Sports

Bolton Wanderers: Football Ventures set to take control of League One club


Bolton Wanderers will have a 12-point deduction applied next season as a result of going into administration

Bolton Wanderers are set to be taken over by the Football Ventures consortium, headed by Sharon Brittan, BBC Radio Manchester reports.

Administrators announced on Thursday that they had identified a preferred new owner for the League One club.

Final offers were received from five parties before Wednesday’s deadline.

The successful bid met the criteria outlined by the administrators, including proof of funds for the next two years and EFL approval.

It has not yet been publicly confirmed who the new owners will be, but Paul Appleton of administrators David Rubin & Partners hopes a heads of terms agreement will be signed by Friday.

The consortium has also agreed to inject £1m into the club in order to rebuild the playing squad.

“I am delighted we have been able to reach a more than satisfactory outcome to this stage of the process and I am confident the preferred bidder has the ability to take Bolton Wanderers forward,” said Appleton.

“Until that (heads of terms agreement) has been signed, we are still bound by the confidentiality agreement within the process.

“But I can assure all Bolton Wanderers fans that the preferred bidder has both the financial ability and the determination to turn around the fortunes of this great football club.”

Wanderers went into administration at the end of a tumultuous season which saw problems on and off the field, and culminated in relegation from the Championship.

A winding-up petition against the club over an unpaid tax bill was suspended by the High Court after the club went into administration, and an emergency food bank was set up to help out staff who had not been paid.

Bolton, who will start next season in League One with a 12-point deduction, have also released a list of the 14 players