Bolton cut the programme size and price

[oldbolt]

The last two league programmes (Ipswich, Charlton) have been 48 pages for £2. Down from 68 pages for £3 for the other matches this season.
There has been no explanation why in the programme.I suspect "can't be arsed" is the main reason although there will no doubt be some financial reason. 6 or 7 years ago the club had a good attempt at producing a top programme with some excellent historical articles but it has slipped into a lot of irrelevant drivel for a couple of seasons now.Despite the reduced sized there is still room for some drivel.There is nothing on the history between Bolton and Charlton in the programme, among many other matches there's an FA Cup semi final or last match at Burnden to go at, yet still room for a 2 page article "K is for " for example the Kassam Stadium - Bolton's first team have never played there.Marvellous.

Between the two first team matches Bolton produced a 4 page colour programme at 20p for the Youth Cup tie with Portsmouth which included reading material rather than just the teamsheet most clubs produce.Fair play to them for that.

[Senior82]

Good, saves me a quid next week!
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[Fishy]

Could be that less people are advertising as their budgets are cut in the recession.................
Advertising is usually one of the first things to be cut.

[sharrowblade]

Fishy wrote:

Could be that less people are advertising as their budgets are cut in the recession................. Advertising is usually one of the first things to be cut.

Very likely, but its more probable that the club are up s**t creek.
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A Sheffield United Programme guide

[oldbolt]

I make it 16 pages of adverts down to 13 pages of adverts although 2 1/2 of the 3 pages lost are adverts for the club shop and club website

I don't think Bolton are up shit creek financially.The accounts show £100 million is owed to the club's owner and another £10 million to banks and other creditors.The owner is paying himself 5% interest on the £100 million, the suggestion is the debt is artifically high as a legal tax avoidance scheme by a very rich man who happens to be a Bolton fan.He isn't going to put the club in adminstration because he is by far the biggest creditor but sadly for Bolton fans he doesn't have the cash to fund a PL team. There was the dough available to treble Dougie Freedman's wages a few weeks ago and I find it hard to believe they are now so skint that they can't afford a full sized programme.

[sharrowblade]

Of course you may be right Oldbolt, but the fact remains that the accounts don't make for good reading. Relegation was a disaster as Gartside knew it would be, hence his two tier premiership plan he floated but which was ultimately rejected. It was a last ditch attempt at a safety net.

This years a/c shown a net debt of £136 million, which as you rightly pointed out, the majority is owed to Eddie Davies's company (125 million). Unfortunately, if 80% of your turnover is coming from an external source (Sky) whilst in the Premiership, we all know too well the consequences of the downturn when you hit the championship. The figures just don't add up, and as history dictates clubs who have been relegated after being in the premiership for a number of seasons are more likely to suffer more agonies before any ectasy.

Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds, Pompey, Coventry, Forest, Leicester, Bradford anybody..............
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A Sheffield United Programme guide