Bolton update

[PDX_Rover]

Anyone know where we are with this? Seemed t have gone quiet.

[scawsby steve]

Anyone know where we are with this? Seemed t have gone quiet.

It's a f*cking disgrace. There's no justification whatsoever for the amount of time this is taking. They'll probably wait while the end of the season to see if it impacts on the league placings.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I had a word with GB after the game and all I can say is it is in hand and please trust the club on this one.

I must admit, I lost my patience and contacted the EFL about 10 days ago to urge them to communicate an update however unsurprisingly, they have not responded. I regretted sending the email afterwards as I firmly believe we should allow the club to deal with ithe matter.

Gavin assured me there has been dialogue but nothing has been concluded as yet. I'm sure the club will go public when it's appropriate to do so.

[redarmy82]

If we have to play the., it's nailed on it will be after January, to give them enough time possible to assemble a half decent team.

[IDM]

I emailed the EFL this week and they told me there was no update, and apologised for not being able to tell me anything..

[drfchound]

There are quite a few Tuesdays available before Christmas.
If we have a good cup run or cup replays, together with potential postponements for bad weather there could be a fixture pile up in the New Year and we would be further handicapped by having to fit the Bolton game in with those.
It would be fair to get the game played pre Christmas when it was originally intended to be.

[IDM]

It would be fair to give us the points, period..

[drfchound]

It would be fair to give us the points, period..

I totally agree IDM but I just have my doubts about that happening.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I emailed the EFL this week and they told me there was no update, and apologised for not being able to tell me anything..

Having checked my emails, I got the same polite reply.

GB also repeated the clubs stance that we continue to persue the points.

[Colin C No.3]

They’re clearly hoping this one (as they drag their heels) will whither & die on the vine, meaning a replay sometime in the New Year.

[PDX_Rover]

It’s a farce really. Why should we be singled out for this treatment. There zero doubt we would have thrashed them.

[The Red Baron]

The Bolton paper says that the Independent Commission to deal with Bolton's two unauthorised postponements was due to meet this Thursday. However, the date clashes with a EFL Board Meeting so it will be delayed again.

My money's on Brexit getting sorted out sooner than this fiasco!

[Chris Black come back]

Said this from the start - the suits are in no way going to help us. It will be some financial penalty or maybe points penalty for Bolton and then being forced to play the game again, with no restriction on who they can use as players. We will receive absolutely nothing in recompense. Zero.

[weststander]

The Bolton paper says that the Independent Commission to deal with Bolton's two unauthorised postponements was due to meet this Thursday. However, the date clashes with a EFL Board Meeting so it will be delayed again.

My money's on Brexit getting sorted out sooner than this fiasco!

How odd. Surely dates for EFL board meetings are set well in advance, so it would be easy for the independent commission to arrange to meet before the board meets to present findings

[the vicar]

Surely they are 2 different things EFL and independent it's a clear difference, one meeting should Not over rule the other as its in the wording independent

[Bezza]

The EFL is a joke, wouldn't have taken them long to take the points off Donny.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

You would have thought the FA would have been aware of the dates of the regular EFL board meetings. Makes you wonder how difficult it is to gather the men in Blazers. It's taken far too long.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

The EFL is a joke, wouldn't have taken them long to take the points off Donny.

It's not the EFLs responsibility to arrange the date for the Independant Commission to sit.

[adamtherover]

id wager that the whole farce will drag on till the outcome of the seaon is as good as done!, The time we cant reach the play offs (for example), then they will give us maybe a 1-0 win.,  If we are in the top 6 near the end, the game will be shoehorned in, maybe even on a thursday etc.   Imagine the uproar if they gave us points that moved another side out of the top 6. Lawers would be all over it like a rash!!!!

[IDM]

That is no way to go about business..  whatever the outcome, it should only be decided on what has happened, not on what may happen in the future.

[Donnybob]

I'm rather tired of hearing what should or should not be done about a postponed game. It was not postponed, Bolton unilaterly decided to cancel the fixture.

They did not consult with the EFL or Doncaster. They simply announced a cancellation on the club web site without having the common decency to advise the other parties involved.

That action should not be rewarded with a rearranged fixture. The fixture was conceded. They refused to play. They withdrew.

As far as Doncaster Rovers is concerned, they were willing and able to play. They were denied an inevitable 3 points. The margin of victory is nominal and at the discretion of the EFL to award be it 1-0 or greater.

As for Bolton, they have to be punished for disregarding EFL rules and protocols. It cannot be swept under the carpet. Whatever the ruling they should accept it for acting in such an unprofessional manner and bringing the competition into disrepute.

The EFL should carry out an enquiry into their own procedures, dragging their feet and failing to act decisively. The whole shit show is becoming an embarrassment.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It can't be swept under the carpet. Everyone in League One knows it is pending the outcome of the commission.

I'm sure all those directly and indirectly involved are frustrated how long it has taken. We knew from shortly after the incident that the EFL referred the case to the Independent Disciplinary Commission so it begs the question, why has the FA taken so long to set a date?

Of course The EFL need to review their actions which led to Bolton being allowed to start the season in the first place.

[5 on Tour]

The part of this that really winds me up is that the EFL say they have no policy for this. Firstly, get one then. Secondly, you do as you used it against Bolton last season when they cancelled on Brentford. Only difference is it that no-one cared what happened with the Brentford game - no positions or anything would have changed.

They’re making themselves look more and more of a joke as every meeting goes by. And, let’s be quite honest here, it takes a serious effort for these clowns to look worse!

[deebee]

Action on the Brentford game is still up for punishment along with ours.

[Pintolager]

Off topic, but Saracens rugby union club have been fined £5 million and docked 35 points for breach of salary cap. Maybe football can learn from rugby union about penalties handed out for misdemeanours?

[Dutch Uncle]

Off topic, but Saracens rugby union club have been fined £5 million and docked 35 points for breach of salary cap. Maybe football can learn from rugby union about penalties handed out for misdemeanours?

And yellow card = sin bin, penalty (i.e. free kick) advanced 10 yards if opposition stay too close, and respect for referees in general.

There is some truth in what they always said:

Rugby is a game for hooligans played by gentlemen,
Football is a game for gentlemen played by hooligans
.
.
.
And Hurling (or Aussie Rules if you prefer) is a game for hooligans played by hooligans!

[drfchound]

I'm rather tired of hearing what should or should not be done about a postponed game. It was not postponed, Bolton unilaterly decided to cancel the fixture.

They did not consult with the EFL or Doncaster. They simply announced a cancellation on the club web site without having the common decency to advise the other parties involved.

That action should not be rewarded with a rearranged fixture. The fixture was conceded. They refused to play. They withdrew.

As far as Doncaster Rovers is concerned, they were willing and able to play. They were denied an inevitable 3 points. The margin of victory is nominal and at the discretion of the EFL to award be it 1-0 or greater.

As for Bolton, they have to be punished for disregarding EFL rules and protocols. It cannot be swept under the carpet. Whatever the ruling they should accept it for acting in such an unprofessional manner and bringing the competition into disrepute.

The EFL should carry out an enquiry into their own procedures, dragging their feet and failing to act decisively. The whole shit show is becoming an embarrassment.

The above post is far to sensible for the EFL.
They could be sleep walking into even more embarrassment if they continue to drag their heels on this.
The blazers might be holding on until either we can’t make the play offs and a Bolton are relegated but what happens if it does pan out differently.
The Rovers might take legal action to secure the points, more mess’s for the EFL to sort out, and what if, just what if, Bolton stage a miracle run of results and a points deduction then causes them to be relegated.

It needs sorting out quickly so that everyone knows where they stand and can cut their cloth accordingly.

Ridiculous that it is dragging on and on.

[The Red Baron]

The Bolton paper says that the Independent Commission to deal with Bolton's two unauthorised postponements was due to meet this Thursday. However, the date clashes with a EFL Board Meeting so it will be delayed again.

My money's on Brexit getting sorted out sooner than this fiasco!

How odd. Surely dates for EFL board meetings are set well in advance, so it would be easy for the independent commission to arrange to meet before the board meets to present findings

I agree. I think it's just another excuse to kick the can down the road.

[The Red Baron]

I'm rather tired of hearing what should or should not be done about a postponed game. It was not postponed, Bolton unilaterly decided to cancel the fixture.

They did not consult with the EFL or Doncaster. They simply announced a cancellation on the club web site without having the common decency to advise the other parties involved.

That action should not be rewarded with a rearranged fixture. The fixture was conceded. They refused to play. They withdrew.

As far as Doncaster Rovers is concerned, they were willing and able to play. They were denied an inevitable 3 points. The margin of victory is nominal and at the discretion of the EFL to award be it 1-0 or greater.

As for Bolton, they have to be punished for disregarding EFL rules and protocols. It cannot be swept under the carpet. Whatever the ruling they should accept it for acting in such an unprofessional manner and bringing the competition into disrepute.

The EFL should carry out an enquiry into their own procedures, dragging their feet and failing to act decisively. The whole shit show is becoming an embarrassment.

I agree 100% with this, but try arguing this with most Bolton fans and they come back at you with all kinds of arguments as to why they were fully justified in calling the game off.

As Liam Hoden correctly states in the Free Press, unless the League impose BOTH a points penalty AND award the points to Rovers, they are setting a very dangerous precedent. A team may reckon that a three-point hit is worth taking if they can re-play a League match at a date that is more advantageous to them (the example he cites of a team with a big FA Cup tie to play is a valid one, I think).

[5 on Tour]

Action on the Brentford game is still up for punishment along with ours.

Only the punishment. The game result is done and dusted.