Bolton Wanderers in Champions League?

Yesterday was a cool and grey day with the weather struggling to drop some more rain on our sodden island. In Edinburgh Scotland's rugby union team managed to defeat World Champions South Africa while Ireland again failed to beat the NZ All Blacks in Dublin - a game mared by heavy rain which made the ball difficult to hold onto. But at the Reebock Stadium, Bolton Wanderers were hard at work thrashing Newcastle united 5 - 1. If they carry on like this, not only could they gain a place playing in the Champions League but they could build a creditable goal difference. Today they stand in 4th place in the Premier League. If Manchester City win today at Fulham - something which should be expected were it not for the fact that they have failed to score in their last two Premier League games - then they will move above Bolton. But lets us not ignore the achievements of Bolton in rising so high. The three teams above them are three of the established top four in the English league - the fourth, Liverpool, are languishing in ninth spot having clawed their way up from the relegation zone - and all of them awash with money compared with Bolton Wanderers - one of the poor relations in this league. Bolton now has debts of £93 million - after suffering a loss of £35 million last year - but that could disappear if Bolton did actually end the season in the top four - and hence would play in the hugely lucrative Champions League next season. Bolton Chairman Phil Gartside has said this month that they may have to sell two of their best players in order to balance the books. That would be a pity. They have the advantage that most of the debt is owed to the owner Eddie Davies. I hope he will tolerate the debt for a bit longer to see how the team progresses.

Let's wish them the very best of luck; not just because they are Bolton Wanderers but because they will have done it without spending trillions of pounds on buying players. They have big debts but it is impossible to be solvent in the present Premier League. Manchester United and Liverpool have huge debts and Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City rely on having owners with limitless supplies of money. Things will get worse before they get better now that Wayne Rooney has been allowed to raise the bar for wages to £200,000 per week [or more].

It's a funny old game is football.

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