With the dust now settling on that memorable final day of the season, it is very much a case of ‘business as usual’ at Bolton Wanderers Football Club as we prepare for the new Sky Bet Championship campaign which gets underway in August.
It was important that we all had some time to enjoy the moment and to reflect on last season as a whole, but work is constantly going on behind the scenes and we are not sitting still.
Plans are firmly underway for next season and with that in mind, the manager and I had a very good and productive meeting on Friday.
Phil will be speaking with the out of contract players this week to inform them whether or not they will be offered new deals with the club.
We will also be looking to strengthen the squad with new signings and we are currently speaking with a number of players and their representatives.
There has been a lot of speculation in the media and on social media, and I completely understand that silence can often fuel rumours, but we shall keep you fully updated on all our business, so please watch this space.
Away from on-field matters, talks are still on going with potential investors and I’m currently speaking with three separate parties who have expressed an interest in investing.
This may or may not happen, but I can reassure you that any negotiations will not detract or hamper our determination to strengthen our squad ahead of the new campaign and indeed, funds are available for the manager.
There has been some speculation linking Phil with other jobs and I can completely understand why given the excellent and outstanding job he has done with us.
What I will say is that Phil is under contract with Bolton Wanderers Football Club and he is the right man for the job in hand.
We will not entertain any enquiries for him whatsoever and hopefully the size of any potential compensation package would be sufficient to dissuade any approaches.
Although there is not much football to occupy us during these summer months, staff at the club and hotel are working hard as usual so that we are all ready for the new season.
Improvement works up at the training ground and on the pitch at the stadium are well underway, while we’ve had an excellent response to season tickets which we announced last week.
Most of you are renewing once again, but we are also welcoming supporters on board who haven’t purchased a season ticket before or haven’t done so for a long time.
So, I’d like to thank you all for the loyalty and commitment you have shown. If you haven’t already purchased or renewed your ticket, please do so now.
You still have time to buy them before the early purchase period ends. Click HERE for more information.
Don’t forget, if you are a member of our Lifeline scheme you will be able to receive a 5% discount off the cost of your season ticket. More details about Lifeline can be found HERE.
Also, our hospitality packages for next season are now available and start from £995 (inc VAT per person) if bought during the early purchase period. Please contact the BWFC Sales Team on 01204 673761 or email sales@bwfc.co.uk for more information.
Our new home and away kit for next season meanwhile will be revealed shortly and will go on sale soon, so we shall keep you posted.
As you will all be aware, Macron’s stadium naming rights of our stadium is coming to an end and we are in talks with several interested parties. Again, we shall keep you fully informed once we are in a position to do so.
Before the season gets underway however, we have a number of events at the stadium and hotel which I would urge you to support.
We are all excited to be welcoming The Killers and Little Mix to the venue later in the summer. We have a number of hospitality packages available for both of these concerts, so please call the BWFC Sales Team on 01204 673761 for more information.
The Hotel meanwhile have got some great football-themed events coming up which should whet your appetites before the World Cup gets underway.
They are holding a very special Q&A evening with England legend Paul Gascoigne on Saturday 2 June.
This will be a fascinating night and I’m sure Paul will have plenty of stories to tell from his illustrious career. Click here for more details.
Before that, the Hotel will be screening a preview of the hotly anticipated football comedy The Bromley Boys.
The film is based on a true story and is very funny. It stars a number of famous faces including Martine McCutcheon, Alan Davies and Jamie Foreman, while my younger son, Ross, plays a leading role.
There has been a lot of hype surrounding this film, and I’m really pleased that we are able to screen it before it gets a wider release.
Tickets are just £10 per person for this and there will also be a Q&A opportunity with some of the production crew and cast. Please click here for more information.
Kind regards,
Ken