• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Betting Offers UK

Best Free Bets & Casino Sign Up Offers For 2022

  • Betting Offers
  • Free Bets
  • Casino Bonuses
  • Home
  • New Sites
  • Free Spins
  • Free Bet Clubs
  • Bookies
  • Football
    • Premier League
  • Horse Racing
    • Cheltenham Festival
      • Disruptions & Cancellations
      • Old Course v New Course
      • Prestbury Cup
      • Top Trainers
      • Top Jockeys
      • Amateur Races
    • Grand National
      • Picking a Winner
      • Grand National Winners
      • Grand National Fences
      • Disruptions & Cancellations
      • Back to Back Winners
      • How Often Does the Favourite Win?
      • Prize Money
      • Virtual Grand National
      • Grand National Sponsors
      • Reserve Horses
      • How Many Finish
      • How Many Run
      • Grey Horses
      • Popularity
      • Amateur Jockeys
  • Irish Lottery
  • Blog

Where Next for Bury FC Following English Football League Expulsion?

29 August, 2019

Bury FC Gigg Lane Stadium
Image Credit: Benxa91, Wikimedia Commons (cropped)

It’s almost sacrilege that a football club with more than 125 years of history can go to the dogs simply because of a chain of incompetent owners who have no interest in preserving its status as a bedrock of the local community.

And so, sadly, that’s the reason that Bury FC have been expelled by the EFL for the 2019/20 campaign.

Unfortunately, more bad news could be yet to come as without investment from somewhere, the Shakers will have to be liquidated.

In that scenario, the football club and all of its related business will essentially ‘die’, meaning that Bury FC is no more at any level of the game.

It’s a tragic fate which has befallen English clubs in the past such as Maidstone United and Aldershot, who have since painstakingly climbed back up the league ladder as a closely linked ‘phoenix’ outfit.

And it’s a fate that might just have befallen Bolton Wanderers, another proud old Lancastrian club, had they not been bought out ad saved earlier in the week.

So what happens now to Bury FC, and can we ever expect to see them back in the Football League?

What Happens to Bury’s Players?

Torn Contract

As per the PFA’s rules in such situations, the contracts of the Bury players have now been torn up ad they are allowed to join another club as a free agent.

In truth, many of the Shakers’ squad have already left the club, with just four senior contracted players remaining at Gigg Lane.

Sadly, there are 16 youngsters on scholarship contracts, who have been training every day and also continuing with their education. The PFA has also confirmed that they can join new clubs, with their studies continuing at an institution near to where they settle.

Speaking exclusively to Talksport, the PFA’s chief Gordon Taylor said:

“We’ve made loans to players, we’ve made 50 per cent loans of their wages to help keep them going with their mortgages and their bills.

“We’ve got to see all these players can get clubs. There are no restrictions, there is no compensation due.

“For the scholars, they’ve got to keep their education program going and they should be able to join another club even though they’ve reached the maximum number of scholars as a special provision, because their welfare is particular important.”

What Happens to Gigg Lane, Bury’s Home Ground?

Bury FC Club Shop
Photo © Bradley Michael (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Gigg Lane is currently owned by a third party company, Capital Bridging Finance Solutions, who purchased the property from financially-ailing owner Steve Dale for £3.7 million.

It seems as though Capital Finance has the legal right to the stadium, but there is a covenant put in place by Bury Council that protects Gigg Lane and rules it has to be used for sporting purposes – it’s unlikely that it will be sold to a property developer, for example.

The problem is that the £3.7 million would have to be paid for Capital to release the mortgage, and so the situation has reached something of an impasse.

Ironically, it was such a costly overhead that put off one potential consortium from launching a rescue bid for the club.

As for the future, it would seem that if Bury attracted a rich investor they could buy their ground back, or more likely is that another nearby sports club will move into the stadium temporarily and pay rent to Capital Finance.

How Will Bury Pay Back Their Creditors?

Insolvency Document

When any entity enters into a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), they declare that they cannot pay off their debts without some kind of restructure.

With the CVA now a dead duck, a liquidator will be appointed that decides how best to pay back Bury’s creditors out of the non-existent funds that remain.

One of the first sets of creditors that you hope the liquidator pays back are the supporters, who have forked out good money for season tickets that they clearly won’t be able to use this term now.

The main creditor is a mysterious company called RCR Holdings, formed as recently as July 16, 2019, but who Bury somehow owe £7.1 million on July 18, 2019. For legal reasons, let’s not say too much about that….

The HMRC is also owed in excess of £1 million after Bury’s owner Steve Dale was unable to pay NI and PAYE contributions like any employer legally has to.

Will Bury FC Continue as a Phoenix Club?

Phoenix in Ashes

Typically in these situations, the football club doesn’t die.

Instead they emerge like a phoenix from the flames with a new name, a new set of players and, in many cases, a new home.

There have been plenty of success stories and models for Forever Bury, the club’s supporters trust, to follow. Aldershot, Maidstone and AFC Wimbledon have all built from the ground up, as have storied outfits such as Chester and Halifax. Even in their darkest hour, Bury fans have to remember this is not necessarily the end of their beloved football club.

If there was to be a new club formed from the ashes of the old Shakers – let’s say for the sake of argument called AFC Bury, then the FA would decide at which level of the pyramid the new outfit would start at.

Several relegations is the norm, and so it’s likely that ‘AFC Bury’ would return somewhere in the Northern Premier League in time for the 2020/21 campaign if they can get a new club formed in time.

Whether they would get to play at Gigg Lane remains to be seen, however.

Could the EFL’s Decision be Overturned?

No Turning Back Road Signs

Let’s not get anybody’s hopes up here, but a £7 million takeover bid – posted after the EFL’s Tuesday deadline – apparently remains on the table.

The prospective new owner, whose identity remains anonymous, does not need to pass any further due diligence assessments.

And now Bury South MP Ivan Lewis is hopeful that the EFL will meet with the bidder to resolve the situation.

For now, this tragic cautionary tale of the ugly side of the beautiful game continues….

Previous Post: « The World of eSports Rocked by CS:GO Australian Match Fixing Arrests
Next Post: Is Mike Ashley’s Time at Newcastle United Coming to an End Amid Sports Direct Woes? »

Primary Sidebar

Blog

Check Complete Message Against Football Assistant Referee Facing Pitch Holding Flag
Can a Football Result Be Overturned Due to VAR Error?
Silhouette of Soldier Saluting Against Blurred Stadium Lights
Which Sports Stars Have Had to Complete Military Service?
Falling Footballs in Front of Floodlit Goal
What is the Highest Number of Goalscorers in a Single Game of Football?
Losing Form Guide Against Goal Net and Pitch
What is the Longest Point-Less Start to a Premier League Season?
Businessman Holding Up Contract and Pen
What is a Lifetime Sponsorship Deal and Which Sports Stars Have Signed One?
More Blog Posts | Full Archives

Archives

Betting Sign Up Offers

  • Free Bets
    • Bet £5 Get £20/£30+
    • Bet £10 Get £30/£40+
    • Casino Free Bets
  • Casino Bonuses
  • Free Spins

Loyalty Offers

  • Acca Bonuses
  • Acca Insurance
  • Best Odds Guaranteed
  • Free Bet Clubs
  • Loyalty Points

Major Events

  • Grand National
    • How to Pick the Grand National Winner
    • Grand National Winners
    • Grand National Fences
    • Prize Money
    • Disruptions & Cancellations
    • Back to Back Winners
    • How Often Does the Favourite Win?
    • What Is the Virtual Grand National?
    • Grand National Sponsors
    • Reserve Horses
    • How Many Horses Finish?
    • How Many Horses Run?
    • Most Successful Owners
    • Changes Over Time
    • Female Jockeys
    • Grey Horses in the Grand National
    • Amateur Jockeys
    • Popularity
  • Cheltenham Festival
    • Festival Disruptions & Cancellations
    • Old Course v New Course
    • The Prestbury Cup
    • Top Trainers
    • Top Jockeys
    • Amateur Races
  • Premier League
    • Without the Big Six?
  • Irish Lottery

Related Posts

  • Can a Football Result Be Overturned Due to VAR Error?
  • What is the Highest Number of Goalscorers in a Single Game of Football?
  • What is the Longest Point-Less Start to a Premier League Season?
  • Has a Goalkeeper Ever Scored in the Champions League?
  • Why Has There Been So Many Goals Scored at the Start of the 2023/24 Season?
  • What is Net Transfer Spend? Manchester United Top List of Highest Losses on Players
  • Does Shoe Size Affect Football Ability?
  • Which Footballers Have Been Sold for the Highest Cumulative Transfer Fees?
  • England Lionesses Results in Major Tournament Finals
  • Flipping Footballers: Who Is the Most Profitable Transfer in Football History?

Betting Blog

  • American Football
  • Athletics
  • Betting Industry
  • Boxing
  • Cricket
  • Darts
  • Football
  • General
  • Golf
  • Horse Racing
  • Motor Racing
  • Politics
  • Rugby
  • Snooker
  • Tennis

Please bet responsibly. If you need help to stop gambling visit Gamstop.


Copyright © 2023 Betting-Offers.com | BeGambleAware.org 18+