Bolton have banned local reporter Marc Iles from the club after he posted a Muppets Christmas Carol GIF on Twitter.
Iles, who has been chief football writer for the Bolton News for the last 11 years, posted the GIF (below) last Thursday following news that Wanderers players and staff were finally to be paid their November wages.
Chairman Ken Anderson described the tweet as “offensive and amateurish” and personally instigated the ban, which also prohibits any club staff from speaking to the journalist. This year Iles has reported extensively on the goings-on at the crisis-hit Championship club.
Iles has written about several winding up petitions, players and staff not being paid their bonuses in the summer and about the recent unpaid wages. The journalist, who first started at the News 14 years ago, was recently shortlisted for North West Football Writer of the Year.
