Wanderers have been searching for a new buyer and saw a takeover bid by former Watford chairman Laurence Bassini collapse in May.

Bolton Wanderers have been on the search for a new buyer and saw a takeover bid by former Watford chairman Laurence Bassini collapse back in May.

Bassini has not given hope of completing his takeover of the cash-strapped club, despite seeing it collapse in May, leading to Wanderers entering administration.

Only seven players remain contracted to the League One club, who have been placed into administration, and they released a joint statement explaining their decision - including unpaid wages.

The match was due to be played on July 27 but with Oldham now pulling the plug, it has left Phil Parkinson's without a single pre-season match ahead of the new term.

Newcastle have signed former Chelsea midfielder Kyle Scott and ex-Bolton goalkeeper Jake Turner. They become the club's second and third arrivals after the £40m capture of Joelinton.

EXCLUSIVE: The future of Bolton Wanderers is close to being secured - thanks to a £2m loan from the Professional Footballers' Association. The club have been in administration since May 13.

DANIEL MATTHEWS AT ADAMS PARK: Bolton's matchday squad was a ragtag bunch and for almost an hour they threatened to add yet more farce to the occasion.

Bolton, who have been in administration since May and began the season with a 12-point deduction due to financial difficulties, were due to be bought by the Football Ventures consortium.

Dave Boddy, Coventry chief executive, said: 'Around 10:45am this morning, we received contact from the EFL that they intend for the fixture to go ahead as scheduled.'

The Trotters pulled the plug on their fixture at just 24 hours' notice due to welfare concerns for their young squad, who have been thrust into senior action amid the off-field problems at the club.

Hill is understood to be on the list Bolton want to have discussions with. The fact Hill would be obtainable without Bolton having to pay compensations is key given the club's financial predicament.

Bolton, one of the founding members of the Football League, are in a desperate fight to survive with the club hurtling towards liquidation if a deal to buy it cannot be revived.

The struggling club has delivered news to supporters that will provide the club with a future beyond the next two weeks after it was purchased by Football Ventures Limited.

Bolton caretaker manager Jimmy Phillips hopes to sign four players before Saturday's Sky Bet League One game at Gillingham.

The League One side were given a five-point deduction, suspended for 18 months after they failed to fulfil some of their matches, as well as being handed a fine, but that has been called lenient.

Republic of Ireland international Daryl Murphy has admitted to taking cocaine on a night out that led to him being banned by the Football Association.

AHEAD OF THE GAME - MATT HUGHES: The ongoing battle for control of Sheffield United is hindering attempts to tie manager Chris Wilder and key player John Lundstram to new deals.

Justin Gatlin remained unbeaten this season by winning the 100 metres at the Golden Spike meet on Tuesday, clocking 9.86 seconds to improve his own world-leading time of the year.

On Thursday night in Lausanne, Switzerland, three sprinters broke the 10-second barrier for the 100 metres: Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay and Mike Rodgers. Gatlin’s 9.80secs was the quickest time in the world this year.

American drug cheat Justin Gatlin won the 100m in Brussels on Friday evening with a years best time of 9.77s, amid controversy that the twice-banned sprinter shouldn't even be allowed to compete.

American sprinter Justin Gatlin finished the season undefeated in all of his 18 races with a 9.83 seconds 100 metre win at the IAAF world challenge meeting in Rieti on Sunday.

Sebastian Coe has questioned the nomination of former drugs cheat Justin Gatlin as one of the IAAF's athletes of the year after the new research in to long-lasting effects of steroids.

Former Olympic champion and convicted drugs cheat Justin Gatlin has been handed a new sponsorship deal by Nike, sparking outrage in the Athletics world.

Sprinter Justin Gatlin ran into a new row on Tuesday when he flew home on the eve of the Beijing World Challenge, claiming organisers told him they did not want him competing.

Organisers of the Beijing World Challenge have denied that they kicked out Justin Gatlin from their meeting and said they were 'perplexed' by the controversial sprinter's claim.

Justin Gatlin added the year's fastest 200m time to his resume at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting.  Gatlin equalled his lifetime best with his run of 19.68 seconds

Controversial Justin Gatlin set the stage for a world championship showdown with Usain Bolt when he won the 200 metres in a blazing 19.57 seconds at the U.S. trials in Oregon on Sunday

The credibility of Alberto Salazar’s defence against doping allegations has been further undermined by an interview he gave about a controversial incident involving Justin Gatlin in 2006.

Justin Gatlin easily beat two big-name rivals by clocking 9.75 seconds in the 100 metres at the Athletissima Diamond League race on Thursday.

Switzerland is renowned for being neutral but the country nailed its colours to the mast where drug cheats are concerned by hosting the dirtiest Diamond League race this century.

Next month’s World Championships men’s 100m final is in danger of rivalling the 1988 Olympic final in Seoul as the ‘Dirtiest Race in History’.

Usain Bolt blew away any fears about his fitness and fired a major warning to Justin Gatlin as he blasted to his fastest 100 metres of the year on his return to the Olympic Stadium on Friday night.

Usain Bolt celebrated his first serious 100metres win of the season by celebrating in London. Bolt was spotted at swanky west London nightclub Libertines following his 9.87 second win.

MATT LAWTON: Seb Coe has said he will feel ‘queasy’ should Justin Gatlin, or any other convicted drugs cheat, win gold at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

MARTHA KELNER IN BEIJING: The roll call of winners from the first round of the World Championships 100m was almost farcical with four of the seven previously serving drugs bans.

OLIVER HOLT: If Justin Gatlin wins, it will be a terrible indictment of a sport. If Usain Bolt wins, it will merely reinforce the idea that he is all that stands between athletics and oblivion.

Usain Bolt managed to survive a stuttering start to move into the World Championships 100m final in Beijing, setting up an enticing showdown with Justin Gatlin, who stormed through in his heat.

American sprinter Justin Gatlin will refuse to speak to British media and the BBC in the future following 'hurtful attacks' and 'biased views' in reports having won silver in the 100m World Championship final.

The parents of controversial US sprinter Justin Gatlin have rushed to his defense as the weight of being public enemy number one in the Olympic arena took its toll on him.

The Jamaican was forced to settle for third in his final solo race at the London Stadium on Saturday after being beaten by the USA's Christian Coleman, who claimed silver, and Justin Gatlin, who won the gold.

After finally earning his first Tour title on Sunday night, US PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas was quick to share the moment with his proud mum and dad, and then Tiger Woods.

The 22-year-old Brit stormed through on the line to record an impressive season's best of 10.04sec in driving rain, edging out the Chinese pair of Su Bingtian and Xie Zhenye.

Jerome Boateng has been fined by Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after crashing his Mercedes on the motorway while driving back from visiting his ill son.

Bayern Munich have sealed a contract extension for Hansi Flick that will see the head coach remain at the club until 2023.

Chelsea have reportedly made the first move in the race to sign Philippe Coutinho this summer. The attacking midfielder joined Barcelona from Liverpool in a deal worth £145m two years ago.

29-year-old winger Costa featured under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich during his spell in Bavaria, but has largely fallen out of favour in Turin this season.

PETE JENSON: Barcelona will need to raise funds this summer if they are to finance a bid for Neymar or Lautaro Martinez against a backdrop of massive losses because of the coronavirus shutdown.

Bayern Munich players will return to training on Monday for the first time since the Bundesliga campaign was suspended. The top flight has been on hold since March 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

First-team stars Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman were seen entering Bayern's training facility on Monday morning as the players returned to action in small groups.