KEN Anderson has promised players’ promotion bonuses WILL be paid this week.
The Wanderers chairman says he was reluctant to put in a reported £500,000 in Friday’s pay-run because of the uncertainty over BluMarble’s winding-up petition on Dean Holdsworth’s Sports Shield BWFC.
Anderson says he has made offers to both parties to resolve the dispute – which is due to be heard in court for the final time on July 10.
“This lack of a resolution was the main reason why the bonuses owed to the players were not paid on time as I was reluctant to continue to solely fund the club with still no certainty of an agreement being reached with both parties,” he said.
“However, as I have solely funded the club with substantial amounts during these ongoing discussions over the last few months, I have agreed to continue to do so for the time being, in the hope that an agreement will be reached with both parties in the short term.
“Accordingly, the players will be paid the outstanding monies this week.”
Wanderers’ players were due a bonus payment in their June pay packet after promotion to the Championship but as The Bolton News reported on Saturday morning, several players who were out of contract or on loan at the end of last season were left unpaid. The PFA have been notified about the situation.
Jamie Proctor’s £75,000 move to Rotherham United was put on hold until the money is transferred and it remains to be seen whether the wage hitch has affected talks to re-sign midfielder Jay Spearing.
Anderson says he plans to review the pay structure to ensure such bonuses do not have an “adverse effect on cash flow” in the more difficult summer months.
One of the players to break ranks and comment was Dean Moxey, the full-back released this summer who has since signed at his hometown club Exeter City.
The 31-year-old branded the situation “a joke” in an exchange with a supporter on Twitter and added: “It’s not really funny anymore as it seems to happen every month.”
Lee Anderson, the chairman’s son and a licensed football agent, took exception to his comments and made remarks of his own about the player’s salary.
The chairman also made reference to Moxey in his column, posted yesterday on the club’s website.
“I have to say I thought the comments on social media from Dean Moxey were disappointing and unnecessary, particularly from a player who has been paid handsomely based on the number of games he started last season,” he said.
“In my opinion, it would have been better to have kept the matter private. As far, as I am aware, the salaries have not been paid late every month as he has stated.”
Wanderers are to appeal against the Bolton Wanderers Supporters’ Trust’s application to have the Macron Stadium and its surrounding buildings listed as an Asset of Community Value.
The application does not prohibit a sale but was introduced by the government to prevent so-called ‘secret sales’ to third parties.
“We believe that the ACV will prevent us from obtaining the necessary future funding for us to re-acquire the car parks and office space that were sold to Michael James prior to my arrival at the club.
“I believe that it is crucial that Bolton Wanderers Football Club owns these assets going forward,” Anderson added.
Overdue accounts for 2015/16 will be filed this week, and will “greatly assist” Wanderers’ chances of coming out of a transfer embargo, Anderson claims.
Once accounts are filed, the EFL would need to see an acceptable forecast and business plan for the next 12 months before removing the embargo, which has been in place since December 2015.
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