Phil Gartside
Gary Megson: Phil Gartside Told Me to Get Out of Europe
Thursday, January 26th, 2012 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Phil Gartside | 3 Comments
We’ve heard some strange claims from Gary Megson in the past, but his most recent interview has the potential to be seriously explosive. Megson claims that, whilst manager of Bolton, the club’s chairman Phil Gartside “ordered” him to lose a UEFA Cup game and send Bolton crashing out of the competition.
Phil Gartside. Is that a smile or a maniacal laugh?
Many Bolton fans have issues with Gartside, but actively telling a manager to throw a game is something that even critics of the chairman will find hard to believe. Gartside has spoken on ‘Twitter’, rubbishing Megson’s story. In response to my ‘tweet’ reading “Megson claims “ordered” to lose in UEFA. You couldn’t make it up”, Gartside said “your (sic) right you couldn’t make it up but somebody has.” In response to another message, a clearly angered Gartside said “can’t believe he’s said that”.
The Bolton News has reported on the comments from the ex Bolton boss, and says that the club will not be commenting officially. Whilst you can understand the club’s position, this could well be a mistake; with many fans already demanding the chairman respond.
Gartside was accused of a “lack of ambition” by Sam Allardyce, in an interview given to the Telegraph’s Jeremy Wilson in August 2011, in which ‘Big Sam’ claimed the Bolton hierarchy “didn’t want” Champions League football. Megson is sowing seeds of discord in fertile ground and the club really needs to formally respond.
- Azreal88
Bolton Wanderers 2011 – The Year of the Un-Coyled
Sunday, January 1st, 2012 | BWFC Goals, BWFC People, Lee Chung-Yong, Nat Lofthouse, Phil Gartside | 3 Comments
And so 2011 ends. A year in which Bolton started in sixth position in the Premier League, and finished in bottom place, needing close to a miracle to avoid relegation.
Mark Davies gets to grips with his defensive duties.
The last game, a home draw against fellow strugglers Wolves has aroused much anger, but there were signs of things on which to build. Owen Coyle’s side moved the ball around well at times and in recent outings Mark Davies has at last started to fulfil his potential as a creative midfielder, as well as improving his tracking back and tackling.
But the same defensive frailties remain and there is a lack of fire power up front, to which David N’Gog isn’t the answer, despite his other qualities. Even if the Wanderers put a consistent run of results together, there may simply be too much to do.
Off the field, things have been at least as bad. Burnden Leisure PLC, the parent company of Bolton Wanderers announced losses of £26 million bringing the total debt to £110 million. Some parties did well out of it. Moonshift Investments, a company controlled by club owner Eddie Davies which provides loan facilities, took £5 million in interest payments and is owed a £2.8 million ‘player success fee’. › Continue reading
Phil Gartside: “A Cheat, a Liar and a Fraudster”
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 | BWFC People, Phil Gartside | 28 Comments
Gavin McCann. Not a name to make you sit up and take notice, although he was a solid enough performer for the most part. Yet if allegations surrounding his signing prove to be true, the midfielder may emerge as a highly significant figure in the history of Bolton Wanderers.
Jerome Anderson. Head of SEM
The decision to sign McCann was taken by Sam Allardyce, and the deal was brokered by Tony McGill, a football agent of eleven years standing, who was more recently involved in the transaction that took James Milner from Aston Villa to Manchester City and Stephen Ireland in the opposite direction.
McGill had meetings with then first team coach Ricky Sbragia and scouts Dave Worthington and Jack Chapman, all of whom were in agreement that the signing was a suitable one. After Allardyce left, it was decided to press ahead, with new general manager Frank McParland handling the detail. In all, the process took over six months.
So far, so ordinary, but then McGill describes what appears to be a strange turn of events, in which Bolton chairman Phil Gartside took a central role.
“The night before the deal I got a call off Gavin McCann to say there’s another agent doing the deal. The night before, I couldn’t believe it,” he says.
“Gartside said to my solicitor that he did the deal himself, there was no other agent involved. I went to court, to get all the legal documents because Bolton wouldn’t give us any information.
“I then went to court and got disclosure, then discovered that Gartside had employed another agency to work on behalf of Bolton to do what, nobody knows. He paid them £300,000. For nothing. For doing absolutely no work at all. ”
According to McGill, his protests led to further questionable behaviour.
“When I complained, somebody altered the contract date to backdate it a week, to show that they’d done some work. We’ve got a photocopy of the document, where the date’s been changed to backdate it, because contracts have to be lodged before the event and this wasn’t.
“And, the agency concerned used an unlicensed agent to do the deal – Dave Sheron. He went to Bolton, the day he signed to do the deal. There was nothing to do.”
Owen Coyle. Jerome Anderson's client.
The agency was SEM – Sport, Entertainment and Media Group. SEM is headed by Jerome Anderson, who was associated with Manchester City during Thaksin Shinawatra’s ownership of that club and with the Venky’s takeover at Blackburn Rovers. He’s also Owen Coyle’s agent.
On a deal like the one with McCann, the commission would normally be in the region of 5%. Yet the sum of £300,000 paid to SEM represents 30% of a £1 million transfer fee.
Legal action followed. McGill sued McCann for breach of contract, with the player settling out of court in November 2009. He has an ongoing claim against SEM.
However his complaint to the FA, where Gartside is a board member, was not acted upon. “The FA looked at this transfer deal, found that there was serious wrong doing, passed it over to their legal department and it’s been squashed,” he explains.
McGill asserts that the FA’s legal team didn’t even reply to his query, which is at odds with Gartside’s statement on Twitter last week - “…one side of a story and old news been investigated by authorities. Club and officers cleared of any wrong doing.” It’s doubtful that the agent would agree with that assessment.
“I’ve written to Phil Gartside on several occasions and texted him and I’ve called him a cheat, a liar and a fraudster,” he declares.
Gavin McCann. Formerly Tony McGill's client.
“I’ve got evidence of him changing the contracts going to the FA. We’ve physically proved that it was impossible for that date on the contract to be valid because nobody was there on that day.
“I’ve written to the sports minister Hugh Robertson, and he’s written back or e-mailed me back to say that he has given the FA until February 29th to completely reshuffle the place and to clean their act up, especially the compliance unit or he’s going to legislate against them.”
Until then, Manny Road has a few questions for Phil Gartside. We’ll be more than happy to publish his side of the story.
What services did SEM provide that caused you to pay them £300,000?
Why was a commission of 30% paid, when the going rate is 5%?
Has Bolton been involved in any other deals where the agent was changed at the last minute?
Why was the date on the McCann contract changed? Who changed it?
As a member of the FA board, how will you, and they, ensure impartiality in any enquiry?
From him leaving the club in 1995, until rejoining as Bolton manager, you spoke to Owen Coyle just once. What was it that led you to recommend him to Burnley as their manager?
Next up: The man who is said to be really running Bolton Wanderers.
- Richard McCormick
Is This the Real Reason Why Bolton Wanderers are so Bad?
Monday, October 31st, 2011 | BWFC People, Gavin McCann, Mike Whitlow, Owen Coyle, Phil Gartside | 3 Comments
Harrison - Blowing the whistle.
Bolton Chairman Phil Gartside may have some explaining to do
Ten games gone, over a quarter of a season, and Bolton Wanderers languish next to the bottom of the Premier League table with a meagre six points, having taken last season’s wretched run of form into the new campaign.
Manager Owen Coyle has taken most of the blame, with some focus placed on his summer signings. None of them have excelled. Given the cash limitations, that isn’t surprising. The latest accounts show a debt in excess of £110 million.
But there is another factor that should be considered – and that is the conduct of Bolton Wanderers in the transfer market. In short, there are agents who will not deal with the club, thus limiting the players that can be signed. Manny Road spoke to two of them last week.
One is Peter Harrison, who has been doing the rounds recently, as he attempts to drum up publicity for an upcoming book and documentary. Harrison has been inactive in football for around eighteen months, but was asked if he would put a player into Bolton.
“If I was still doing it, I wouldn’t put a player in,” he replied. That statement might seem surprising given that the man has previously represented Jussi Jaaskelainen, Ali Al-Habsi, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Mike Whitlow amongst others, but he isn’t alone in that view.
Tony McGill was Gavin McCann’s agent prior to the midfielder signing for the Whites in 2007. Does he still deal with Bolton?
The Badger : A value signing, but at what cost?
“Do I bollocks. No chance. I wouldn’t go anywhere near them. I will never, ever do any deals with Bolton Wanderers while Gartside’s there,” he said.
The day before the transfer was to be finalised, McCann rang McGill, informing him that another agent was doing the deal. It went ahead with agency SEM pocketing £300,000 for providing services which have never been determined.
McGill sued McCann, with the former Aston Villa man settling out of court, but his complaint to the FA was not acted upon.
Harrison is known primarily to Bolton fans because of his involvement with the BBC’s Panorama programme in 2006, in which he appeared to suggest that former manager Sam Allardyce could be induced into accepting a bung. He is scathing about the investigation, which followed him for six months.
“The only thing they got out of me was when we were sitting like this at the hotel having a coffee. He [the under cover reporter] says ‘if you were going to bung Sam, how would you do it?’
“I say’s. ‘You can’t do it, but if I was going to do it, I’d offer him it, he’s got that much money he’d say “no, look after Craig” and I’d give him it. But you can’t do it.’
“So in the programme, the narrator’s talking, and they cut the front off and I say I’ll do that with Sam, and they cut the end off. That’s the only thing they had on me, but Sam turned against us, he blames us for not getting the England job.”
The BBC’s investigation led to the Quest enquiry, led by Lord Stevens. Seventeen transfers were highlighted in the final report, four of which involved Bolton. One of those took Blessing Kaku to the Reebok in 2004.
Rachel Anderson, Kaku’s agent, contacted Quest, claiming that she had been frozen out of the deal.
Kaku played just 133 minutes for Bolton
“Kaku signed an exclusive representation agreement with me, effective from June 1, 2004, but after he played a trial match for Bolton in the August, he suddenly went out of contact. The club knew I was the player’s agent but I was cut out of the deal. The FA failed to act despite my contract being lodged with them,” she told the Mail on Sunday in 2007.
“Blessing said he was being told that the deal would not go ahead if he continued to use me as his agent,” Anderson claims she was told, on finally getting in touch with her client.
The deal went ahead with Jamie Hart acting as agent, who according to some sources had never met Kaku, until he arrived in Bolton for a week’s trial.
Player dumps agent. Deal goes ahead with another agent. FA chooses not to act. Any of that sound familiar?
Three agents, all of them highly critical. How many more are there? Have other deals been hijacked? Were some deals stopped altogether? Does any Wanderers manager stand a chance of getting the best players available to him?
Next up: The full story of the Gavin McCann transfer and worrying times for the FA.
- Richard McCormick
The Search for Bolton’s Next Manager Starts Now
Monday, October 24th, 2011 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Gary Cahill, Owen Coyle, Phil Gartside | 17 Comments
Another day, and another spineless performance from Bolton Wanderers, this time against the long ball hoof merchants that are Sunderland. Surrender to Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, was uncomfortable to watch, but seeing the same attitude displayed against much more limited opposition has tested the patience of many Whites fans beyond breaking point.
Enjoy it while it lasts, fatty. You'll soon be under pressure again
What to do with Owen Coyle? Give him more time. Find him help. Get rid. There is no general consensus. If it’s the latter option, then Coyle could have no complaints. Six points from nine games is only one more than Sammy Lee got, prior to his sacking in 2007 and three wins (and twelve defeats) in fifteen league outings since the debacle at Wembley is unacceptable by any standards.
There’s also an unpleasing symmetry that has emerged. Last season Bolton had the worst away record in the four divisions. Now they have the poorest home results.
Criticism of the Whites boss should be tempered. Losing the two best players in Stuart Holden and Lee Chung-Yong from a squad that was ordinary in the first place, would be a crushing blow to anyone in that situation. In addition, his net spend in the transfer market over two seasons has been more or less nil, with Bolton so hamstrung for cash. But the lack of progress in rectifying what are glaring faults can not be ignored. › Continue reading
It Shouldn’t Happen to a Smoggie
Monday, October 25th, 2010 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Phil Gartside, Richard McCormick | No Comments
Speculation that Gary Megson will join Middlebrough continues, which is pleasing – unless you support that club. The comments below, taken from Smoggies forum, oneBoro.com demonstrate the feeling.
‘..mowbray it is then all im thinkin now is please please dont be megson’
‘NOT MEGSON’
‘I don’t care if we get Donald Duck as long as he gets us winning matches, as long as it isn’t Megson’
‘Gary Megson and Phil Brown… jesus, i’m ready to slash my wrists, although I might just wait until we have a definite announcement! f*****g Gary Megson!!’
The Bolton News got in on the act on Thursday.
‘Middlesbrough close in on Megson’, ran the headline.
Wanderers fans would like to close in on the Ginger One, but only in the same way that a pride of hungry lions would do on an unsuspecting warthog.
It’s not been easy being a ‘Boro fan for a while now. Gareth Southgate, relegation, failure to win promotion and a soulless stadium in the middle of an industrial wasteland have seen to that. They’ve only just got rid of one copper-topped wazzock, it seems cruel to foist another upon them.
Meanwhile, Megson has been spending his spare hours (ie all of them) helping out at the local homeless shelter. With limited success we understand.
Wayne’s Staying Put
The most amusing sight of last week was the staff at Old Trafford hurriedly ripping down the giant poster of Wayne Rooney that adorned the front of the building, as Britain’s most high profile user of escort services announced that he was off on his toes.
Since then there’s been a change of heart. Speculation about why has failed to find an answer. A wage increase? Promises of squad strengthening? Bananas?
Yes, you read that last bit right. A few years ago, citizens of Coacalco, Mexico, stormed the town hall and forced the mayor to resign, but not until after they’d made him eat twelve pounds of bananas.
Perhaps the seething mob who congregated outside Rooney’s house last Thursday night, tried the same tactic. Given the Chav Master General’s resemblance to a certain primate it was worth a shot.
A New Start for the BWSA
The cardigan and slippers brigade aka Bolton Wanderers Supporters Association has needed a swift boot up the arse for some time now. Last Tuesday, at the AGM, it may have received one, as new members were co-opted onto the committee.
The Gang of Four weren't welcomed by everyone
The move was opposed by a highly vocal trio of blue rinsers, who placed a delightfully bitchy post on the Bolton News Forum dubbing the newbies the ‘Gang of Four’, and declaring that they had bad hair and less than snappy dress sense. Ooh.
Despite falling attendances and a bleak economic outlook, crowds at the Reebok still top 20,000. The Junior Whites boasts a membership of 11,000. Bolton, as a town, has a population of a quarter of a million. Sixty-five people attended Tuesday’s meeting.
Placing blame for that situation would be as pointless, as it is unfair. With a new and popular manager, and a feeling of excitement that has been absent for some years, it’s time to look to the future. Bolton chairman Phil Gartside has spoken of the need to reconnect with the fans. Having to find them first makes the exercise more difficult than it might be.
Future developments will be discussed here, on a dedicated website, and in the match programme. In the meantime, if you’d like more details about joining the BWSA (cardigan wearers still welcome) then drop an e-mail to roadrunner@bwfc.co.uk
- Richard McCormick
Oh Goody. Yet Another Bolton Pre-Season Preview
Friday, August 13th, 2010 | BWFC Goals, BWFC News, BWFC People, Kevin Davies, Lee Chung-Yong, Mark Davies, Matt Taylor, Owen Coyle, Phil Gartside, Premier League, Ricardo Gardner, Sam Allardyce | 1 Comment
Things couldn’t be more different. This time last year there was a collective gloom amongst Bolton fans. The previous season had ended with one win in eleven games, the summer signings were uninspiring and Gary Megson was still in charge.
There was an inevitability about the opening day defeat to Sunderland, which was far worse than the 1-0 score line suggested. That Steve Bruce’s men won only once more on their travels said it all.
St Owen of Lostock Acknowledges the Throng
This time round there’s a quiet optimism and it’s all due to one man. Owen Coyle arrived in January on a tidal wave of approval that’s yet to subside. Where Megson was dull and uninspiring, Coyle has the energetic enthusiasm of a new puppy. So much so, that you want to slap him sometimes. Putting so much faith in a manager with precisely one year’s top flight experience might not be the wisest thing, but what the hell, football supporters need hope.
Not many clubs have splashed money about in the transfer window. Bolton certainly haven’t. That’s because they haven’t got any. The much desired prolific goal scorer hasn’t arrived, but then only Nicolas Anelka and a pre-blubber Michael Ricketts, qualified for that description in the last decade, so it was always a forlorn hope.
Instead, there’s Robbie Blake, late of the unwashed hordes in Burnley. Blake’s a capable operator. It’s just a pity he’s older than God. But he may be a useful player to have on the bench, providing he doesn’t succumb to arthritis or senile dementia. Or have his zimmer frame nicked when the scallies from Liverpool come to visit.
Concessions have already been made to combat the advancing years. Drinks bottles for the other players contain Lucozade, laced with electrolytes. Robbie has Sanatogen in his. › Continue reading
Every Day’s a cup final for Mark Halsey….!
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 | BWFC Goals, BWFC News, BWFC People, Football Association, Ivan Campo, Jay-Jay Okocha, Nicolas Anelka, Owen Coyle, Phil Gartside, Premier League, Premiership referees, Sam Allardyce, Youri Djorkaeff | 11 Comments
The support from football fans and ordinary people in the street has been inspirational
Click the link to listen to Mark Halsey’s Exclusive interview.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/751463426e948768/
Despite hailing from Hertfordshire, Mark Halsey has firmly established himself as one of Bolton’s favourite adopted sons. After spending 12 years playing non-league football for Cambridge City and Hertford Town he began his refereeing career in 1989 and a decade later refereed the famous 1999 Football League One Play-off Final between Gillingham and Manchester City at Wembley. The same year he was promoted to Premier League status and shortly after the FIFA List of referees. He quickly established himself as one of the most popular referees in the League.
Mark was kind enough to take time out of his schedule to speak Exclusively to Manny Road & bwfcforum’s Andi Walton. He started by asking him about his current health:
MH: Yeah I’m feeling very good, I seem to be getting stronger with every game I do and it’s a bonus for me because I never thought I’d be back refereeing again, so every day is a cup final and it’s really great to be back and the reception I’ve received from the two games I’ve done at Rotherham and Port Vale and Oldham and Bristol Rovers, the fans have been absolutely fantastic and it’s been very emotional and overwhelming for me.
AW: It must have been the furthest thing from your mind getting out on the football pitch when you were in the midst of your treatment but now you’ve got to that stage, it must be a real thrill.
MH: For me to come back and, you know, I suppose…for what I’ve gone through with all my chemotherapy and my radiotherapy…I mean if you saw me at Christmas, I was nowhere near the Mark Halsey of old, you know, but I’ve worked hard and a lot of people have helped me and it’s been great. The support I’ve received from people around the country – just ordinary football fans and ordinary people in the street. They’ve been inspirational to me and they’ve got to really pat themselves on the back for the way they’ve helped me and it’s down to them that I’m back where I am now.
Rooney “Close to Old Trafford Exit” – World Exclusive
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 | Alan Gowling, BWFC Goals, BWFC News, BWFC People, Gary Megson, Gary Speed, Ian Walker, Nicolas Anelka, Owen Coyle, Peter Reid, Phil Brown, Phil Gartside, Sam Allardyce, Steve Wigley, Tony Kelly | 16 Comments
Warren Obb explores the rumours that others dare not !
due to journalistic integrity (and the fact it might not be him) we have blanked out the ugly mush in this pic
(we would like to express, these are not necessarily the views of bwfcforum or manny road)
Superstar Shrek look-a-like Wayne Rooney was last night said to be close to an Old Trafford exit, according to sources.
The former Everton hitman, 24, has been in sensational form for the champions this season, netting his 33rd goal of the campaign in Sunday’s win over rivals Liverpool.
But in news certain to stun the Old Trafford faithful, Rooney was recently seen close to an Old Trafford exit. Our sources, who were allegedly close to the club at the time, also claim to have photos of Rooney in the compromising position. Negotiations to purchase the photos broke down in order to preserve our journalistic integrity. › Continue reading
Wake me up when Gary Megson has gone from Bolton Wanderers
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Gary Megson, Phil Gartside | 13 Comments
Will the last person to leave the Reebok Stadium please turn out the lights
Will the last person to leave the Reebok Stadium please turn out the lights
Manny Road is officially going dark…
After a month of very little activity here on Manny Road, I’ve finally decided to put the blog on hold for a while.
I’ve been mulling this over for some time. Partly it’s motivated by factors in my own life: lack of time, an array of other projects to be getting on with, and the realisation that I’ve learnt pretty much everything I can from the Manny Road project – not least that you can’t make money from blogging; not about Bolton Wanderers anyway.
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