Bolton have been punished with 5 points deduction suspended for 18 months plus £50,000 fine half suspended for 18 months for failing to fulfill the 2 fixtures v Brentford last season and v Doncaster this season
You could say they have done rather well

What a joke. They probably made more than that on ticket sales.

How have they got away with this ?

No points deduction at all? Good grief.

I hope the League will issue confirmation that the same rules apply to all clubs; that any club can cancel a match at next to no notice for any reason whatever. Fair's fair.

Middlesbrough might appeal the 3 points they lost for failing to trap at Deadwood a few years ago. Looking at the league table, those points might come in handy!

Come on Bolton what a fairytale season it will have been if not only did the club survive but they came back from the dead Lazarus style and stayed up

Its a joke decision

But its the EFL, and they only do joke decisions.

Pathetic and some deterrent.

It was an independent panel of 3 who came up with decision. The EFL statement says it is subject to appeal.
The remaining clubs in the League will not be happy

If Accrington Stanley had said last week that they had one centre half out injured, one suspended, and one on international duty, so they were going to cancel the game at Rotherham - would the League have accepted it? I doubt it. I bet Andy Holt's internet connection is smoking!

So a few clubs get 5-0 wins early season over Bolton, Bolton then exploit the rules and take it on themselves to postpone the Doncaster game. Doncaster would have won comfortably yet have to play a much stronger Bolton side instead. It makes a mockery of the competition as pointed out by Stanley's chairman at the time. As a minimum Doncaster should be awarded a 3-0 win.

It's sets a pretty bad precedent this.

The EFL seem to have bent over backwards for Bolton in their hour of need.

DAVETHEVICAR wrote:It was an independent panel of 3 who came up with decision. The EFL statement says it is subject to appeal.
The remaining clubs in the League will not be happy

A disgraceful decision. Bolton fans celebrating and mocking Doncaster at the same time. Has to be appealed if only for any integrity left in the game. Seems anyone can 'miss' a fixture whenever they like now.

DAVETHEVICAR wrote:It was an independent panel of 3 who came up with decision. The EFL statement says it is subject to appeal.
The remaining clubs in the League will not be happy

Then hopefully the EFL will appeal it!
Does seem a lenient decision.

Bolton the new Leeds.Should have been treated the same as Bury.Another gutless performance from the Efl

Woodleyclaret wrote:Should have been treated the same as Bury.

Exactly. There is no coming back from where they are without massive investment from a Venkys-like Messiah.

EFL have appealed.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/5051 ... avTxo4PdHw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would imagine the EFL will win the appeal and that Bolton Wanderers will get the inevitable points deduction but may be less than the 9-12 points the EFL would have liked

For once we can’t blame the league, they wanted a very strong points deduction penalty and are now appealing against the commission decision.

Have to say I was staggered at the decision yesterday to only suspend a points deduction.

They should never have been allowed to start the season, same as Bury.

It HAS to be a points deduction.
Can't be anything less!
Can you imagine the precedent it would set if it wasn't.

RammyClaret61 wrote:They should never have been allowed to start the season, same as Bury.

I agree that they shouldn’t have been allowed to start the season while in administration.

I don't believe in points deductions - at all. So for me this is not a problem. Also I applaud what is happening there now - they are now in a position where relegation is no longer nailed on and but for the deductions Southend would be hopelessly bottom. I don't understand why people are so anti-Bolton now - they have never historically been a major rival - it is probably just the Coyle thing, which is ancient history now. They are an old Lancashire club and we should be hoping they do okay rather than wishing bad things on them. We aren't even in the same league for goodness sake. Why can't we get behind local clubs who are no trouble to us? As much as I hate Rovers I wouldn't want them to go under - I'm proud to be able to hate them. Football was born in Lancashire and we should be proud of our heritage.

houseboy wrote:I don't believe in points deductions - at all. So for me this is not a problem. Also I applaud what is happening there now - they are now in a position where relegation is no longer nailed on and but for the deductions Southend would be hopelessly bottom. I don't understand why people are so anti-Bolton now - they have never historically been a major rival - it is probably just the Coyle thing, which is ancient history now. They are an old Lancashire club and we should be hoping they do okay rather than wishing bad things on them. We aren't even in the same league for goodness sake. Why can't we get behind local clubs who are no trouble to us? As much as I hate Rovers I wouldn't want them to go under - I'm proud to be able to hate them. Football was born in Lancashire and we should be proud of our heritage.

Despite all we’ve achieved since, Coyle changing his job is still very very raw for some people. Sad bastards.

Good luck to em.

So the EFL appoint an independent commission and then appeal against it's decision. Rather odd.

Dyched wrote:Despite all we’ve achieved since, Coyle changing his job is still very very raw for some people. Sad bastards.

Good luck to em.

I know but time is, or should be a healer, and who knows, maybe what Coyle did set us on the road to where we are now. Not only did he get us promoted but his leaving brought in Laws (mistake of the highest order) then Howe (great manager) then Dyche (say no more). So the chain of events started by Coyle leads us to where we are now. It's the law of cause and effect mate - Karma can be a bitch but it can also be a good thing.

houseboy wrote:I don't believe in points deductions - at all. So for me this is not a problem. Also I applaud what is happening there now - they are now in a position where relegation is no longer nailed on and but for the deductions Southend would be hopelessly bottom. I don't understand why people are so anti-Bolton now - they have never historically been a major rival - it is probably just the Coyle thing, which is ancient history now. They are an old Lancashire club and we should be hoping they do okay rather than wishing bad things on them. We aren't even in the same league for goodness sake. Why can't we get behind local clubs who are no trouble to us? As much as I hate Rovers I wouldn't want them to go under - I'm proud to be able to hate them. Football was born in Lancashire and we should be proud of our heritage.

I hate Bolton. Always have. Growing up in Rammy with loads of Bolton fans, always being told they’re a bigger club than us, they’ve never won the league. Didn’t know a a single Rovers fan back in the 70’s & 80’s so no real rivalry.

RammyClaret61 wrote:I hate Bolton. Always have. Growing up in Rammy with loads of Bolton fans, always being told they’re a bigger club than us, they’ve never won the league. Didn’t know a a single Rovers fan back in the 70’s & 80’s so no real rivalry.

Aah Rammy. My Mum's family came from there (and Stubbins). Lovely little town - taught all my girls to ride bikes in Nuttall park. Still go there sometimes - the chocolate festival is ace.

This has nothing to do wIth Coyle, it’s about a club not having points docked for failing to fulfil fixtures. It’s a league requirement and precedents have been set. They simply should have had points deducted.

houseboy wrote:I don't believe in points deductions - at all. So for me this is not a problem. Also I applaud what is happening there now - they are now in a position where relegation is no longer nailed on and but for the deductions Southend would be hopelessly bottom. I don't understand why people are so anti-Bolton now - they have never historically been a major rival - it is probably just the Coyle thing, which is ancient history now. They are an old Lancashire club and we should be hoping they do okay rather than wishing bad things on them. We aren't even in the same league for goodness sake. Why can't we get behind local clubs who are no trouble to us? As much as I hate Rovers I wouldn't want them to go under - I'm proud to be able to hate them. Football was born in Lancashire and we should be proud of our heritage.

Bolton may be no trouble to us, but they're trouble to Accrington Stanley, for example. Even though we aren't in the third division at present, it still is wrong that a club should be allowed to fail to turn up for matches at no notice at all, and the League to say "that's all right lads, no problem, no punishment".

dsr wrote:Bolton may be no trouble to us, but they're trouble to Accrington Stanley, for example. Even though we aren't in the third division at present, it still is wrong that a club should be allowed to fail to turn up for matches at no notice at all, and the League to say "that's all right lads, no problem, no punishment".

Not saying no punishment - just not points deductions. Never have agreed with them and never will. I said the same when they almost destroyed Luton a few years ago. The main losers are the fans. Punishment by all means but not points deductions, it makes a mockery of competition.

houseboy wrote:I don't believe in points deductions - at all. So for me this is not a problem. Also I applaud what is happening there now - they are now in a position where relegation is no longer nailed on and but for the deductions Southend would be hopelessly bottom. I don't understand why people are so anti-Bolton now - they have never historically been a major rival - it is probably just the Coyle thing, which is ancient history now. They are an old Lancashire club and we should be hoping they do okay rather than wishing bad things on them. We aren't even in the same league for goodness sake. Why can't we get behind local clubs who are no trouble to us? As much as I hate Rovers I wouldn't want them to go under - I'm proud to be able to hate them. Football was born in Lancashire and we should be proud of our heritage.

'get behind local clubs who are no trouble to us'

So, in essence support a cheat. Bolton fans last night 'returned to type' by gloating at Doncaster when they saw the result of the commission. I don't care who the club is but if it is deemed to be breaking rules blatantly then they need to be dealt with approoriately. This is no more than a slap on the wrist. An absolute joke setting a precedent for anyone to do the same in the future.

ClaretTony wrote:This has nothing to do wIth Coyle, it’s about a club not having points docked for failing to fulfil fixtures. It’s a league requirement and precedents have been set. They simply should have had points deducted.

Sorry Tony it's a bad precedent in my view and it should be ended. We all have our own views and mine just happens to be that points deductions are wrong and only really punish the fans, who are innocent.

Silkyskills1 wrote:'get behind local clubs who are no trouble to us'

So, in essence support a cheat. Bolton fans last night 'returned to type' by gloating at Doncaster when they saw the result of the commission. I don't care who the club is but if it is deemed to be breaking rules blatantly then they need to be dealt with approoriately. This is no more than a slap on the wrist. An absolute joke setting a precedent for anyone to do the same in the future.

Sorry bud but nothing is going to change my mind about points deductions - I view them as totally wrong in EVERY case - whoever the club is. Punishment yes but points deductions no - never.

houseboy wrote:Sorry Tony it's a bad precedent in my view and it should be ended. We all have our own views and mine just happens to be that points deductions are wrong and only really punish the fans, who are innocent.

I don’t agree with points deductions for a team going into admin. I’ve always believed the punishment should be one league down and that no team should start a season in admin.

Even had Bolton come out of admin before the season started I think, rather than -12 points they should have started on zero points in League Two.

But under the current rules, whether we agree or not, it seems ridiculous that they have not been penalised for not playing those games.

houseboy wrote:Sorry bud but nothing is going to change my mind about points deductions - I view them as totally wrong in EVERY case - whoever the club is. Punishment yes but points deductions no - never.

What sort of punishment,that hopefully sends out a message to other clubs, do you suggest?

houseboy wrote:Sorry Tony it's a bad precedent in my view and it should be ended. We all have our own views and mine just happens to be that points deductions are wrong and only really punish the fans, who are innocent.

So if Bolton win the rearranged match and get 3 points they wouldn't have had, because they broke the rules, and then they finish 1 point above Accrington Stanley - would you say that is fair to the fans of Accrington Stanley?

To what extent should clubs be allowed to call off a fixture because they think they would be better suited playing it later? And how would you punish them in a way that doesn't in any way affect the team?

dsr wrote:So if Bolton win the rearranged match and get 3 points they wouldn't have had, because they broke the rules, and then they finish 1 point above Accrington Stanley - would you say that is fair to the fans of Accrington Stanley?

To what extent should clubs be allowed to call off a fixture because they think they would be better suited playing it later? And how would you punish them in a way that doesn't in any way affect the team?

Good point.

I guess Andy Holt has already got it worked out to miss 1 or 2 fixtures at the end of the season.... If they've not played all their games - and no points deduction - how can a team be relegated.... if, of course, they ae competing with another team who are exactly in that situation from missing games earlier in the season.

It makes no sense at all to have "suspended points deductions" in a league - more so when it extends beyond the end of the current season.

Silkyskills1 wrote:What sort of punishment,that hopefully sends out a message to other clubs, do you suggest?

This is the question I was waiting for and to be truthful I'm not sure. The only thing I can think of is some kind of financial punishment that can be implemented AFTER the club have sorted out any financial difficulties (obviously fines to a club with no money doesn't work). The other problem is that a club (ie a football club) cannot be guilty of anything, only the owners etc can be guilty and often they get away with punishment because they then offload the club to someone else so the people who should be punished are not. The new owners are left to pick up the tab and the fans get lumbered with the dreadful points deduction. The real guilty party often gets out of it. This is obviously a simplification but in essence that is what happens. Perhaps the owners themselves, whether still at the club or not, should be punished but then they are not the club. It's a minefield really.

dsr wrote:So if Bolton win the rearranged match and get 3 points they wouldn't have had, because they broke the rules, and then they finish 1 point above Accrington Stanley - would you say that is fair to the fans of Accrington Stanley?

To what extent should clubs be allowed to call off a fixture because they think they would be better suited playing it later? And how would you punish them in a way that doesn't in any way affect the team?

If they truly cannot field a team, for whatever reason, they have no choice. Is a club who gets a game called off because all their first team squad or most of them are ill to be accused of cheating? And what about teams, mainly the big clubs in Europe? Are they to be accused of adversely affecting results if they field a weakened to play a stronger one in Europe? They then get beaten by a team fighting relegation - that has given that team an unfair advantage over other relegation candidates. Where does it end? Or do we just accuse a club because for whatever reason we don't like them?

houseboy wrote:This is the question I was waiting for and to be truthful I'm not sure. The only thing I can think of is some kind of financial punishment that can be implemented AFTER the club have sorted out any financial difficulties (obviously fines to a club with no money doesn't work). The other problem is that a club (ie a football club) cannot be guilty of anything, only the owners etc can be guilty and often they get away with punishment because they then offload the club to someone else so the people who should be punished are not. The new owners are left to pick up the tab and the fans get lumbered with the dreadful points deduction. The real guilty party often gets out of it. This is obviously a simplification but in essence that is what happens. Perhaps the owners themselves, whether still at the club or not, should be punished but then they are not the club. It's a minefield really.

Trouble with fining the club after the event is that it makes it more difficult to sell the club which makes it less likely the club would survive.
At least a points deduction, whilst it will likely mean relegation, means the club can continue.
I'm sure Bury fans would gladly swap places with Bolton, for instance.

ClaretTony wrote:I don’t agree with points deductions for a team going into admin. I’ve always believed the punishment should be one league down and that no team should start a season in admin.

Even had Bolton come out of admin before the season started I think, rather than -12 points they should have started on zero points in League Two.

But under the current rules, whether we agree or not, it seems ridiculous that they have not been penalised for not playing those games.

I think many would agree with you on that Tony but it still punishes the innocent - ie the fans. I do agree that all should be treated the same and in that sense yes maybe they should have been deducted but is a points deduction mandatory for not fulfilling a fixture? The only way to make it fair would be to scrap the whole points deduction thing. I have been opposed to it since it was first implemented years ago and was horrified with what they did to Luton. I just cannot see beyond the fact that a club is, or should be, for the fans and they are the ones who suffer.

Very dangerous precedent been set by this decision...clubs who are struggling with injuries or suspensions can now simply call a game off and opt to take a fine

Every team Bolton are playing should call the game off 24 hours beforehand. That way if they all get docked points it doesn't matter.
Then, at the end of the season, Bolton will have to play 32 games in a month to finish the fixtures and if they can't then they too would be docked points, assuming the rest had. Fair's fair, right? Make a right mockery of the system.

duncandisorderly wrote:Trouble with fining the club after the event is that it makes it more difficult to sell the club which makes it less likely the club would survive.
At least a points deduction, whilst it will likely mean relegation, means the club can continue.
I'm sure Bury fans would gladly swap places with Bolton, for instance.

I didn't say it was a perfect idea.
I take your point.
Maybe the whole thing should be taken out of the football authorities hands and left to the law. The club should then stand or fall on what the law decides, not the FA. There was a time when most clubs in this country ran on debt and yes some fell by the wayside (Accrington) but at least the FA didn't act as judge and jury and maybe it should be that the FA just stay out of clubs finances altogether? The clubs then get on with things and if their debt then becomes unsustainable the creditors should take action and the law should act accordingly, as with other businesses. If the club folds because of that it would be unfortunate but a natural consequence of bad management. Yes the fans would still be punished if that happened but it would probably not happen that often. It rarely did.

Considering the punishments to Andre Gray and poor old Bury this punishment is far too lenient! Dodgy dealings springs to mind!

Spike wrote:Considering the punishments to Andre Gray and poor old Bury this punishment is far too lenient! Dodgy dealings springs to mind!

Between who? The club and the organisation that already docked them points? Unlikely in the extreme.

The new owners at Bolton delayed buying the club until they were certain of getting the Hotel also
That is why the club started in administration and therefore had a deduction of 12 points
At that point Bolton,as Tony has pointed out , should have been relegated one Division.
Forward Ventures then wanted a PFA loan to pay off Football debts
Forward Ventures have just about enough cash for this season and next and then will have to re sell the Club
Only points deduction can be given or the alternative is no punishment
The fans like those at Portsmouth we’re happy to see money being spent that the clubs had not got therefore in these 2 clubs I have no sympathy whatsoever to the Fans

If there isn't the potential of a points deduction, then how could you ever punish a club who has virtually limitless funds?
(Transfer embargo I suppose, but I think a points deduction would be more likely to keep clubs operating within the rules.)

The EFL (who appointed an Independent panel, to make judgement on this) are now appealing the decision as it is too lenient. Ha ha absolute mockery of an organisation.

The EFL would fail their own fit and proper person test.

bfcjg wrote:The EFL would fail their own fit and proper person test.

I think they already have