Thursday 8 August 2019 19:13, UK
The sale of Bolton Wanderers has been suspended after former bidder Laurence Bassini was awarded a court order preventing the deal, according to the League One club's administrators.
Football Ventures were on the verge of completing a deal that would help rescue the club from severe financial strife, but lawyers acting on Bassini's behalf have stepped in.
Members of the Bolton squad say they and the club's coaching staff have not been paid for 20 weeks, while tickets for their opening home game of the season against Coventry on Saturday have yet to go on sale.
"It is with a combination of outrage and disgust that I have to inform Bolton Wanderers fans that the deal to sell the club to Football Ventures has been temporarily suspended in the last hour," Bolton joint administrator Paul Appleton said in a statement on Thursday.
"Late this afternoon, we were informed by lawyers acting for Laurence Bassini that he had been awarded a court order attempting to prevent the sale of Burnden Leisure Limited, part of an action against a company owned by Ken Anderson."
The head of Football Ventures, Sharon Brittan, watched Bolton's opening-day fixture at Wycombe on Saturday, as just three contracted senior players turned out in a 2-0 loss.
The English Football League said: "We are aware of the terms of an order granted earlier today in the High Court in Manchester in respect of Bolton Wanderers.
"The League is not a party to the proceedings and we are currently liaising with the administrators of the club to understand the full extent of any implications to the proposed transfer of assets.
"We are extremely frustrated by this late development with the deal so close to completion, and our focus must remain firmly on ensuring the long-term future of the football club."
