HAVING read Phil Gartside's defence of our financial position in response to Sam Allardyce's expression of frustration last week, he should be aware that there is now growing consternation amongst Bolton fans about the club's complete failure to start reducing the debt burden when our footballing related income will never again be as high as it is now.

The stadium is full for most, though not all, games, sponsorship and other related footballing income is presumably being maximised and, to cap it all, there is no doubt that the TV income is as high as it is ever going to be.

Certainly the next television deal will be substantially lower than it is now and all the indications are that clubs are increasingly going to have to cut their cloth in relation to less, not more, income.

The simple question is that, while we all understand the plan for contribution of the other income streams, such as the hotel, to increase, this must purely be marginal compared to the footballing related income.

The question we are all increasingly worried about therefore is, if we cannot reduce the debt now then when can we ever begin to reduce it?

Can we have an answer?

Mark Swift

Vantage Mews, London