Administrators called in at Bolton Wanderers

Administrators have been called in at Bolton Wanderers Football Club.

The club say the administrators have officially been appointed in a bid to “ensure the continued existence” of the club.

Paul Appleton and Asher Miller of David Rubin & Partners have been brought in to both Bolton Wanderers Football & Athletic Club (BWFC) and Burnden Leisure Limited (BLL).

The club has been struggling for months and earlier this month chairman Ken Anderson said he had little or no choice to call in the administrators to ensure the future of the club.

Bolton Wanderers owner Ken Anderson said he had no alternative but to put the club into administration, on the day it faced action by HMRC in the High Court over £1.2m of unpaid taxes.

The move came after the proposed takeover by former Watford owner Laurence Bassini appears to have collapsed.

Earlier this month Mr Anderson said: “Regrettably his continued time wasting and empty promises have caused a great deal of heartache and frustration for the staff and supporters alike and now leave the Eddie Davies Trust and I with little or no choice other than for one of us to place the businesses into administration, as any likelihood of finding any resolution the High Court hearing not possible .

“This had been a massive disappointment to me as I understand the serious implications administration will bring to the businesses.

“But I have been left with no alternative, as this course of action will preserve the football club and all of its proud history.”

The appointment of the administrators was made following the Notices of Intention to appoint administrators filed by Fildraw Ltd last week.

The which move has followed months of uncertainty since the presentation of a petition by HMRC.

Paul Appleton said: “This has obviously been a long-running situation and it is vitally important that we quickly establish the position of both the football club and the holding company.

“It has got to the stage where the trust could not sit back and allow the club to go into liquidation. Decisive action had to be taken and the trust believes the decision is in the best interests of Bolton Wanderers.

“Everybody at the club, as well as the supporters, need a sense of clarity and that is what I will be seeking to provide as quickly as possible.”

Bolton Wanderers are the first English Football League side to go into administration since Aldershot Town in 2013.

The move will mean that the club will docked points at the start of next season.

The club has endures a miserable season both on and off the pitch and was relegated from the Championship.

Players are still owed wages for March and April and the club could face further punishment after their final home match of the season against Brentford on 27 April was called off when the players went on strike.

Bolton Wanderers was formed in 1874 and was one of the 12 founding members of the Football League in 1888.