Laurence Bassini - A(nother) Necessary Evil?

So it appears, as we reach the latest deadline in Bolton Wanderers’ seemingly never-ending battle with the courts, that we might have a solution in sight.

Ex-Watford chairman Laurence Bassini remains the front runner in the eyes of many, with some even going so far as proclaiming that a deal has been done between him and Ken Anderson.

As someone with a chequered history, both in terms of his own financial dealings and in terms of his ownership of Watford, Bassini has hardly been welcomed to Bolton with open arms.

However I wonder that whilst in possession of a shockingly frank Wikipedia page, which you can read here, which goes into great detail about his many transgressions as owner of the club, are Bassini and his team a necessary evil?

As we know, Ken Anderson himself isn’t averse to his own dramas with the club appearing in the courts more times than in the top half of the league during his tenure. His lack of willingness to do the right thing (however you determine that) at times has led to the situation we find ourselves in now with players going on strike twice in the same season, with non-playing staff finding themselves going without pay on more than one occasion.

The club itself is back in the court this week to stave off the threat of liquidation. With this in mind, should we really be picky about who comes in to save us?

Personally speaking I would much rather have a club, albeit with an owner whom I might find to have a distasteful background, than no club at all.

Let’s not kid ourselves - we aren’t in a position to be choosy about our latest saviour. It really is a choice between that or oblivion. We’ve been here before, remember. Again, faced between going out of business and having an owner with a dodgy past, I know which option I prefer.

I’m encouraged somewhat by the names that Bassini has thrown around as being part of his takeover bid. I can only imagine that Dave Richards and John Williams, both seasoned operators in the game (though each with their own issues), have been given substantial reassurances from Bassini that his bid is legit and that the money is sound. People with reputations such as theirs would bring a further legitimacy to Bassini’s bid and would bring years of experience at the top level to the club, which is what we need.

I suppose time will tell whether the takeover actually happens but, should it go through with Mr Bassini as the newest owner of our famous club, it’s certainly a better option than the alternative.

Beggars can’t be choosers.