasner, a partner at Begbies Traynor and former chairman of Leeds United, believes that clubs must start playing behind closed doors as quickly as possible to avoid a long-term disaster for the sport.
“We’re unlikely to see the wealthy clubs in the Premier League succumb to profound financial distress as long as they continue to be bolstered by large television revenues. But what is absolutely essential, especially for the EFL clubs, is that they finish the season by playing the remaining matches behind closed doors,” he said.
“The reality is that people have managed without football for more than a month now and there’s a real danger that unless the momentum can be regained and fans can begin to watch matches on TV again, the impetus will be lost and the draw of football will be diminished in the long term. If that was to happen, the television money would soon desert the game too.”
Source
