ON March 5, we brought you news that Bolton Wanderers’ home clash with Millwall was in doubt after fears it could not meet the terms of its safety licence.
The situation arose after staff who had not been paid wages on time refused to man their posts until their salaries were in their accounts.
The threatened cancellation of that clash — or it having to be played behind closed doors — was averted at the 11th hour, with assurances from the club that the wages would be paid and the safety certificate being reinstated.
Less than a month later, the Safety Advisory Group — made up of representatives from Bolton Council, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, North West Ambulance Service and St John’s Ambulance — has suspended the safety certificate for the next two home games, after a further strike over unpaid wages.
The club hopes to have resolved the situation after today’s court appearance over unpaid bills — and with an offer to buy the club having apparently been agreed by chairman Ken Anderson.
The football league wants to help the games go ahead as scheduled, but, as things stand, the SAG is not confident that the necessary staff can be arranged in time.
Fans, players and staff have endured a torrid time over the past few months, with finances and takeovers rarely out of the headlines. For everyone’s sake, this must be resolved once and for all.
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