Wanderers face winding-up order

CASH-strapped football club Bolton Wanderers is facing a winding-up petition from Revenue & Customs over £2m of unpaid taxes.

The Championship’s basement club – carrying £172.9m of debt – failed to pay its senior players in November and need a £15m boost to get to the end of season, according to reports.

Talks have been ongoing with up to four groups interested in taking over the Macron Stadium club, and unless a deal is struck Wanderers  – relegated from the Premier League in 2012 – could go into administration  and face a crippling 12-point deduction.

Bolton’s affairs are currently being looked after by financial adviser Trevor Birch, who was drafted in by owner Eddie Davies, with the club’s current chairman Phil Gartside surffering from a serious illness.

Davies has said he will write off the £172.9m owed to him, but is refusing to provide further funds.

The points reduction would leave Wanderers 16 points adrift of safety.