As others have said, this has been coming for decades. Leeds, Portsmouth, Wednesday, Palace, Bradford, Coventry etc and nothing was changed, nothing was put in place. Complete inaction. During that period, we've lost numerous non league clubs, including several former FL sides, but its always seemed that it would take one of the big boys to go bust to make the powers that be sit up and take notice.
There have been so many warning shots across the bows, its no wonder some of them are hitting the target now. The EFL aren't entirely to blame, but they should absolutely share a good proportion of it and if they really are so powerless to do anything about it's own member clubs being destroyed, then they're clearly of no use to anyone and should be disbanded.
@Wendoverman said:
I would like Wycombe to postpone the Pompey home game as I will be on my holidays. I'm free any day the following week.
That did make me chuckle @Wendoverman - at a time when I’m pretty pissed off about not being able to access iFollow this evening because of a cock-up over my password and total failure by iFollow to respond to my endless requests for assistance in resetting it.
A shuddering read @shev. If & I know it's a very big if, the EFL could really unearth the "proper books" of a lot of their members I believe there might be a seismic shift in their stance. I also reckon WWFC might come out as one of the "richer" clubs, given that we haven't given over our stadium and stay "on budget". On assumption, the Couhig family can pull the "rabbit out of the hat" & make us sustainable, then surely we would climb further up the table of "wealth" as we could have little to no debt?
I hope the EFL officials met the experts over a lunchtime meeting at a swanky London restaurant...or if at headquarters they got some nice catering in...before telling them 'there's no problem here...'
@Wendoverman said:
I hope the EFL officials met the experts over a lunchtime meeting at a swanky London restaurant...or if at headquarters they got some nice catering in...before telling them 'there's no problem here...'
Pre-season conference in Portugal a while back if I remember correctly.
They shouldn't have been allowed to start the season. I know we faced some senior players, but they're effectively entering a youth team into a senior league.
The balance of League One is irretrievably messed up for the season.
Can you imagine if a team goes down because they played a senior Bolton team twice, when say, Tranmere beat the kids 5-0? I know we benefited to a large degree too, but ultimately, this whole thing is a shambles. It would have been better to stop both teams playing - which would have kept everything equal for their competitors, too - than to start a bunch of kids for several games.
Bolton reported to be on the brink of liquidation. This could happen as early as Wednesday. The EFL will then expunge this season's results for their games played so far, which is going to mean that our league position will be affected.
COYB.
@lordmelchester said: The EFL will then expunge this season's results for their games played so far, which is going to mean that our league position will be affected.
COYB.
Bizarrely that would put us above Ipswich on goals scored!
@lordmelchester said: The EFL will then expunge this season's results for their games played so far, which is going to mean that our league position will be affected.
COYB.
Bizarrely that would put us above Ipswich on goals scored!
Assuming Bolton and or Bury are thrown out there is then the problem of how this affects promotion and relegation not just in L 1 but lower down the pyramid
I think that's relatively easily solved: only two go down from L1. The usual four come up from L2. None go down from L2 and the usual two come up from the Conference.
I remember all those years ago, when Bolton were playing & paying the likes of Campo, Elhadji Diouf to name but two thinking how can they afford all that? The chickens have come home to roost sadly.
Comments
As others have said, this has been coming for decades. Leeds, Portsmouth, Wednesday, Palace, Bradford, Coventry etc and nothing was changed, nothing was put in place. Complete inaction. During that period, we've lost numerous non league clubs, including several former FL sides, but its always seemed that it would take one of the big boys to go bust to make the powers that be sit up and take notice.
There have been so many warning shots across the bows, its no wonder some of them are hitting the target now. The EFL aren't entirely to blame, but they should absolutely share a good proportion of it and if they really are so powerless to do anything about it's own member clubs being destroyed, then they're clearly of no use to anyone and should be disbanded.
POTD
That did make me chuckle @Wendoverman - at a time when I’m pretty pissed off about not being able to access iFollow this evening because of a cock-up over my password and total failure by iFollow to respond to my endless requests for assistance in resetting it.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/08/20/experts-warned-efl-two-years-ago-clubs-like-bolton-bury-faced/amp/
Not certain you'd need to be an "expert" to have predicted this!!
A shuddering read @shev. If & I know it's a very big if, the EFL could really unearth the "proper books" of a lot of their members I believe there might be a seismic shift in their stance. I also reckon WWFC might come out as one of the "richer" clubs, given that we haven't given over our stadium and stay "on budget". On assumption, the Couhig family can pull the "rabbit out of the hat" & make us sustainable, then surely we would climb further up the table of "wealth" as we could have little to no debt?
I hope the EFL officials met the experts over a lunchtime meeting at a swanky London restaurant...or if at headquarters they got some nice catering in...before telling them 'there's no problem here...'
@EwanHoosaami, a good point well made.
Pre-season conference in Portugal a while back if I remember correctly.
Phil Parkinson has left Bolton.
Oh dear, although I have to say I was wondering if this might be coming.
Fair enough, this situation can't continue indefinitely .
They shouldn't have been allowed to start the season. I know we faced some senior players, but they're effectively entering a youth team into a senior league.
The balance of League One is irretrievably messed up for the season.
Can you imagine if a team goes down because they played a senior Bolton team twice, when say, Tranmere beat the kids 5-0? I know we benefited to a large degree too, but ultimately, this whole thing is a shambles. It would have been better to stop both teams playing - which would have kept everything equal for their competitors, too - than to start a bunch of kids for several games.
Administrators trying to bang some heads together
Sadly, Sky are reporting that the Bolton sale has fallen through. Looks like it could be the end.
Perhaps a couple of PL players could each donate a weeks wages .? . Then I woke up!
Bolton reported to be on the brink of liquidation. This could happen as early as Wednesday. The EFL will then expunge this season's results for their games played so far, which is going to mean that our league position will be affected.
COYB.
Bizarrely that would put us above Ipswich on goals scored!
It would also put Tranmere on 0 points with Southend, with a lousy goal difference.
I suppose we at least had the fixture & a decent away crowd that other clubs will no have had the benefit of?
Assuming Bolton and or Bury are thrown out there is then the problem of how this affects promotion and relegation not just in L 1 but lower down the pyramid
I think that's relatively easily solved: only two go down from L1. The usual four come up from L2. None go down from L2 and the usual two come up from the Conference.
This is my assumption based on what the EFL said a few days back when Bury seemed sure to miss an earlier deadline: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bury-league-one-sunderland-efl-16787875
.
Always leave them wanting more.
From a decade ago:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2009/nov/05/boltonwanderers-premierleague
I remember all those years ago, when Bolton were playing & paying the likes of Campo, Elhadji Diouf to name but two thinking how can they afford all that? The chickens have come home to roost sadly.
The end of that Graun article suggested I might be interested in this one, from 2014, on Bury: https://www.theguardian.com/football/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2014/nov/12/bury-high-interest-loans-shadow-recovery
Its almost like this is going to carry on happening over and over again without any proper regulation....
This is a happier scene anyway for now as Bury fans queue up to help clean the stadium ready for them to play again: