The points from the Bolton game

[Dagenham Rover]

The game was not ‘postponed’, it was cancelled by no greater authority than an administrator of BWFC

Exactly

[dickos1]

Why not.? Just your thoughts on how the EFL May react or do you know something.?

It’s just my opinion,
It won’t be fair on us but I think the efl will state it needs playing.
Other clubs chairmen have already stated it’s not fair for us to get the points so can’t see the efl doing us a favour and upsetting everyone else.
They’ll just upset us

Not having a go, but which chairmen and where.?

The Accrington chairman said on the radio he wouldn’t be in favour of us being awarded the points because everyone else has to play them with a stronger squad.
He suggested taking the points off the sides that had already played the kids.

That won’t happen though

[IDM]

It’s not about which players appear for Bolton and when, it’s about them unilaterally withdrawing from the fixture without consent.  It doesn’t matter whether this was their 4th or 44th scheduled league match of the season, the match and points should be forfeit regardless..

[Chris Black come back]

The only certain bet here is that we will be made to shoulder the burden and be given no compensation, financially or morally or practically.

[DRFC-Hanksie]

Why not.? Just your thoughts on how the EFL May react or do you know something.?

It’s just my opinion,
It won’t be fair on us but I think the efl will state it needs playing.
Other clubs chairmen have already stated it’s not fair for us to get the points so can’t see the efl doing us a favour and upsetting everyone else.
They’ll just upset us

Not having a go, but which chairmen and where.?

The Accrington chairman said on the radio he wouldn’t be in favour of us being awarded the points because everyone else has to play them with a stronger squad.
He suggested taking the points off the sides that had already played the kids.

That won’t happen though

The fixture list is a lottery though, tough shit!

[RoversAlias]

The bottom line here is that the EFL allowed the distortion of sporting integrity in this league by allowing Bolton to start the season playing games with no senior squad. Whether we get the points or not (I'm quite sure we won't), this entire season is now skewed by the free win Wycombe, Ipswich and Tranmere have got. Let's see if the difference between promotion/play offs or relegation is less than those 3 points at the end of the season. My expectation is that it probably will be.

And I don't think the EFL can fix it now. They can't take the points of those three teams (or the 1 off Coventry) because making them replay those games is a nonsense and just clogs up the fixture list. Likewise they can't ensure every team gets one free shot at the Bolton reserves to try and earn a 5-0 win. So they've stuffed it now and the 22 teams in this league will just have to lump it. Which is wrong.

Bolton will probably have another points deduction and could well be relegated but we won't see those points unless we win the rearranged game at the UoB Stadium.

[Chris Black come back]

Why not.? Just your thoughts on how the EFL May react or do you know something.?

It’s just my opinion,
It won’t be fair on us but I think the efl will state it needs playing.
Other clubs chairmen have already stated it’s not fair for us to get the points so can’t see the efl doing us a favour and upsetting everyone else.
They’ll just upset us

Agree with this.

[BillyStubbsTears]

The bottom line here is that the EFL allowed the distortion of sporting integrity in this league by allowing Bolton to start the season playing games with no senior squad. Whether we get the points or not (I'm quite sure we won't), this entire season is now skewed by the free win Wycombe, Ipswich and Tranmere have got. Let's see if the difference between promotion/play offs or relegation is less than those 3 points at the end of the season. My expectation is that it probably will be.

And I don't think the EFL can fix it now. They can't take the points of those three teams (or the 1 off Coventry) because making them replay those games is a nonsense and just clogs up the fixture list. Likewise they can't ensure every team gets one free shot at the Bolton reserves to try and earn a 5-0 win. So they've stuffed it now and the 22 teams in this league will just have to lump it. Which is wrong.

Bolton will probably have another points deduction and could well be relegated but we won't see those points unless we win the rearranged game at the UoB Stadium.

100% correct.

[silent majority]

Bolton are wanting it to be played towards the end of the season.

Absolutely no reason that it can't be played on this first available Tuesday,

Are they?

Where does it say that? As far as I can see they just mention it being rearranged/played at a later date. There's no mention of 'towards the end of the season'.

[dickos1]

Martin,
Are we able to push for a rearranged game as soon as possible.
Ie Tuesday 10th September

[IDM]

If you read what’s reported in the DFP, the club are pushing for the points, so why should they ask for a new fixture date.?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

The overriding question I keep coming back to:-

Should a well run rule abiding club be disadvantaged in favour of a poorly run club who broke the rules?

[silent majority]

Martin,
Are we able to push for a rearranged game as soon as possible.
Ie Tuesday 10th September

Well, as the DFP have reported, we have written to the EFL and asked for the points, and other conditions. At the last count we hadn't heard back, but they have been a wee bit busy!

I think we just need to let it run through the process and see what happens before pushing for a date.

[sedwardsdrfc]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay 

[redarmy82]

Bolton are wanting it to be played towards the end of the season.

Absolutely no reason that it can't be played on this first available Tuesday,

Are they?

Where does it say that? As far as I can see they just mention it being rearranged/played at a later date. There's no mention of 'towards the end of the season'.

It doesn't say it anywhere, but that's what they are wanting.

[dickos1]

Thanks Martin

If we do have to rearrange won’t it set a dangerous precedent that others may point to when they have an injury crisis.
Knowing they can cancel the game themselves and get the opportunity to replay it later in the season?

[Bristol Red Rover]

If we do have to rearrange won’t it set a dangerous precedent that others may point to when they have an injury crisis.
Knowing they can cancel the game themselves and get the opportunity to replay it later in the season?

Exactly. On top of righting the wrong done to us, unless the EFL punish them for the postponement a precedent is set - albeit one that will no doubt be ignored.

[i_ateallthepies]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay 

There will be a sanction against Bolton, if only to prevent us from doing as you suggest.  We cancel the fixture we can expect a points deduction.

[OneandOnly]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay

You will be able to call off the re-arranged game if you so wish.
As long as you are willing to accept the points deduction that will come with it, as it will come to us.
And thats the deterrent to stop others doing it.

Of course, we wouldnt expect to be rewarded because you called off the game ........

[DearneValleyRover]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay

You will be able to call off the re-arranged game if you so wish.
As long as you are willing to accept the points deduction that will come with it, as it will come to us.
And thats the deterrent to stop others doing it.

Of course, we wouldnt expect to be rewarded because you called off the game ........

Don’t be so sanctimonious

[IDM]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay

You will be able to call off the re-arranged game if you so wish.
As long as you are willing to accept the points deduction that will come with it, as it will come to us.
And thats the deterrent to stop others doing it.

Of course, we wouldnt expect to be rewarded because you called off the game ........

A points deduction punishment for Bolton is irrelevant.  Bolton failed to fulfil our fixture without asking permission nor consulting DRFC, so the fixture should be forfeit.  It’s that simple.

Now that Bolton has been saved - which is great - the sympathy for the fans card can no longer be played..

[BillyStubbsTears]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay

You will be able to call off the re-arranged game if you so wish.
As long as you are willing to accept the points deduction that will come with it, as it will come to us.
And thats the deterrent to stop others doing it.

Of course, we wouldnt expect to be rewarded because you called off the game ........

It's not a question of us being "rewarded". Stop setting up straw men.

The principle at stake is that there was a date fixed for when we should have played Bolton. That game would have been played in a particular set of circumstances for both clubs. The most germane being that, because of the years of financial mismanagement, your team that day would have been sub-National League standard.


Bolton unilaterally and arbitrarily decided not to honour that fixture and now want to play it later in the season when they will undoubtedly have a stronger squad. In so doing, Bolton have materially disadvantaged us compared to the positions of clubs whom Bolton magnanimously deigned to fulfill fixtures against.

If we were to miss out on promotion by a margin covered by the difference in Ipswich's result against your weak side, and our future result against your future strengthened side, that would be an outrage, and entirely the fault of Bolton Wanderers.

Now, personally,I do not give a shit if Bolton are deducted 0, 3, 10 or 1000 points for this. What I'm concerned about is Doncaster Rovers being arbrtrariliy f**ked about and disadvantaged because Bolton unilaterally decided that they didn't want to fulfill a fixture on the date and in the circumstances that it should have been played.

THAT is the principle.

[Filo]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay

You will be able to call off the re-arranged game if you so wish.
As long as you are willing to accept the points deduction that will come with it, as it will come to us.
And thats the deterrent to stop others doing it.

Of course, we wouldnt expect to be rewarded because you called off the game ........

Every post you make is just filled with more shite trying to justify what your club did, theres no justification for it, a precident was set last season when Brentford were awarded the points after you failed to fulfill that fixture

[IDM]

Actually I was reading into that - Bolton wanted to play the game a few days after the season ended, but the EFL postponed it and still awarded Brentford the points.  Can’t post a link but am sure it was on the BBC’s website.

This time around it isn’t even the EFL calling the game off..

[OneandOnly]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay

You will be able to call off the re-arranged game if you so wish.
As long as you are willing to accept the points deduction that will come with it, as it will come to us.
And thats the deterrent to stop others doing it.

Of course, we wouldnt expect to be rewarded because you called off the game ........

Every post you make is just filled with more shite trying to justify what your club did, theres no justification for it, a precident was set last season when Brentford were awarded the points after you failed to fulfill that fixture

If you have actually read anything I have posted, you will see that in every post I have said that the administrators were wrong to call off the game. You will see that I think it was disgusting in the way that they did not inform either yourselves or the league before announcing it publically.
You will see that I think that the club should be hit with a massive points deduction as punishment.

The precedent was actually set with Middlesboro/Blackburn - points deduction for boro , match replayed. Brentford were awarded the points as the EFLs own rules state that all league games must be played no later than the Tuesday after the final scheduled league game, which in this case was impossible.(* reasons below.) Hence the awarding of the points. It also had no material difference on any clubs final position, so there was no-one wronged (except, I guess, the season ticket holders who were deprived of a game).

The only question is whether every other club in the league, who all have to play us at least once more, would think it fair that one club were awarded 3 points without having to play the game. The answer, in any sense, would be no. And thats why it will be replayed.

Should Gillingham be awarded the 3 points for tomorrow, as the EFL will now allow us to register players ? It is, after all, not their fault they play us after the takeover has been completed.
Would it be fair to replay all the games we have already played (Coventry would also certainly say so).
Should we be forced to finish the season with only the squad we currently have ?
From an outsiders point of view, the impression that one gets from most, not all, of the comments here is that Doncaster were victimised. That it was all about them. That it was a continuation of 97-98 when the EFL didnt do to you what they did to Bury, and almost to ourselves. That it was personal.

Ask yourself this, if it had been lincoln we called the game off against, would you be happy that they got the 3 points, and you played 2 games against a better team. And then you played them on the Saturday, after they had a week of rest whilst you played, and lost.

I'm not the one calling for unilaterally calling of games with no punishment, as you obviously are above.

* We could not play on the Saturday, as the EFL would not allow us to play the kids, due to the rule of not playing the kids in any game twice in any 4 day period - sound familiar?)
   We could not play in the midweek as the Council would not allow as a certificate.
   We could not play after the final game as the Brentford players had gone on holiday.

We will quite rightly be hit with a points deduction for our players going on strike.

Enjoy the rest of the seaon, I wish you all the best , and hopefully may bump into some for a pint when we play you later, either at your place, or ours.

[IDM]

No you’re missing the point..

If Bolton get a points deduction for failing to play Doncaster, then every other club benefits by the same number, including the teams Bolton has already played.

Bolton forfeit the game.. it’s nothing to do with 97/98 and it is purely coincidence that we were the opponents affected.

If Bolton unilaterally refused to play Lincoln or anyone else, I would be fully supportive of that club getting the points and a default score line..

[DRNaith]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay

You will be able to call off the re-arranged game if you so wish.
As long as you are willing to accept the points deduction that will come with it, as it will come to us.
And thats the deterrent to stop others doing it.

Of course, we wouldnt expect to be rewarded because you called off the game ........

Every post you make is just filled with more shite trying to justify what your club did, theres no justification for it, a precident was set last season when Brentford were awarded the points after you failed to fulfill that fixture

If you have actually read anything I have posted, you will see that in every post I have said that the administrators were wrong to call off the game. You will see that I think it was disgusting in the way that they did not inform either yourselves or the league before announcing it publically.
You will see that I think that the club should be hit with a massive points deduction as punishment.

The precedent was actually set with Middlesboro/Blackburn - points deduction for boro , match replayed. Brentford were awarded the points as the EFLs own rules state that all league games must be played no later than the Tuesday after the final scheduled league game, which in this case was impossible.(* reasons below.) Hence the awarding of the points. It also had no material difference on any clubs final position, so there was no-one wronged (except, I guess, the season ticket holders who were deprived of a game).

The only question is whether every other club in the league, who all have to play us at least once more, would think it fair that one club were awarded 3 points without having to play the game. The answer, in any sense, would be no. And thats why it will be replayed.

Should Gillingham be awarded the 3 points for tomorrow, as the EFL will now allow us to register players ? It is, after all, not their fault they play us after the takeover has been completed.
Would it be fair to replay all the games we have already played (Coventry would also certainly say so).
Should we be forced to finish the season with only the squad we currently have ?
From an outsiders point of view, the impression that one gets from most, not all, of the comments here is that Doncaster were victimised. That it was all about them. That it was a continuation of 97-98 when the EFL didnt do to you what they did to Bury, and almost to ourselves. That it was personal.

Ask yourself this, if it had been lincoln we called the game off against, would you be happy that they got the 3 points, and you played 2 games against a better team. And then you played them on the Saturday, after they had a week of rest whilst you played, and lost.

I'm not the one calling for unilaterally calling of games with no punishment, as you obviously are above.

* We could not play on the Saturday, as the EFL would not allow us to play the kids, due to the rule of not playing the kids in any game twice in any 4 day period - sound familiar?)
   We could not play in the midweek as the Council would not allow as a certificate.
   We could not play after the final game as the Brentford players had gone on holiday.

We will quite rightly be hit with a points deduction for our players going on strike.

Enjoy the rest of the seaon, I wish you all the best , and hopefully may bump into some for a pint when we play you later, either at your place, or ours.

You've gone from one initial post that gave-off some level of humility to now just being somewhere between muddying the waters and a downright WUM, I couldn't care less what you have to say, I agree with Rovers' stance, we should be awarded the three points as Bolton failed to field a team for the arranged fixture. It wasn't postponed, Bolton didn't even act with any respect to the other parties involve. You need to be grateful that you still have a club and stop acting like you have a right to another home fixture with us this season.

[OneandOnly]

You need to be grateful that you still have a club and stop acting like you have a right to another home fixture with us this season.

Oh I am. I'm more relieved and grateful that we still have a club than you will ever know. I'm from the Bolton/Bury border, and have family who are Bury fans.

Where we disagree, and believe it or not, we only disagree on one point, is whether punishing Bolton alone is the best outcome for the game, or should it be a double whammy on Bolton, and a free hit for yourselves.
I believe the game is bettered by actually playing the game. You believe teams get one shot at it.
There is a precedent - Boro v Blackburn. The end result was a 3 point deduction for Boro, and the game was played at a later date. Boro were relgated by a point (may even have been GD). As long as the team in the wrong is punished, and punished hard, that should be the end of it.

We will get punished - correctly.
The game will be replayed - correctly.

[glosterred]

I wonder if the club will take it further, maybe to law, if it can, should the EFL requires the Rovers play the game later in the season?


COYR

[drfchound]

If we have to replay it i guess we can just cancel the game at short notice and rearrange it when it suits us better. If Bolton are allowed to get away with it then why not us. The precedent it sets is very dangerous so can't see any logic for the EFL allowing a replay. Unfortunately i can't help feeling like we will have to replay

You will be able to call off the re-arranged game if you so wish.
As long as you are willing to accept the points deduction that will come with it, as it will come to us.
And thats the deterrent to stop others doing it.

Of course, we wouldnt expect to be rewarded because you called off the game ........

Every post you make is just filled with more shite trying to justify what your club did, theres no justification for it, a precident was set last season when Brentford were awarded the points after you failed to fulfill that fixture

If you have actually read anything I have posted, you will see that in every post I have said that the administrators were wrong to call off the game. You will see that I think it was disgusting in the way that they did not inform either yourselves or the league before announcing it publically.
You will see that I think that the club should be hit with a massive points deduction as punishment.

The precedent was actually set with Middlesboro/Blackburn - points deduction for boro , match replayed. Brentford were awarded the points as the EFLs own rules state that all league games must be played no later than the Tuesday after the final scheduled league game, which in this case was impossible.(* reasons below.) Hence the awarding of the points. It also had no material difference on any clubs final position, so there was no-one wronged (except, I guess, the season ticket holders who were deprived of a game).

The only question is whether every other club in the league, who all have to play us at least once more, would think it fair that one club were awarded 3 points without having to play the game. The answer, in any sense, would be no. And thats why it will be replayed.

Should Gillingham be awarded the 3 points for tomorrow, as the EFL will now allow us to register players ? It is, after all, not their fault they play us after the takeover has been completed.
Would it be fair to replay all the games we have already played (Coventry would also certainly say so).
Should we be forced to finish the season with only the squad we currently have ?
From an outsiders point of view, the impression that one gets from most, not all, of the comments here is that Doncaster were victimised. That it was all about them. That it was a continuation of 97-98 when the EFL didnt do to you what they did to Bury, and almost to ourselves. That it was personal.

Ask yourself this, if it had been lincoln we called the game off against, would you be happy that they got the 3 points, and you played 2 games against a better team. And then you played them on the Saturday, after they had a week of rest whilst you played, and lost.

I'm not the one calling for unilaterally calling of games with no punishment, as you obviously are above.

* We could not play on the Saturday, as the EFL would not allow us to play the kids, due to the rule of not playing the kids in any game twice in any 4 day period - sound familiar?)
   We could not play in the midweek as the Council would not allow as a certificate.
   We could not play after the final game as the Brentford players had gone on holiday.

We will quite rightly be hit with a points deduction for our players going on strike.

Enjoy the rest of the seaon, I wish you all the best , and hopefully may bump into some for a pint when we play you later, either at your place, or ours.

You've gone from one initial post that gave-off some level of humility to now just being somewhere between muddying the waters and a downright WUM, I couldn't care less what you have to say, I agree with Rovers' stance, we should be awarded the three points as Bolton failed to field a team for the arranged fixture. It was postponed, Bolton didn't even act with any respect to the other parties involve. You need to be grateful that you still have a club and stop acting like you have a right to another home fixture with us this season.

DRNaith, the fixture wasn’t postponed.
Bolton refused to play.
There is a difference.