Crisis-hit football club’s D-Day

A DECISION on which of three contenders in the running to buy Bolton Wanderers Football Club is set to be made today.

The recently-formed Bolton Wanderers Supporters Trust, a consortium led by former Bolton striker Dean Holdsworth and banker Roger Tamraz are vying for control of the club currently owned by Isle of Man-based millionaire  and lifelong fan Eddie Davies.

According to reports the Holdsworth’s Sports Shield Group has been granted a short  period of exclusivity and is seen as the most likely new owner.

The club, currently bottom of the Championship having won only four games all season, is scheduled to appear in the High Court on Monday as a result of an unpaid tax bill of about £3m.

The club will raise some £2.2m from the sale of its Euxton training ground to Wigan Athletic, a deal which was confirmed on the club’s website today.

A statement said: “Bolton Wanderers can announce that the club has concluded a deal to sell its Euxton training ground.
 
“The facility will now be solely owned by Huron Properties, with another North West football club set to be based at the Euxton site from this coming summer.
 
In the period leading up to Easter, the Bolton Wanderers first team and backroom staff will begin a process to relocate permanently to a combination of both the club’s Lostock training ground and Macron Stadium.”

Wanderers are facing the threat of a winding-up order from Revenue & Customs if they fail to pay their tax bill, and narrowly escaped an immediate order last month  before the case was adjourned until February 22.

The club is  £172.9m in debt and currently under a transfer embargo for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

An announcement of the decision on new ownership could be made before Saturday’s home game against Queens Park Rangers.