Up The Shakers is proud to announce that, thanks entirely to the generosity of our forum members, we have raised enough money to become the front-of-shirt sponsor of the Bury FC Under-21s home kit.
The Up The Shakers name will now be worn proudly across the front of the famous white and blue shirt throughout the season, a fitting symbol of what can be achieved when Bury supporters come together to back their club.
This is far more than a sponsorship deal or an opportunity to put our logo on a shirt. It is a direct investment in the future of Bury Football Club.
Supporting the next generation
The Under-21s provide an essential bridge between youth football and the senior game. It is at this stage that promising young players must adapt to a faster, stronger and more demanding level of football while continuing to develop their technical ability, confidence and understanding of the game.
Without a strong development pathway, talented young players can easily be lost to the club. Supporting the Under-21s gives them the opportunity to train, compete, and demonstrate their ability to progress further.
The money provided through sponsorship contributes to the practical costs of running and developing the team. This includes areas such as playing and training equipment, match balls, medical supplies, travel, facilities and wider support for young players who may otherwise find the financial demands of football difficult.
Every contribution made by an Up The Shakers member has therefore helped create a better and more stable environment in which these players can develop.
Building a pathway to the first team
For a club like Bury, developing our own players should be a central part of the long-term strategy.
A successful Under-21 setup can provide the first team with players who already understand the club, its expectations and what it means to represent the town. It can also reduce the need to continually recruit from elsewhere and may eventually create valuable assets for the club.
Not every Under-21 player will go on to become a first-team regular, but every player deserves the best possible opportunity to reach their potential. A properly supported development team gives the coaching staff more time and better resources to work with players, while giving those players a meaningful standard of competitive football.
It also gives younger supporters players they can follow as they progress through the club—from the Under-21s and, hopefully, into the first-team squad.
A forum that does more than talk
Up The Shakers was created as a place for Bury supporters to discuss the club, share opinions and remain connected. However, our members have repeatedly shown that the forum can be much more than a place for conversation.
When the opportunity arose to support the Under-21s, members responded.
Some donated larger amounts, others contributed whatever they could afford, but every donation helped us reach the target. This sponsorship belongs to every member who contributed, shared the appeal or encouraged others to get involved.
Seeing the Up The Shakers name on the front of a Bury FC shirt is something we can all be proud of. It represents the collective effort of supporters who care deeply about the club and want to play a positive role in rebuilding its future.
What it means to the players
For the young players wearing the shirt, the sponsorship also sends an important message: the supporters are watching, they care about their progress, and they want them to succeed.
Pulling on a Bury FC shirt already carries responsibility. Wearing one backed directly by the club’s supporters adds another layer of meaning. It connects the players with the people in the stands and reminds them that the development team is an important part of the wider club.
We hope the players wear the shirt with pride and recognise that an entire community of supporters is behind them.
Thank you
We would like to thank every Up The Shakers member who helped make this possible. Whether you donated, promoted the fundraiser or simply supported the idea, you played a part.
We would also like to thank everyone involved with the Bury FC Under-21s—the coaches, volunteers, players and families who give their time and energy to help develop the next generation.
This is what supporter involvement should look like: backing the club, strengthening its foundations and helping provide opportunities for young people to succeed.
The logo may say Up The Shakers, but the message behind it is even more important: Bury supporters backing Bury players and investing in the future of Bury Football Club.
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