From memory McGregor took the Turkish club we bought him from to court over non payment of some wages. Don't know what the outcome was though.
Happens quite a lot. Players are given a bonus to stay up, or be promoted. Some times it never happens, causing eruptions in the ranks.
The whole team has gone on strike because they’ve not been paid & over the last 12 months, or so, when they have been paid it’s regularly been late. I’ve not known that that has happened before, never mind lots of times.
Bolton Wanderers say they have come to an "amicable agreement" over a recent players' strike. They were meant to play a friendly at St Mirren on 7 July but it was cancelled when the strike was called over unpaid wages and bonuses. Chairman Ken Anderson said all but one player had been paid, but he would not be "blackmailed" over bonuses. "The club and players will continue to work, on and off the pitch, to ensure a common drive," a club statement said. "Both parties have reached an amicable agreement to resolve this situation. The players regret the disruption their actions have caused the club and its travelling supporters, and are continuing with their preparations for the new season. "The club on its part is also looking to review its lines of communication to help avoid this happening again."
Christ. The players are sorry? The club isn't? He's not going to pay up everything he should be? Never heard of Anderson before this, but sounds like a disagreeable type of fella.
He does seem rather stroppy (it's Ben Amos he's referring to in his statement)... "With the exception of one player ALL the players have been paid their salaries. "The player who was not paid his salary has not been involved at the club for the last two seasons. When the salaries were paid at the end of last month, discussions were ongoing with two clubs about a possible loan/transfer of the player. "The player had publicly stated that he was happy to continue his stay at the club where he was on loan last season. Indeed the player's agent was also talking to clubs about a possible loan/transfer. This player is the club's highest paid player and costs the club in excess of £1million a season. "The Championship retention bonuses and loyalty fees were planned and authorised to the bank for payment on Friday. However, the players gave me an ultimatum that unless these sums were received on Friday they would not take part in the game planned for Saturday against St Mirren. "Having personally assisted in funding many of the payments for the players' salaries, for the majority of the time that l have been involved with the club, I was not prepared to be threatened or blackmailed. "It is misleading to say that they have not been paid on time, as for many months now, ALL the staff at the club have been paid on time, particularly since l have been the majority shareholder. "A number of the players who were on the tour have no outstanding bonuses and have no reason to be in dispute. "None of the players who extended their contracts raised any concerns about previous problems as suggested in their statement and virtually every player we released wished to extend their stay. These are not the actions of a disaffected group, I am sure you would agree. "To put it into perspective the net amount outstanding to those on the tour was about 2.5% of the annual gross total player payroll. "I have never hidden the details of the financial crisis the club was in upon my arrival and the problems going forward. "The support from the non-playing staff, supporters, suppliers and the football family has been unwavering and the reason why I continue to support financially from my family’s wealth. "It is very disappointing that those few individuals who have been handsomely rewarded for their services have chosen to take such an aggressive stance and tarnish the name of our club and caused such inconvenience to those who have supported them so unreservedly. "It is very unfortunate that the players took the decision not to play today and the club will take the appropriate actions against those involved. "Hopefully the players who chose not to play today will personally reimburse the supporters for their loss and inconvenience caused by their actions. "I have of course seen the comments in The Bolton News on Friday and have to say that l am disappointed that those involved did not wait to see my response before personally commenting in the media and on social media, or even make any attempt to contact me for my view. "Of course, contracts are contracts, but as often happens in business and in life generally things happen that affect all manner of contracts. As we are all aware, these same contracts are often ignored by players as well when it suits them. "I stated last summer about my views on paying players' bonuses in June, long before the club receive their bonus in August and my views on this have not changed. The same cash flow problems will continue to occur in the quiet non-playing months when there is little or no revenue for many clubs and businesses, as long as 'Football Creditors' are treated differently to anyone else and as everyone knows, the players are always guaranteed payment one way or the other and before anyone else. Hopefully, in the future players' contracts will address this problem so that they are paid at the same time as the clubs. "As regards, the comments about the player sales, these funds have been used to keep the club alive over the last two years due in the main to the excessive and unsustainable salaries previously paid to and for players. As long as l am involved, I will continue to do my best to run the club in a commercially prudent manner to try to ensure that going forward the club will not again suffer from the same mistakes of the past and work to eradicate the trading losses that caused these financial problems. "I will not be making any further statements on these matters."
They should play for free. Players don't deserve a wage and if they ask for one they're ****s, probably just got their heads turned by a greasy agent who pointed out they should be paid.
Well that's clearly not true. Yeah, he does seem quite stroppy, and very unapologetic, shifting the blame firmly onto the players. He doesn't seem to be of a suitable disposition to own a football club either, unless he's planning on changing the entire setup and culture around players wages, bonuses, agents fees etc.
Careful. It sounds like you're suggesting there's other owners as bad as, if not worse, than ours. Dangerous ground that.
The man sounds like a dick He needs to understand how a union works. He needs to understand a contract is two way. He needs to understand that he is liable for 100% of all pay commitments regardless of his views. He needs to understand that withholding pay is far mor unacceptable than a player or group of players initiating action. He needs to understand that if had paid what’s due then the players would have played & as such he should be reimbursing the fans. He needs to realise that any cash flow problems are of his making. He needs to step back & think what his reaction would be if the players knowingly failed to give less than 100% the pitch. Fair play to the players for sticking together, it doesn't happen enough nowadays. He’s a dick & out of his depth.
