SUPPORTERS who pay into the Lifeline and Goldline lotteries at Wanderers have been urged to stand by the scheme after it was suspended yesterday.

Following the latest government advice surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic the Bolton Wanderers Development Association was forced to put all draws on hold until further notice.

Lifeline and Goldline are run independently from the club but funds raised are used to purchase vital equipment for the team and supporters around the stadium and training ground.

Lottery subscriptions will not be collected during the suspension period and lottery draws will not be made until it is safe to resume the business.

Fans who pay via standing order are asked NOT to cancel the subscription – but to either request a refund on resumption of the lottery or ask that the money be counted towards future draws.

Promotions manager Andrew Dean told The Bolton News he hoped people would not sever ties with Lifeline and Goldline during the lockdown as it could provide an important source of funding for projects at Wanderers in the future.

“It’s really important that people stick with us,” he said. “Nobody knows what the future holds but the money we raise could be so important in the future, so I would really hope that people can support us through this.

“We were devastated that we had to stop. More than anything, our agents won’t be going around and seeing all the faces who have become friends. But it will be back, and hopefully soon.

“The fact is that a lot of the agents are older and some are being asked to self-isolate now for the next 12 weeks, so we have to keep them safe.

“People don’t need to do anything and as soon as we get back up and running again we’ll be in touch.”

The Lifeline lottery, which was initially kicked-off by former commercial manager Alf Davies and the great Nat Lofthouse in the early eighties, has provided millions of pounds of funding for projects at Wanderers.

Most recently it has bought furniture for a new coach’s room at Lostock and a medical buggy which enables injured players to be safely transported off the top pitches at the training ground, or from the indoor ‘bubble’ – which was also paid for and maintained using BWDA cash.