We should be under no illusions about how bad we were last season, even with all the loans including Bannan and Le Fondre we still finished below Birmingham, Leeds and Charlton all of whom we could say had as many problems as we had. Add this to the fact that we couldn't beat Blackpool and you start to see the logic as to why the bookies have us favourites to go down.
So how are we going to improve next year bearing in mind that Pratley looks as though he is off to Ipswich and Bogdan to Liverpool.
Signing Bannan and Le Fondre will not improve the team as they were already here. I am not convinced that free transfers from Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham will improve things but hopefully they will have a much more positive attitude than the likes of Beckford.
Getting Baptiste back from Blackburn will improve things and give us Morgan, Wheater, Dervite and Baptiste as central defenders. I know Dervite has come in for a lot of criticism but against Liverpool I thought he was outstanding as there is no reason he shouldn't get that form back.
We need to bring in Amos who I think is better than Bogdan, hopefully Amos will choose first team football over bench warming in the premiership.
We need full backs and am open to suggestion on possibilities on this one but hopefully there are some loans around.
However any real improvement is only going to come from one area and that is the development squad; we are going to have to hope that Kellet, Clayton, Walker and Clough have got physically stronger and to use a horse racing term have " trained on". In my mind Vela is an established first team player and will only improve especially if he is played in midfield.
Finally there is always the football equivalent of winning the pools by identifying an Ings, Trippier, Austin or Stones all who cost next to nothing when first scouted.
Next season we are going to find out exactly how good Neil Lennon is but if Brentford, Ipswich and Boro can get to the play-offs there is no reason we shouldn't.
Improvement Next Season
posted on 29/5/15
Is there a ceiling on the debt? Is it a case of no investment then bust? Going into administration will be automatic 15 point deduction and sure relegation. Total Armageddon.
posted on 29/5/15
Would Administration eradicate our debt? Would starting the season on -15 and trying hell for leather to survive be that bad if we can rise like a Phoenix. I am not sure when it's personal debt.
posted on 30/5/15
Morning Perov.
I'm not sure that the debt as it stands will trigger any punishment from the FA. It's more a case of not exceeding a certain amount of debt in any one season.
Whether or not we will exceed the level of debt that is allowed this coming season, is anyone's guess.
Wages have been cut again and if there is any cash in the kitty for transfers, is doubtful. We will just have to wait and see how events pan out.
posted on 30/5/15
FFP will kill the game of football eventually. The threat of relegation will curb anybody outside the top 8 in the Premier League spending money. Even within the top 8 unless you are Utd or Liverpool, teams like Chelsea and City can't have bankrolled success. As for all the teams in the lower leagues it's a hammer nail in their coffins.
posted on 30/5/15
It will certainly take it's toll on the Championship.
Bolton will find it very hard to cope with the restrictions but will find it even harder, if no money comes into the club.
Gartside and Eddie have a lot to answer for.
posted on 30/5/15
The top teams in Europe will get their wish eventually with the help of Murdoch Plc.
A European league watched by thousands live in giant stadiums and live on PPV tv. The money for the elite and now't for those below them except a few scraps thrown at them to take their best developed players.
Since the money came into the game football has been taken from the masses. Look at some of the clubs some of us can remember visiting in the old league one and two. For us below the elite we'll look forward to when a new St and Greaves arrives to show us 5 minutes of our games.
One day in years to come our name may be up in lights in a new milk dna substitute commercial "Bolton Wanderers, who are they?" Around that time Bolton's total debt figure when they failed to survive will be a popular sports quiz question.
Any takers for the answer being at the end of the 2016 -17 season 208.9m
posted on 31/5/15
Who knows but I expect the figure to rise further than fall. That's despite the lower wages that keeps being thrown down our throats.
Where is new money coming from? As far as Eddie selling the club is concerned, it may happen but with the debt being so high, it would take a miracle or some idiot, for it to happen.
Other methods of raising money such as the income from the Hotel and this new Academy, are a total waste of time if gate receipts continue to fall. Even then they could hardly make a dent in the debt.
Should we at any stage, drop a further league down the slippery ladder that we are on, I fear that it is curtains for our beloved club. Only new money can save us. The question is, will Eddie, be prepared to take a hard hit to save us?
posted on 1/6/15
Just this month to go then the contract musical chairs begins. We may start to see what we will have or have not after the end of the month when we will be that much closer to starting the warm up for another season.
If we look to Scotland the lad A.Trialist could be worth a shout. You get the feeling we will be light on numbers relying on keeping fit to able to use a consistent match day squad. Look on the bright side Christmas isn't far off again and another transfer window will be along where Phil can cash in on anybody anything and everything as it coincides with the January sales..
All very depressing at the moment isn't it. Like a weather forecast the outlook is bleak stormy with some financial damage to be expected.
posted on 2/6/15
Pasty, I was under the impression that Dougie signed all the A. Trialist's in Scotland and elsewhere when he was our Supremo.
Neil is looking abroad for bargains according to the Bolton News. Let's hope he finds some talent that's ready to go.
posted on 3/6/15
Testing new keyboard.