BURY are planning to stage games at Gigg Lane in the New Year.
And the Shakers have been promised by the FA they will be placed into the National League North – the sixth tier – next season as a worst-case scenario if they get their act together.
Bury FC are planning a rebirth in the National League North next seasonCredit: PA:Press Association
While many clubs are sweating over whether they’ll survive the festive period with no fans allowed inside stadiums, the team kicked out of the EFL last season, and who haven’t played since, are incredibly still alive and getting the ball rolling on re-opening their spiritual home and social club.
And, because they don’t currently play in any of the top six divisions (well, in fact, no division), they will be allowed a limited number of fans into their ground – once Covid restrictions are lifted in Greater Manchester.
Many commentators, journalists and fans alike wrongly state Bury FC no longer exist and have been replaced by the fans-led Bury AFC team, who play in the North West Counties League – the ninth tier of English football.
But – in fact – Bury FC, unlike Macclesfield last month, have not been wound up since their expulsion, significantly brokered down their debts, still own their ground and have their supporters club, Forever Bury, behind a serious move to get the Shakers shaking again.
FA sources have said they will welcome an application from the two-time FA Cup winners by their March deadline for clubs to be placed into a league – so long as they can sort out a new owner.
And Steve Dale told SunSport over the weekend he WILL step aside with his preferred purchaser the Forever Bury group.
He said: “That’s my intention. I want them to have the club.”
Both the Shakers owner and fans’ group have said they have been actively and constructively engaged for some time now.
A fans’ group, Forever Bury, is hoping to purchase the clubCredit: PA:Press Association
Already maintenance plans are afoot to ensure the 12,000-seater Gigg Lane – the 11th oldest functioning stadium in the world – can stage games with only minor work needed which will not cost significant amounts.
The pitch is still in great condition thanks to groundsman Mike Curtis maintaining it since last year.
Discussions are already in place to allow a Bury ladies’ team to play at Gigg Lane, to stage fan and youth matches, local league cup finals and even arrange some friendlies against local Premier League clubs to help raise funds when it is possible to do so.
The fan group have opened a crowd-funding page and are aiming to eventually raise £2.5million – which they say will be enough to take control of both the club and stadium.
And they are asking Premier League fans to boycott the pay-per-view matches and donate £15 instead to their Save Our Shakers cause – a genuine fans-led community scheme.
Forever Bury chairman and lifelong fan David Giffard, 69, and a highly-dedicated group of supporters are working on getting the club out of its 15-month hibernation.
Bury FC had their application to be placed into a league rejected in the summer but the FA left the door ajar for next season.
Gigg Lane could host women’s matches, friendlies and local amateur matches to raise fundsCredit: PA:Empics Sport
But since then Dale has engaged with the supporters group, who say they have an A, B and C plan.
Their preferred choice is to get control of Bury FC and have a fans-led club where supporters can purchase bonds and shares, with investment too from businessmen.
Their second choice is – if the club are eventually wound up – to purchase the name and assets from the administrator, in the same way Robert Smethurst did with Macclesfield as he looks to relaunch the Silkmen next season.
The third was to set up a phoenix club.
But Bury AFC has already been formed and there is now a split fan-base, which Giffard believes has complicated efforts to take control of the original Bury FC – but he hopes all Shakers fans can unite to work towards getting football back to Gigg Lane.
He told me: “Bury FC is still there and worth saving. It’s the club my great grandfather took my grandfather to their very first game at Gigg Lane in 1885.
“My grandfather took my dad there for the first match after the First World War.
“He then took me for the first time in 1958 and I took my daughter Kate to her first game in 1983 when she was three.
“She now has a daughter and I’m determined to take her too. There are so many stories like that across our fan base because Bury is an incredible family club.”
Dale – who says he has paid significant amounts of his own money in keeping the club afloat – says once he has brokered a deal to clear debts from Gigg Lane that started at £8million alone, the social club and car park, he will sell the club.
He also told me he will give Forever Bury the option to buy the stadium when they are in a position to do so.
Meanwhile, Forever Bury have received significant pledges from local businesses and individuals who will volunteer their services and time to help the club.
And the fans’ group say it is their intention to recruit a manager before the end of this season and start to sign players.
I am sure most EFL fans will agree with me that Bury FC finally waking up after a terrible year or so of turmoil will be one of the biggest fairy-tales in football.
I for one wish them all the best – because community clubs like this are the heartbeat of English football.
The crowd-funding page can be found at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-our-shakers
EFL must save Bury FC as it sits on brink of extinction
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
