Latics claim they are owed money by rival clubs

CHRIS TAYLOR . . . arrived on loan from Bolton

ATHLETIC'S summer cash-flow problems have been exacerbated by the failure of clubs to pay money owed through ticket sales, the club have stated.

While not revealing explicitly who is responsible for debts not being paid, the indication given by chief executive Mark Moisley is that it could be Bolton who have yet to pay up for the money raised by selling 4,214 tickets when they visited SportsDirect.com Park on Saturday, April 15.

Wanderers, who gained promotion back to the Sky Bet Championship at the first time of asking, are currently under a transfer embargo and must answer a winding-up petition from finance company BluMarble, issued to Sports Shield BWFC, on Monday.

However, the Chronicle understands there is also an issue between the respective clubs relating to a late loan payment from Athletic to Bolton. Chris Taylor made a loan switch to the club from the Macron Stadium in January.

"We do struggle with cash flow at times and summer is the worst period of all," said Moisley, in a video interview released on the club's website. "We don't have the revenue coming in through the gate and unfortunately, we are still owed money from a couple of clubs. One is a significant. They brought a big following here in April and we have still not received the ticket money from that.

"It has a real impact on us and we have to find the salaries over the next three months as we have to over the rest of the season."

Player contracts do not typically finish until the end of June and Athletic already have seven first-team men signed on beyond that date.

Moisley said that in order to keep going throughout the summer months, the club rely on chairman Simon Corney as they bid to sell commercial packages - including, for 2017-18, the LED perimeter boards.

"In May, June and July we have huge outlay with very little coming in," Moisley added.

"It is a tough time and we are going to struggle throughout these three months.

"We are heavily reliant on the owner, as ever, to try to make sure we get through and we will keep the pressure on the other clubs that owe us money as well."

Earlier this season, Athletic were placed under a transfer embargo in owing ticket money to Rochdale as well as loan fees.