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      Inside Bury’s move back to Gigg Lane as bickering finally put aside to give Shakers bright future

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      THANK goodness after four years of heartache common sense has won and Bury FC will be back at Gigg Lane in all its glory this August.For the last few years the town has been bitterly divided.
      Finally the good times will be returning to Gigg Lane with Bury’s return to the pyramid
      Bury’s return to Gigg Lane gives the club a bright futureCredit: Dave Pinegar
      Friends have become foes and mud has been slung in all directions.
      Bury has been a town split down the middle politically between two main parties and diverged on football since the club’s controversial expulsion from the EFL in 2019.
      As the country found out in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, when you have a hung parliament politicians spend more time squabbling in deadlock rather than getting things done.
      In Bury, there were two groups of supporters who saw different ways to move things forward.
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      Previous owner Steve Dale was not going to leave quietly despite only paying £1 to purchase the club in the first place. 
      Had he done so, there was a pathway open for Bury FC to then be placed into the National League or National League North the following season, as per FA rules concerning expelled Premier League and EFL clubs — but he desperately clung on.
      He tried to get the two-time FA Cup winners back into a league by signing the club over to his son Christian — but the FA were not having any of it.
      Throughout this process a number of local businessmen and even consortia attempted to acquire the club.
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      Phoenix team Bury AFC won promotion last year to the NW Counties Premier
      Bury FC will be officially back in football in August after an historic fans vote
      Meanwhile, I met with one group shortly after the expulsion who mobilised and went on to call themselves The Shakers Community Society.
      With Bury FC facing winding-up orders and seemingly certain liquidation, this group nobly set up a phoenix club called Bury AFC — which was 100 per cent owned by a fans’ membership.
      They tapped into the knowledge of other supporter-run clubs like AFC Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester and got the Bury name at least back in football.
      The new club was placed into the North West Counties League Division One North — the 10th tier — and played their home games at Radcliffe FC’s Stainton Park three miles from Gigg Lane.
      Since then they have been promoted to the Premier Division and this season enjoyed average crowds of 1,233.
      But Bury FC pulled an average of 4,044 in their last competitive season in League Two in 2018-2019 so it was blindingly obvious there was a majority of diehard Shakers fans not buying into supporting the new team.
      And many have told me that is simply because watching a phoenix club playing at a small non-league ground down the road would never be able to match the magic of going to Gigg Lane on a Saturday to roar on Bury FC.
      One of the problems the phoenix club has had drawing everyone in was that the actual Bury FC was still in existence, even though it was dormant and in administration.
      So another group of supporters focussed on trying to achieve two massive things for Shakers fans… acquire Bury FC and get the keys to Gigg Lane.
      The Bury Football Club Supporters Society — a group made up of 51 per cent fan membership and 49 per cent business supporters — managed to pull that off.
      Our man Justin Allen at Gigg Lane with members of fans group who purchased Bury FC
      This shirt said it all after the club’s expulsion from the EFL
      After striking a deal with the administrators, they managed to buy Bury FC, the naming rights, history and memorabilia out of the holding company’s shell. It was similar to what happened at Bolton four years ago.
      And since then, the club have managed to secure or be pledged around £2.4million in investment and grants. They have already received £700,000 from the £1m they were awarded by the government — with the BFCSS putting in £1m themselves.
      But where the phoenix team had an issue getting a full united fan base to support them, the other group did not have a senior team to play matches after the FA rejected their application to restart a team and be placed in a league.
      FA bigwigs did not want to see two rival clubs from the small town and preferred the two groups to unite.
      Bury Council said they would award £450,000 to help towards making Gigg Lane a community asset — but only if the two groups merged to run one club.
      A vote had taken place between both organisations last October but the BFCSS just failed to reach the 63 per cent threshold to carry the merger proposal.
      But finally on Friday night common-sense and pragmatism won as the groups voted overwhelmingly to bury their hatchets and unite.
      The revived club will take over Bury AFC’s place in the ninth tier and compete as Bury FC.
      The groups will vote on appointing a new board shortly and follow the German model of running a 51 per cent fan-owned club.
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      It is going to be an emotional first game back at Gigg Lane in August.
      The squabbling and bickering is over and Bury FC are back in business.With a united fan base they can restore their rightful place in the EFL that was so cruelly stolen from them four years ago. More

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      Prem cult hero in horror show as he gives away pen and gets sent off after awful backpass, ending club’s playoff dream

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      CURTIS DAVIES put an end to Derby’s play-off hopes after being sent off against Sheffield Wednesday.The 38-year-old underhit a pass back to goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith and immediately came under pressure from Marvin Johnson.
      Davies’ pass back was underhitCredit: Twitter.com / @SkyFootball
      The defender then gave away a penalty and got sent offCredit: Twitter.com / @SkyFootball
      🚨 SCENES 🚨Curtis Davies is sent off for making slight contact with Marvin Johnson 🟥Michael Smith rolls the penalty into the bottom corner and gives Sheffield Wednesday the lead ⚽ pic.twitter.com/WSDH5L9StS— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 7, 2023

      As he attempted to win back the ball, he clipped the heels of the winger, who went to ground in the box.
      The referee immediately awarded a penalty to Sheffield Wednesday and sent Davies off for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

      Michael Smith was then on hand to fire the Owls into the lead.
      Davies’ red card left many football fans divided, with some suggesting that it was far too harsh.
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      One person tweeted: “Never a red.”
      Another added: “Shocking decision.”
      While a third joked: “What a dive that was must have had swimming lessons before game.”
      However, others were adamant that it was the correct decision.
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      One person wrote: “100% red. Awful defending. No attempt to play the ball.”
      Another added: “100% a foul and 100% a red card. Stopped Johnson from stroking it into an empty net.”
      And a third tweeted: “No attempt to play the ball so it’s a red card.”
      Derby went on to lose the game 1-0, leaving them outside the play-off spots.
      This weekend, SunSport revealed that Davies, who enjoyed spells with West Brom and Aston Villa respectively earlier in his career, is eager to spend one more season at Derby. More

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      Ipswich keen to beat rivals to Crystal Palace ace Jesurun Rak-Sakyi loan transfer after sealing Championship promotion

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      IPSWICH are determined to beat rivals in their bid to sign Crystal Palace forward Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.Kieran McKenna’s Championship new-boys are keen to recruit this summer and English prospect Rak-Sakyi, 20, is high on their hitlist.
      Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is a wanted man after impressing for CharltonCredit: Getty
      The Eagles may send Rak-Sakyi out on loan to the second tier after he impressed at League One Charlton this season.
      He has 15 goals and eight assists in 42 Addicks appearances this season and has caught the eye of a number of suitors.
      Luton are also interested in a move for the youngster.
      But that deal would only go through if they fail to win promotion to the Premier League.
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      Rak-Sakyi has performed well consistently while rising through the ranks at Palace, and scored 18 goals in 25 games for their reserves last season.
      But it may be too soon for the youngster to join Palace’s string of bright youthful attackers, which includes Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.
      Palace will also be looking at ways to upgrade in the summer including appointing a permanent manager to replace Roy Hodgson, who agreed a deal until the end of the season when he returned in March.
      Former Borussia Monchengladbach manager Adi Hutter appears to be one of the favourites for the role.
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      Meanwhile Palace face the star man Wilfried Zaha leaving on a free this summer.
      Ligue Un side Marseille are plotting a swoop and are said to have made the winger a top priority.
      Arsenal and Chelsea have also been linked to Zaha while a move to the continent has not been ruled out. More

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      Wrexham stars continue promotion party as they lounge around Las Vegas pool surrounded by bikini-clad beauties

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      WREXHAM’S heroes partied poolside with bikini-clad beauties watching on as they continued to enjoy their Las Vegas promotion holiday.Deadpool star and Wrexham owner Ryan Reynolds paid for the National League champs to look dead cool – by revelling Stateside in their promotion to League Two.
      Many of the Wrexham players haven’t quite topped up their tans yet
      The Welsh team are having a cheeky time at Wet Republic in Las VegasCredit: The Mega Agency
      Wrexham’s promotion party in Vegas is in full swing at the FC party on Cinco de MayoCredit: The Mega Agency
      The National League champions were surrounded by bikini-clad womenCredit: The Mega Agency
      Downtime suddenly became glamorous for the Red DragonsCredit: The Mega Agency
      And on day of their four-day trip the Red Dragons are beginning to lap up their glimpse of the Hollywood life enjoyed by the club’s two famous backers.
      The players sipped drinks by the Wet Republic Ultra Pool at the MGM Grand  – as they finally relax after returning to the EFL after 15 years in the fifth tier.
      The toned bunch of squad bods milled around as dozens dipped into the water to cool-down.
      The Brits did stand out a bit, however – as some of the pasty players were devoid of any sun tan in the 24-degree temperatures.
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      English midfielder Elliot Lee drunk his beer from a lime bottle.
      And versatile Irishman Thomas O’Connor was seen checking his phone on a lounger.
      The Wrexham heroes, including ex-England keeper Ben Foster, have already dined at the exclusive Hakkasan restaurant and partied in Sin City.
      The Red Dragons have attracted thousands of fans across the pond, thanks mainly to the pulling power of Reynolds and fellow Hollywood star and co-owner Rob McElhenney.
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      And they got a touch of the celebrity treatment themselves when they arrived in Vegas.
      The players were welcomed in via a big screen with the club badge on it.
      Glamorous girls held up letters spelling out “Wrexham” and Welsh flags were waved.
      Fireworks followed plus loud music from DJ James Hype.
      It follows a momentous season where the Red Dragons DID live up the Hype.
      They amassed a record 111 points, with runners-up Notts County also beating the previous highest total with 107.
      Wrexham show off their toned squad bods by the pool after a glorious seasonCredit: The Mega Agency
      The Dragons are unwinding in style – a ‘million miles’ from North WalesCredit: The Mega Agency
      Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have taken Wrexham back to the big time of league footballCredit: PA More

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      EFL clubs agree £1BILLION TV deal with Sky Sports.. but fans will be devastated by key part of mega-money agreement

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      EFL clubs voted for a record new five-year live TV deal with Sky Sports worth almost a BILLION POUNDS.The £935million agreement will see more than 1,000 matches broadcast, starting in 2024-25.
      Fans will see a hefty increase in live EFL games from 2024-25Credit: Rex
      Club chiefs unanimously approved the new deal —  a 50 per cent increase on the current terms in place since 2018 — after being informed of Sky’s offer on Friday morning.
      The EFL were willing to consider ending the Saturday 3pm TV blackout but it WILL remain as part of the new  deal.
      In total, 1,059 league, EFL Cup — including all 93 ties — and EFL Trophy matches will be shown live on Sky or a streaming platform, replacing the iFollow service.
      Currently, Sky televises 138 EFL league games each season.
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      The league entered into an exclusive  negotiating period with Sky  in April.
      The deal is made up of guaranteed payments of £895m — plus £40m in marketing benefits.
      EFL chief exec Trevor Birch called it a “landmark  deal for EFL clubs”.
      He said: “This  will showcase much more of our compelling match action to fans while delivering record rights values as we seek to make our clubs sustainable at all levels.”
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      Birch added: “With some 20 million attending Sky Bet EFL matches each season and significant interest in the League at home and abroad, we look forward to growing our collective fanbase further.”
      Sky Sports Managing Director Jonathan Licht said: “This is a ground-breaking deal for Sky and our long-standing partners, the EFL.
      “This is the biggest deal in football, in terms of the number of matches being broadcast.”
      Licht also promised: “Between Sky and the league, we’re pleased to be able to make a commitment to fans that will ensure greater notice periods around the movement of matches for broadcast.
      “There’ll also be greater parity in the number of times clubs are selected to be live on Sky Sports.” More

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      Bury return to English football pyramid after FOUR YEARS in cold.. but expelled EFL club must start from near the bottom

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      BURY FC will officially return to the football pyramid in August after four years out in the cold.The expelled EFL club will be in the ninth tier competing in the North West Counties League Premier Division following a fans’ vote at Gigg Lane on Friday night.
      Bury FC will be back playing at Gigg Lane in August after historic vote
      Members of the Bury Football Club Supporters Society and the Shakers Community Society overwhelmingly decided in favour of merging.
      BFCSS own the Bury FC name, stadium and history while the SCS own the breakaway team Bury AFC, which was set up in the immediate aftermath of the Shakers’ expulsion in 2019.
      The FA had rejected a standalone application from BFCSS to enter Bury FC into the pyramid this season — but will rubber-stamp the club competing in the pyramid with both supporter groups merging to run it as one entity.
      The ground-breaking vote means that the club will have access to another £300,000 from the government’s levelling up fund, having already received £700,000 to upgrade the stadium. 
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      Also Bury Council will grant the club a further £450,000 towards making Gigg Lane a community hub.
      A spokesman at the club told SunSport: “This is an historic night for Bury FC.
      “Supporters have fought hard to get football back to Gigg Lane and now this is definitely going to happen for next season.
      “It’s been a big journey with a lot of people putting their time, money, support and effort into making this happen.
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      “Now Bury FC once again has one voice, one identity and can truly start the climb back up the divisions with our plan being to win back our EFL status.”
      To do that Bury FC will need to win five promotions.
      A board will be appointed after a further vote of the membership — in a model which will be a minimum of 51 per cent fan owned, to avoid a repeat of a single owner running the club into the ground.
      The club were awarded £1million from the government’s levelling up fund, which was announced by Boris Johnson at Gigg Lane when he was prime minister
      Fans have fought hard to get Bury FC back to Gigg Lane in the football pyramid More

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      Ipswich boss McKenna following in Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson’s footsteps.. and is ready to set his own piece of history

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      KIERAN McKENNA was in illustrious company when he was appointed Ipswich manager.At 35 he took over the Tractor Boys at exactly the same age as Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson.
      Kieran McKenna is given the bumps after Ipswich’s promotion
      Sir Alf Ramsey was just 35 when he took charge of Ipswich
      Sir Bobby Robson was also just 35, like McKenna, when he became Ipswich boss
      The two legendary bosses went on to lead them to their greatest triumphs. Ramsey took the club from the third tier to winning the top flight in 1962 while Robson led them to FA Cup and UEFA Cup glory in 1978 and 1981 respectively.
      And tomorrow, at Fleetwood, McKenna could lead his team to making their own piece of history in only his second season.
      Not only can the club win League One but also reach both the 100-point mark as well as a century of goals — something that has never been achieved together in EFL history.
      Ipswich trail leaders Plymouth by a point going into the final game but have a vastly superior goal difference so if Argyle slip up at Port Vale McKenna’s men need to better their result to snatch top spot.
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      McKenna, 37 in two weeks, said: “It’s an honour to follow some fantastic managers that have been at this club and there hasn’t been anyone better than Sir Alf and Sir Bobby.
      “The fact they both arrived here at the same age as me is a nice quirk. Obviously, I wouldn’t want to be compared to those two with what they’ve achieved in the game. I’ve a long, long way to get anywhere near their achievements.
      “But those two managers illustrate part of the attraction of taking charge here. This is a club with a track record of giving young managers an opportunity, backing them and allowing time to do their work.”
      McKenna, despite his young years, has already worked alongside some top football names.
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      While at Manchester United, he was assistant to Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralph Rangnick — and worked alongside Michael Carrick.
      It is ironic Mourinho’s first assistant manager job was under Robson at Barcelona, having worked for the former England boss at Sporting and Porto initially as his interpreter, while McKenna’s first taste of senior football was under the Special One.
      And the Ipswich boss said: “It was an honour to work with him. He was an icon for the coaches of my generation and his background going into management was more unique then than it is now.
      “He’s somebody who set the bar for what can be achieved by a young manager coming in from a different background. It was a fantastic experience and I picked up a lot. 
      Kieran McKenna’s first senior coaching job was alongside Jose Mourinho
      In turn, Jose Mourinho’s first senior coaching role was under Sir Bobby Robson
      “Jose shared with me stories about the different stages of his career. It’s another lovely quirk of history he worked for Sir Bobby and I worked for him.
      “There are so many things I picked up from Jose. He’s a fantastic communicator in different languages, which is a great skill. He was a pioneer in England in terms of his training periodisation and how he structured the working week.
      “I certainly took these things with me in that regard.
      “And it was the same with Ole, who was a fantastic man manager and person in terms of how he treated staff and gave people responsibility.
      “He made people feel confident about themselves and gave them trust and responsibility.
      “It’s not always one thing you pick from managers at that level because they’ve so many qualities — and that is why they’ve got to the position of managing Manchester United.
      “I try to emulate things that can help me — but, besides that, I’m on my own journey in the game and want to improve myself and the team.”
      There is no doubt that two of the brightest young coaches in the EFL are McKenna and Carrick.
      McKenna, who has won the final SkyBet League One manager of the season gong, has clinched promotion to the Championship while his former United coaching colleague could take Middlesbrough into the Premier League via the play-offs in his first permanent managerial role.
      And the Ipswich boss said: “It’s fantastic to see. He’s someone I consider a really good friend. I enjoyed working with Michael and learned a lot from him. He’s had a massive impact on their season and is playing a wonderful brand of football. But it’s no surprise he’s doing well.”
      The Tractor Boys celebrated promotion back to League One
      With promotion already secured Ipswich can clinch the title and break EFL records
      Kieran McKenna won the SkyBet League One manager of the month award for April
      It has been a fantastic season at Portman Road and McKenna says the team are motivated to break that EFL record.
      He said: “We achieved a huge goal last week by clinching promotion. That has been celebrated but now we’re on to the next thing.
      “We’re just focussed on putting in another good performance to try to win the game and then that will mean we’re the first team in EFL history to reach those two 100 milestones. 
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      “Even our goal difference of plus 66 is the second in EFL history.
      “We’ll control what we can at Fleetwood, which is putting in a performance to get the result — and then let’s see what happens with Plymouth. But whatever the outcome, we have cause to celebrate an excellent season.” More

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      Fuming Reading fans tell Andy Carroll to ‘get CV updated’ after star’s X-rated apology following Championship relegation

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      ANDY CARROLL has shocked and divided Reading fans with a caring, swearing X-rated apology for relegation.The former England striker posted he was “so sorry” for the drop to League One and will be “Working My F***ing A**e Off” to get the “fantastic club” back up. 
      Former Newcaste, Liverpool, West Ham and England frontman Andy Carroll said sorry online to Reading fans in a what that split opinionCredit: Getty
      Some Royals supporters reckon this moment led to the drop as Carroll picks up a second yellow card against Luton in April and is sent offCredit: Getty
      One angry supporter urged the ex-Newcastle hero to “get your cv updated” and another suggested he stops thinking he is “playing volleyball”.
      A few also blamed Carroll for demotion following his red card in a 1-1 draw with Luton last month.
      But many fans were moved by the ex-Liverpool targetman speaking so bluntly from the heart and were delighted he’s keen to stay.
      Carroll, 34, shared snaps of his time at Reading, including with his family, in an emotional Instagram message.
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      He wrote: “The People The Place I Love You All. I’m So So Sorry We Weren’t Enough This Season. I Know I’ll Be Working My F****ing A**e Off This Summer To Get This Fantastic Club Back Up And Beyond. Thank You For Making This Club My Home.”
      Reading were well-placed for a play-off push earl;y in the season after Carroll returned on a four-month deal.
      But after he signed a  contract extension in January to 2024 they fell away, not helped by a six-point penalty in April.
      But some fans believe they would have stayed up had Carroll not gone from potential matchwinner to sinner at home to Luton last month.
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      The 6ft 4ins frontman headed the Royals in front but was then sent off for a second yellow card – when handling the ball as he nodded a second “goal”.
      Promotion hopefuls Luton suddenly burst into life, with Carlton Morris heading a later equaliser.
      Now Reading are doomed – five points from safety with just one game left.
      One fan replied to Carroll’s post with: “Sorry to say but genuinely think we get 3 points if you didn’t get red against Luton. You owe it to the fans to grind it out in L1.”
      Two others referred to his personal record, saying: “This don’t look good on the CV” and “Get your CV updated hey. You all let down ever single fan this season.”
      And a fourth anti-Carroll poster wrote: “So this means you’re staying” – following by sad-face emojis.
      But there was also plenty of backing for the controversial Tynesider.
      One fan said of his apology: “Spoken like a true leader – behind you all the way.”
      Similar sentiments included: “One player I’ll always defend” and “Believe in you Carroll… get us back up”.
      More support came with: “Class. We’re behind you Andy” and “Please stay”.
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      And in a miserable year for the Royals – at least in the world of football – one even said of his Instagram outpouring: “One of the only highlights of this season! 
      “I can’t help but like the guy. He’s been nothing but 100% committed since the day he arrived. More