I am sure you will all, like myself, have been very pleased to see the team end pre-season on a high with victory over Peterborough United earlier today.
It was against a tough and competitive Peterborough United team who I am sure will do well in Sky Bet League One this season.
It is a result however that will set us in good stead ahead of the start of our own Sky Bet Championship campaign that gets underway next Saturday against West Brom.
I feel sure that you are all looking forward to the campaign as much as I am.
Hopefully, between now and our clash at The Hawthorns, we are looking to bring a number of exciting new signings to the club in order to have strength in depth for the 2018/19 season.
West Bromwich Albion will be a very tough test for us, having been recently relegated from the Premier League, but I firmly believe that our players will give the best account possible of themselves next Saturday.
I hope to see as many of you as possible down at The Hawthorns, cheering the team on.
I have been made aware of the statement issued today by SCC/Heathcotes to the Bolton News.
Whilst the club has stated that no further comments will be made, as the matter is now in the hands of our lawyers, l must place on record my view that their statement is both misleading and factually incorrect.
I am unable to go into detail of their numerous breaches to the agreement, but I was left with no choice but to withhold the monies that have now become due to them over the last week or so and that in normal circumstances only became due and payable yesterday afternoon. Despite numerous assurances, SCC have failed to repay the substantial amounts long overdue to us.
The agreement clearly sets out the procedures that either party can take in the event of a dispute, but once again, SCC/Heathcotes chose to ignore the process.
For the record, we have no problem in paying any monies we may currently owe to SCC/Heathcotes, provided they first of all pay us the amounts long overdue to us.
Indeed, in an effort to resolve the current issues quickly and promptly, l am happy to lodge the monies due to SCC/Heathcotes with their lawyers, if they first of all lodge what they owe us to our lawyers at the same time.
As SCC/Heathcotes have said there is one simple solution to the current issue, so let's both pay the gross amounts due to each other with no further arguments about set offs etc.
In the meantime, we still intend to terminate the agreement in view of their serious and ongoing breaches of the agreement.
l have also noted their comments about the staff of SCC/Heathcotes and can also personally reassure them, that once the agreement is terminated, they will have the usual TUPE protections available to them when we take control of the food and hospitality operations.
It is important to note that this dispute will have no adverse impact on our hosting of the Rugby League Challenge Cup semi-finals next Sunday and the start to the Sky Bet Championship campaign.
However, we will insist on an undertaking from SCC/Heathcotes that they will operate in accordance with the agreement and no further breaches will occur. In the event that this undertaking is not forthcoming, we have alternative arrangements in place.
It is unfortunate that we have had to take this course of action but recent events and the continuing serious breaches of the agreement left us with no alternative.
Ken