Bolton Wanderers: Players say wages still not paid and ask for PFA assistance

Bolton Wanderers are five points adrift of safety in the Championship with 10 games to play

Bolton's players have asked for help from the Professional Footballers' Association, claiming owner Ken Anderson failed to meet a promise to pay their February wages on Monday.

The squad was told they would be paid if a proposed takeover of the Championship club was not completed.

They "feel extremely let down by Anderson", a statement said.

It added: "We were promised our wages and staff wages would be paid by Monday - unfortunately, that hasn't happened."

In response, Bolton issued a statement saying the club was "disappointed" by the players' decision to involve the PFA but did not confirm when the outstanding wages would be paid.

Anderson said on 24 February that he had agreed a deal "in principle" to sell the club and, in a statement on Wednesday, said he was optimistic the takeover would be completed by the weekend.

However, there have been no further updates since and Anderson remains in charge of the Championship club, who host Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday.

The players' statement continued: "With no idea of when our wages will be paid our only option is to ask the PFA to take it up with the EFL (English Football League) and start proceedings on our behalf.

"Hopefully the issue gets resolved very soon so we can all move forward as a group and put all our focus into winning games of football and staying in the league."

A Bolton statement, issued to BBC Radio Manchester in response, said: "We are disappointed that the players have taken this course of action. However, we will continue to have ongoing dialogue with them.

"The takeover process is progressing and all parties are working hard to reach a speedy completion.

"We hope to be able to make a further statement prior to Tuesday evening's game.

"Once finalised, all outstanding salaries will be paid as a matter of urgency."

An EFL spokesman confirmed the league had been made aware of the latest developments by the PFA.

They said: "As a result, the EFL has taken the appropriate preventative steps in line with our stated policies in this area and have asked the club for its observations."

Uncertainty at Bolton continues

The PFA intervened earlier this season to ensure the players' wages were paid for November and December.

In a news conference on Friday, manager Phil Parkinson said chief executive Paul Aldridge had told the playing staff that Anderson would fund their February wages if the takeover had not been completed by Monday.

Parkinson indicated earlier on Monday that he was still hopeful that the monies owed would be paid later in the day.

He told BBC Radio Manchester: "We were told by the chairman (Anderson) that either the new people would be in and they would pay the wages or he would do it, so I've no reason to believe that won't happen."

BBC Radio Manchester reported that matchday and full-time staff received their February wages on Thursday and Friday.

There were concerns that there would not be adequate safety provision in place for the home game against Millwall on Saturday, which led to a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group - consisting of the local council, the club, local police and ambulance services - on 5 March.

Outstanding bills owed to the emergency services were cleared, allowing the match to go ahead, and Bolton won 2-1 to move within five points of 21st-placed Millwall but remain in the relegation zone.

Bolton are due in the High Court on 20 March, having been issued with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs in February.