Phil Parkinson likens Bolton woes to Brexit and insists he is 'ready' for change
Friday 29 March 2019 11:11, UK
Phil Parkinson likened Bolton's troubles to Brexit, while insisting he is "ready" for a resolution to their current predicament.
Bolton were issued with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs in February over an unpaid tax bill for £1.2m, faced administration or liquidation, and have until the start of April to find a buyer.
Sky sources understand a buyer has been found, with staff having been informed on email by owner Ken Anderson a deal to buy the club has been agreed.
And such a resolution cannot come soon enough for Parkinson, who likened Bolton's struggles to Brexit, having joined the club in June 2016, just two weeks before the UK voted to leave the European Union.
"No news [on takeover] as of today," Parkinson told Sky Sports. "But everybody is still hopeful the situation will be resolved.
"Everything is being done behind the scenes to sort things out. The long-term future of the club is the most important thing and everyone understands that.
"When I came in two and a half years ago, the club was coming out of a difficult period, and to say two and half years later we are still in a difficult situation would have been difficult to predict, but it is what it is.
"It does seem to be running alongside the Brexit story but it [Bolton's future] is more important for all us people who work at the club and the supporters. We have just got to keep our fingers crossed and not let things affect us.
"It has been difficult in terms of constant problems behind the scenes, we understand that. We are just ready for an end to it now, because it can only go on so long.
"I feel we are close to that, and I feel like the club has a positive future."
Time is running out for Bolton, who sit eight points from safety in the Championship ahead of their trip to QPR this weekend, but Parkinson called on his players to keep their focus.
"As a team we have to make sure we put in creditable performances between now and the end of the season," Parkinson added.
"We need to get our standards back where they need to be to put in Champ performances to give us a chance of getting points in games."
