AN ONGOING payment row between Wanderers and three former players could mean the club is unable to register new signing Lloyd Dyer ahead of this weekend’s home game against Derby County.

The Professional Footballer’s Association has intervened on behalf of Karl Henry, Derik Osede and Jem Karacan, who are owed a month’s severance by Bolton following their departure in the summer.

If a solution is not found before close of business on Friday the EFL has the power to block any further player registrations. Dyer, who signed on Monday as cover for the injured Sammy Ameobi, could then be left in limbo until the paperwork is cleared.

When contacted for comment, a Wanderers spokesperson said: “Lloyd has signed his agreement and we will be submitting it to the EFL before the Friday 12 noon deadline as usual.

“No further comment will be made.”

The PFA has stepped up their efforts this week to find a resolution. A spokesperson confirmed to The Bolton News: “There is outstanding money owed by Bolton Wanderers. We are aware of the situation and are trying to resolve it with both the club and the players as quickly as possible.”

We have learned the argument stems from a clause written into the contract of all players which states they are entitled to one full month’s severance pay, or a percentage thereof, if they fail to find a new club on equal or improved pay during July.

Karacan signed for Wanderers’ Championship rivals Millwall in mid-August but both Henry and Derik are yet to find new employers. All three are owed a full month’s salary.

The payment is commonplace in football contracts and is designed to prevent hundreds of cases of players taking clubs to employment tribunal each year once they are effectively ‘made redundant’.

Henry brought his own situation to the public eye earlier this month when he aimed a tweet at Wanderers’ official account to ask why he had not been paid.

“A number of ex-players, including myself, are still awaiting payments from the club. Ken Anderson assured me that we would be paid on the sixth. Still nothing. We all did our jobs last season. If you could please do yours, we’d really appreciate it. Many thanks. Karl.”

It is understood the club had a verbal agreement with the players to pay the outstanding money – which had initially been due in July - at the end of August.

The deadline was then moved to September 6, which is when Henry displayed his frustration on social media. His tweet was viewed dimly at Wanderers and communication ceased altogether, prompting the PFA to step in.

The EFL’s normal protocol for pay disputes between a player and club would see them begin a ‘countdown clock’ of 30 days for clubs to reach a conclusion, after which they can impose up to a two-year transfer embargo. This clock is reset at the end of each season.

League rules dictate, however, that the money owed to Henry, Derik and Karacan does not fall into the same remit as regular salary payments. The EFL do have the authority to take action, including refusing to register new players, but are not obliged.

Wanderers have already fallen under the league’s watchful gaze once this season after a friendly against St Mirren, due to be played on July 7, was boycotted by players with less than 24 hours’ notice over unpaid bonuses.

The PFA was also called in to mediate and at a meeting on July 17 it was agreed the money would be paid three days later.

Anderson has openly questioned the logic of some of the contractual payments during his time in charge of the club, particularly those which fall in the summer when cash-flow is at its lowest.