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629 articles in this category
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Pre-Season: Golcar United (H), Saturday 22nd July, 3pm KO
Former Bury defender Joe Skarz will be a part of the Golcar United squad that visits Gigg Lane on Saturday, he’s been a player-coach at the club since 2020.
The West Yorkshire-based club play their football in the Northern Counties East Football League, the NWCFL equivalent in that region. It will be their second season in that division after being promoted from the Counties in 2022.
In Opposition – Golcar United
Founded in 1904, the club initially played in the Huddersfield & District League. They joined the West Riding County Amateur League in 1934 and were runners-up in their first season in the league. After finishing bottom of the table in 1937–38, the club left the league.
Golcar won the West Riding County Challenge Cup in 2000–01 and were Premier Division runners-up in 2003–04. The following season saw them win the West Riding County Amateur League title. They were runners-up in 2014–15, and champions in 2017–18. They retained the league title the following season and were promoted to Division One North of the North West Counties League.
In 2021–22 they finished third in the league, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating AFC Blackpool 4–2 on penalties in the semi-finals (after a 2–2 draw), they defeated Holker Old Boys 2–1 in the final to earn promotion to the Premier Division.
Tickets
Tickets are still available for this fixture with Golcar United, you can also pay on the turnstiles by cash or card.
Prices: £8 adult, £2 Under 16s & Free for Under 5s.
Click here to purchase online tickets.
On the Day & In the Ground
Travel: Gigg Lane is accessible by car and is well served by public transport, please see our page on the TfGM website, which advises best travel routes to the stadium. Directions can be sourced via Google Maps below.
SatNav Postcode: BL9 9HR
WhatThreeWords: ///issues.skins.span
Parking: The car park at Gigg Lane are available for players and officials ONLY, with spaces also made available for blue badge holders. Car park operatives are under strict instructions to apply this policy, if your car is not on the list, you won’t be let on the car park. Contact secretary@buryfc.co.uk for further details.
There is on-street parking in the residential areas surrounding Gigg Lane, with supporters reminded to be respectful and considerate of the local residents at all times, as well as being mindful of and adhering to the parking permit measures in place in close proximity to the ground.
Stadium Entry: Gates will open at 2pm. All spectators will be housed in the South Stand for this fixture.
Our matchday volunteers will be on hand, both outside the turnstiles and inside the ground, to guide supporters to where they need to be. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask those who are there to help the day.
Food / Drink: Kiosks are accessible for supporters under the stands following the gates opening at 2pm. A selection of hot and cold snacks will be available. Alcohol will be sold, and can be consumed anywhere in the stand. Please respect the advice from stewards on managing this process on the day.
Matchday Programme:
The team who compile the award-winning programmes have been at it again with a fresh look for 2023-24. The new look ‘The Shakers‘ programme.
Our second pre-season edition will cover the remaining pre-season games at Gigg Lane and features ‘AFC’s Final Four’ documenting the match reports from the final four games of the 2022/23 season for Bury AFC.
Make sure you don’t miss out on this edition, and grab a copy for just £3 from the sellers in and around the ground ahead of the game.
Pound for the Ground: Our ‘Pound for the Ground’ half-time raffle tickets will be on sale in and around the ground, £1 per entry. Sellers accept cash or card, with 40% of the total pot going to the winning ticket with results announced over the tannoy and on the scoreboard.
Keep #GiggGleaming: With so much work gone into Gigg Lane to get us to this point, we want to keep it that way and a lot of work is going into turning the ground around between games this weekend. We have a team of volunteers lined up to clean the stands following the game.
With this in mind, we urge all supporters to make sure any rubbish is processed in the correct manner, using the available bins where necessary, or if possible please take any rubbish away with you.
#NonLeagueDogs: For now, dogs are NOT permitted in the ground.
Match Coverage & Live Stream
If you are unable to make it to the action at Gigg Lane, we’ll have all the live coverage across our media platforms.
Live Stream: For this game, we will have no live stream. Keep up-to-date with all our video content via the club’s YouTube Channel. Click to subscribe and never miss highlights and match reaction across the season.
Audio Commentary: Roch Valley Radio will be providing commentary for this game. Join the team from the press box at Gigg Lane. Click here ahead of kick-off to listen live. Audio commentary will be provided for every game of the season, so you will never miss a piece of the action.
Social Media: Our team will also bring you in-depth text commentary via the club ‘MatchDay Live‘ Twitter feed, with team news and score-line updates available also on Facebook and feel like you are there with our match galleries and imagery available over on Instagram.
Whatever the weather, wherever you are across the globe, we have you covered.
Up the Shakers!
#ShakersTogether | #BuryFC | #PartofIt | #PreSeason
View the full article
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Pre-Season: Hyde United (A) – Tue 4th July 2023
Andy Welsh’s side come into Tuesday night’s pre-season friendly at Hyde United, off the back of a 3-0 win against Thackley on Saturday afternoon.
He named two separate elevens in the first & second halves yesterday to build up the player’s match minutes before the league campaign starts on July 29th.
Lewis Gilboy opened the scoring before half-time, whilst Sajjad Elhassan bagged a second-half brace.
In Opposition
Northern Premier League side Hyde United are our second pre-season opponent ahead of the 2023/24 season. They finished just outside the playoffs in the Premier Division, missing out by just two points.
The team are managed by the former Bolton & Leigh RMI player Nick Spooner, he was appointed in February 2022 after the departure of Jim Gannon.
Ewen Fields has been the home of Hyde United for over 100 years and previously hosted Manchester City EDS fixtures.
The stadium holds up to 4,250 spectators – 530 seated – in 5 covered stands, all of which are covered and raised, offering excellent views of the pitch.
Club History
Hyde FC will always be remembered for the record 26-0 FA Cup defeat suffered at the hands of Preston North End in 1887. But the club, founded two years earlier, was anything but a collection of cotton-town bumpkins. It was a highly ambitious outfit which wanted to compete with the best sides in the North.
In the 1887-88 season, Hyde had a successful run and even played a match against Newton Heath (now Manchester United) dubbed the unofficial championship of Manchester.
During the early 20th century, Hyde experienced a productive period, winning four league titles. They merged with Hyde St George’s and moved to Ewen Fields in 1906, joining the Lancashire Combination. However, in 1917, the club folded temporarily due to war-related reasons but was re-established in 1919 as Hyde United.
The inter-war years were a successful period, with Hyde winning five Manchester League championships in the 1920s. This led to their election to the Cheshire County League in 1930, and they lifted the league cup by defeating Stockport County Reserves in 1934.
In 1945-46, Hyde won the Cheshire Senior Cup for the first time and reached round one of the FA Cup in 1954. In the following years, they clinched back-to-back Cheshire League titles.
During the late 1960s, Hyde became known as the Tigers when they joined the Northern Premier League. Despite initial expectations of struggle, they finished seventh and eleventh in their first two seasons. Financial constraints led them to return to the Cheshire League in 1970.
After a decade, Hyde resurfaced as a competitive force, winning the Cheshire League in 1981-82 and gaining promotion back to the Northern Premier League. They reached the first round of the FA Cup in 1983 and made it to the FA Trophy semi-finals in 1989.
In 1986, Hyde sold Ewen Fields and laid a synthetic Baspograss pitch. They achieved success, winning trophies, and returning to the first round of the FA Cup in 1994. However, as the 21st century arrived, Hyde began to struggle, experiencing back-to-back relegations.
In 2010, Hyde struck a deal for Manchester City’s elite development squad to use Ewen Fields, securing financial stability. The decision to revert to the name Hyde FC and change the team colors divided fans. Under Gary Lowe’s management, Hyde amazed everyone by winning the Conference North in 2011-12 and securing promotion.
Despite their initial success, Hyde couldn’t sustain their performance and suffered relegations, ultimately returning to the Northern Premier League. In 2015, they returned to the name Hyde United and planned to become a supporters’ trust.
The 2016/17 season started poorly, but significant signings in late December turned their fortunes around, and they finished 10th in the table. The 2017/18 season was one of the best in recent years, with Hyde gaining automatic promotion to the EvoStik Premier Division.
The 2019/20 season began with a new manager and showed promise before being null and voided due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the gap between seasons, the club refurbished the ground and made additions to the squad.
Last season, was a positive one for the club after finishing just outside the play-offs, after finishing 17th & 10th in the last two seasons, respectively.
Tickets
Adults – £7
Concessions (Over 65; 17 to 18) – £5
12 to 16 – £4
Under 12 – £2
It will be CASH ONLY on the turnstiles.
On the Day
Parking: The club have a car park, which will be used on a first come first served basis.
We’ve also been advised of the adjacent leisure centre car park, which can be used but closes at 10 pm.
If you require disabled parking, please email tony@hydeunited.co.uk
Food & Drink: Hyde has two tea bars – a social club & a can bar. Both of which you can use cash or card.
#NonLeagueDogs: Dogs are welcome as long as they on a lead.
Travel
By Car:
Leave the M60 at Junction 24 and take the M67 towards Sheffield. Leave the M67 at Junction 3 and at the traffic lights at the top of the slip road, turn right towards Hyde Town Centre. At the second set of traffic lights turn left onto Mottram Road. Pass Morrisons store on your left and at the first set of lights turn right onto Lumn Road. At the top of the road there is a T-junction where you turn left onto Walker Lane. The ground entrance is just past Hyde Leisure Pool.
A residents-only parking scheme operates in the vicinity of the ground, so street parking has to be away from the stadium.
By Bus: The nearest bus service to the ground is the 201, which runs from Manchester City Centre.
By Train: The nearest railway station is Newton for Hyde, which is around half a mile away from the ground. It is served by regular trains from Manchester Piccadilly. It should take around ten minutes to walk.
#ShakersTogether | #BuryFC | #PartofIt | #PreSeason
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Pre-Season: Macclesfield (A), Saturday 15th July, 3pm KO
Saturday sees us make the trip to Macclesfield for our 6th fixture of pre-season, and we have some silverware on the line!
It’s the inaugural edition of the Reborn Cup, bringing together two historic clubs, each with their own rich heritage and passionate fanbase.
The Reborn Cup marks a significant moment in the revival of both clubs, symbolizing their resurgence after facing challenges in recent years. It represents a celebration of their enduring spirit and determination to reclaim their places in the footballing world.
Looking back to Tuesday it was another good test for Andy Welsh’s side against 1874 Northwich. Sajjad Elhassan opened the scoring, with the first Men’s goal at Gigg Lane since 4th May 2019. Benito Lowe, Sam Unwin and Connor Comber were also on the scoresheet.
In Opposition – Macclesfield
Macclesfield will be looking for another successful season on the pitch, after claiming back-to-back promotions over the last two seasons.
Mark Duffy will be taking charge of the Silkmen for the first time this season, he took the job back in May after former Bury midfielder Neil Danns left the Head Coach position to take up an opportunity at Tranmere Rovers. Duffy was Assistant Head Coach to Danns last season.
Duffy has been busy in the transfer market so far this summer, retaining key players like top scorer James Berry and bringing in goalkeeper Max Johnstone & defender Sam Heathcote to name a couple.
They have played one pre-season fixture so far, it was a 1-0 defeat against The New Saints at the Leasing.com stadium last Saturday.
Tickets
Saturday’s fixture is PAY ON THE DAY, no tickets have been sold in advance. You can by pay cash or card.
Prices: Adult – £7, Concession (Over 65’s) – £5, Student – £3, Under 18 – £3, U12’s – £1, Disabled £3
On the Day & In the Ground
SatNav Postcode: SK11 7SP
WhatThreeWords: ///swan.month.civic
Parking: Car Parking is limited. The Car Park is on the corner of London Road and Moss Lane – just in front of the reception building on the North East corner of the ground. There is also car parking in the adjoining streets. The club recommend Lyme Avenue – a wider road – only 2 minutes from the ground.
Disability Access: In the car park mentioned above there are two disabled parking spaces; access into the ground for a wheelchair user is via the Academy Reception which is the white building on the car park.
Food / Drink: Macclesfield’s Bar27 will be open. Pies and refreshments from their food and beverage outlets which are located at the four corners of the ground. Payments at the food kiosks are CARD ONLY.
Matchday Programme: A matchday programme will not be available for this game.
#NonLeagueDogs: Dogs are not permitted within the stadium, only assistance dogs are permitted.
Match Coverage & Live Stream
If you are unable to make it to the action, we’ll have all the live coverage across our media platforms.
Live Stream: For this game, we will have no live stream. Keep up-to-date with all our video content via the club’s YouTube Channel. Click to subscribe and never miss highlights and match reaction across the season.
Audio Commentary: Roch Valley Radio will be providing commentary for this game. Click here ahead of kick-off to listen live. Audio commentary will be provided for every game of the season, so you will never miss a piece of the action.
Social Media: Our team will also bring you in-depth text commentary via the club ‘MatchDay Live‘ Twitter feed, with team news and score-line updates available also on Facebook and feel like you are there with our match galleries and imagery available over on Instagram.
Whatever the weather, wherever you are across the globe, we have you covered.
Up the Shakers!
#ShakersTogether | #BuryFC | #PartofIt | #PreSeason
View the full article
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Pre-Season: Nelson (A), Tuesday 25th July, 7:45pm KO
Our final game of pre-season is an away trip to Nelson on Tuesday evening.
Andy Welsh will be using this game as a final view of his players before the league campaign starts on Saturday against Glossop North End at Gigg Lane.
Our final home pre-season game against Golcar United, gave us a 4-2 victory goals coming from a Benito Lowe brace, Andy Briggs & Sajjad Elhassan.
In Opposition – Nelson
The origins of Nelson FC can be traced to a group of townspeople who in 1881, on witnessing a local football match between Burnley and Blackburn, were inspired to form their own team.
As a club, Nelson have a rich vain of history, in the mid 1920s they beat both Manchester United & Real Madrid away from home in the same season.
In 1982, they became founders members of the North West Counties League and have been members ever since, apart from a four year hiatus from 1988-1992, as there ground didn’t meet league standards.
The club’s most memorable season in recent years would be the 2013/24 season, when manager Mark Fell brought long awaited success back to the town, a first league title in 62 years. His side scored a remarkable 157 goals in 45 games and won the NWCFL Division One by 5 clear points.
Tickets
Tuesday’s fixture is PAY ON THE DAY, no tickets have been sold in advance. CASH ONLY on the gate.
Prices: £5 for Adults, £3 for concessions (over-65, Students & registered disabled) and £1 for Under-15s
On the Day & In the Ground
SatNav Postcode: BB9 7BN
WhatThreeWords: ///seemingly.champions.towel
Parking: There is parking along Lomeshaye Way which is the road where the ground is located. It can get busy so you could see a 5/10-minute walk to the ground if busy.
Disability Access: Nelson doesn’t have allocated disabled parking however can offer access parking inside the ground walls which we can use as parking and access for the disabled, it would just mean cars would be parked behind the goals.
Food / Drink: The club serves sausage rolls, pies, standard hotdogs, hot and cold drinks and alcohol in cans. A card machine is available at the kiosk but can be affected by signal issues, so cash is the safest option.
Matchday Programme: TBC
#NonLeagueDogs: Dogs are welcome.
Match Coverage & Live Stream
If you are unable to make it to the action, we’ll have all the live coverage across our media platforms.
Live Stream: For this game, we will have no live stream. Keep up-to-date with all our video content via the club’s YouTube Channel. Click to subscribe and never miss highlights and match reaction across the season.
Audio Commentary: Roch Valley Radio will be providing commentary for this game. Click here ahead of kick-off to listen live. Audio commentary will be provided for every game of the season, so you will never miss a piece of the action.
Social Media: Our team will also bring you in-depth text commentary via the club ‘MatchDay Live‘ Twitter feed, with team news and score-line updates available also on Facebook and feel like you are there with our match galleries and imagery available over on Instagram.
Whatever the weather, wherever you are across the globe, we have you covered.
Up the Shakers!
#ShakersTogether | #BuryFC | #PartofIt | #PreSeason
View the full article
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Pre-Season: Stockport Town (H), Tuesday 18th July, 7:45pm KO
Andy Welsh’s side come into Tuesday’s game against Stockport Town, off the back of a 5-2 loss away at Macclesfield on Saturday.
Benito Lowe was on the scoresheet once again in the first half whilst Dan Lafferty scored in the second half. Saturday was another opportunity for Welsh and his coaches to assess trialists ahead of the league campaign beginning in less than two weeks’ time.
In Opposition – Stockport Town
Tuesday’s visitors play their football in the NWCFL Division One South and could have been playing alongside the Shakers in the Premier Division, they fell one point short of the league leaders Wythenshawe FC.
They were beaten by-eventual play off final winners Cheadle Town in the semi-final 2-0. The club have been in the Counties since the 2015/16 season, a year after they were founded.
Manager Paul Turnbull came through the ranks at Stockport County before moving to Macclesfield, Barrow & Chester before he returned to Edgeley Park in 2018. He was appointed manager of Town in July 2021.
Tickets
Tickets are still available for this fixture with Stockport Town, you can also pay on the turnstiles by cash or card.
Prices: £8 adult, £2 Under 16s & Free for Under 5s.
Click here to purchase online tickets.
On the Day & In the Ground
Travel: Gigg Lane is accessible by car and is well served by public transport, please see our page on the TfGM website, which advises best travel routes to the stadium. Directions can be sourced via Google Maps below.
SatNav Postcode: BL9 9HR
WhatThreeWords: ///issues.skins.span
Parking: The car park at Gigg Lane are available for players and officials ONLY, with spaces also made available for blue badge holders. Car park operatives are under strict instructions to apply this policy, if your car is not on the list, you won’t be let on the car park. Contact secretary@buryfc.co.uk for further details.
There is on-street parking in the residential areas surrounding Gigg Lane, with supporters reminded to be respectful and considerate of the local residents at all times, as well as being mindful of and adhering to the parking permit measures in place in close proximity to the ground.
Stadium Entry: Gates will open at 6.45pm. All spectators will be housed in the South Stand for this fixture.
Our matchday volunteers will be on hand, both outside the turnstiles and inside the ground, to guide supporters to where they need to be. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask those who are there to help the day.
Food / Drink: Kiosks are accessible for supporters under the stands following the gates opening at 6:45pm. A selection of hot and cold snacks will be available. Alcohol will be sold, and can be consumed anywhere in the stand. Please respect the advice from stewards on managing this process on the day.
Matchday Programme:
The team who compile the award-winning programmes have been at it again with a fresh look for 2023-24. The new look ‘The Shakers‘ programme.
Our second pre-season edition will cover the remaining pre-season games at Gigg Lane and features ‘AFC’s Final Four’ documenting the match reports from the final four games of the 2022/23 season for Bury AFC.
Make sure you don’t miss out on this edition, and grab a copy for just £3 from the sellers in and around the ground ahead of the game.
Pound for the Ground: Our ‘Pound for the Ground’ half-time raffle tickets will be on sale in and around the ground, £1 per entry. Sellers accept cash or card, with 40% of the total pot going to the winning ticket with results announced over the tannoy and on the scoreboard.
Keep #GiggGleaming: With so much work gone into Gigg Lane to get us to this point, we want to keep it that way and a lot of work is going into turning the ground around between games this weekend. We have a team of volunteers lined up to clean the stands following the game.
With this in mind, we urge all supporters to make sure any rubbish is processed in the correct manner, using the available bins where necessary, or if possible please take any rubbish away with you.
#NonLeagueDogs: For now, dogs are NOT permitted in the ground.
Match Coverage & Live Stream
If you are unable to make it to the action at Gigg Lane, we’ll have all the live coverage across our media platforms.
Live Stream: For this game, we will have no live stream. Keep up-to-date with all our video contentvia the club’s YouTube Channel. Click to subscribe and never miss highlights and match reaction across the season.
Audio Commentary: Roch Valley Radio will be providing commentary for this game. Join the team from the press box at Gigg Lane from 7:40pm. Click here ahead of kick-off to listen live. Audio commentary will be provided for every game of the season, so you will never miss a piece of the action.
Social Media: Our team will also bring you in-depth text commentary via the club ‘MatchDay Live‘ Twitter feed, with team news and score-line updates available also on Facebook and feel like you are there with our match galleries and imagery available over on Instagram.
Whatever the weather, wherever you are across the globe, we have you covered.
Up the Shakers!
#ShakersTogether | #BuryFC | #PartofIt | #PreSeason
View the full article
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Pre-Season: Thackley AFC (A) – Sat 1st July 2023, 3pm KO
Here! We! Go!
No sooner has it felt like one season ends, another one starts with ‘Pre-season 2023’ officially beginning this week with a double-header day of football over at Thackley AFC this Saturday.
Boss Andy Welsh and women’s interim manager Jason Jarrett (pictured) take their respective sides across the M62 for the first time in the new era of Bury Football Club.
Starting at 12noon, Jarrett’s charges get us underway as they lead into the North West Women’s Regional League (NWWRL) Premier Division in 2023/24. Thackley Ladies currently compete in the West Riding Women’s Regional League, finishing 7th last season. Many of the championship-winning side from last season have returned and are raring to go this summer.
To follow at 3.30pm, the men’s side take to the Dennyfield pitch.
Andy Welsh has put together a strong squad of players over the summer, bringing in a string of attackers who will no doubt be the envy of the league. With Benito Lowe, Tom Kilifin, Darius Palma and Andy Briggs coming to the party, we start the season with a front-line that contributed almost 150 goals last season. Certainly exciting times lay in wait for Shakers supporters this season.
Benito Lowe Tom Kilifin Andy Welsh with Darius Palma Andy Briggs joins the Shakers from Steeton
The hard work starts now, with the bulk of the squad back in training this week, with running sessions and ball work in equal measure. As always stated, pre-season fixtures are there for the lads to gain fitness and sharpness but we know supporters will travel over in their numbers to take in the game. Thackley are encouraging supporters to buy tickets in advance so they can manage ground operations, so check out the information below on how to get hold of these, as well as details on travel and facilities to be expected on the day.
In Opposition
Thackley AFC are based in the small suburb of Thackley, a couple of miles north of Bradford, West Yorkshire.
The club plays in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division (Step 5), finishing in a respectable 14th last season.
Their home ground is the ‘Thank You Key Workers Stadium at Dennyfield’ and the primary colours of club are red and white, with the nickname of the ‘Dennyboys’ in recognition of
They are managed by duo Danny Forrest and, known to many reading this, Tom Greaves. This game has been arranged as part of the agreement that saw Greaves, and fellow attacker and former Bury FC player Aidan Chippendale join Bury for the last five games of last season.
Club History
Thackley FC was formed in 1930, spending much of their early years in local football before joining the West Riding County Amateur League in 1939. The club then moved into county-wide leagues, spending 25 years in the West Riding County Amateur League, winning that league on five occasions before a brief spell in the West Yorkshire League. Thackley then joined the Yorkshire League before becoming founder members of the Northern Counties East League’s Premier Division where they have been ever since with the club’s best season being in 1993–94 when they were runners-up, losing out on goal difference to Stocksbridge Park Steels.
The club has never been relegated from that division throughout the League’s 40-year history.
Thackley’s best efforts in national cup competitions have been in the FA Vase, their best season being in 1980–81 when they got to the fifth round. The club has never progressed beyond the second qualifying round of either the FA Cup or the FA Trophy.
Tickets
General Admission – £6 + booking fee Concessions – £4 + booking fee (Students (with a valid form of student ID), and senior citizens over 65) FREE admission to u16s, accompanied by an adult
Get your ticket from Thackley’s website by clicking here.
On the Day
Turnstiles: open from 11:30am, cash or card in the Bar, on the Gate and at the Tea Bar.
Kick Off: The Women’s friendly will kick-off at 12noon followed by the Men’s friendly to begin cking off at 3:30pm.
Disabled Access: There are ×3 disability parking spaces outside the Clubhouse and next to the entrance gate. There is disabled access to the ground and also the Clubhouse. If a disabled space requires reserving, please contact Thackley.
Food & Drink: On match day “Arthur’s Bar” Clubhouse will be open where you can purchase your alcoholic and soft drinks. Arthur’s Bar was renovated in 2020 and is the go-to place for events in the community. Serving hot food will be the “Tea Bar” inside the ground. There will also be a Pizza food truck for this fixture as a special guest, and a pop-up bar within the stadium.
Programme: A full programme has been prepared for this fixture. Thackley have ordered extra for this game, but if you miss out get in touch and Thackley will try to accommodate a re-print.
#NonLeagueDogs: Dogs are welcome in the ground and in Arthur’s Bar as long as they are kept on a lead at all times.
Before the match: Locally, there are a number of bars and pubs which sponsor Thackley who would love to see you. Do check out The Ainsbury Micro Pub, The Black Rat Micro Pub and the White Bear. Fancy Fish and Chips? Their sponsors Towngate Fisheries next to the White Bear would love to see some Bury supporters too.
Travel & Parking
Capacity: 3000, Cover: 600, Seats: 300
Address: Dennyfield, Ainsbury Avenue, Thackley, Bradford, BD10 0TL.
Contact Tel: (01274) 615571.
General Ground Directions: Via M606 (or M62 Junction 27 and A650) – A6177 (Bradford Ring Road eastbound) and A658 (Harrogate Road) to Greengates traffic lights by (Roebuck Inn). Take 657 towards Shipley and at Thackley corner (beyond S bend) turn right into Thackley Road. At crossroads beyond Methodist Church , veer into Ainsbury Avenue and Dennyfield is 200 yards ahead. Alternatively via M621 (Junction 1). A6110 (Leeds Ring Road westbound), A647 to New Pudsey Station – then A6120 to Rodleyand via A657 as above.
Parking: There is a large on-site car park which can hold around 100 cars. There is some street parking on Ainsbury Avenue and surrounding streets, but please be respectful to other members of the community and do not “double park” as this will stop access for emergency services vehicles.
Public Transport (Train): Shipley 2¼ miles, services to Bradford / Leeds.
Public Transport (Bus): First Bradford 613, 614, Keighley Bus Company 60 from Shipley (Market Square, 5 minutes walk from station) to Bradford (Leeds Road, Aire Street) six times per hour, journey time 10 minutes. Then left into Aire Street, right into Crag Hill Road, left into Thackley Road and immediately right into Ainsbury Avenue, ground on right (8 minutes).
#ShakersTogether | #BuryFC | #PartofIt | #PreSeason
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Radcliffe (a): FA Cup Third Qualifying Round Draw
We will travel to neighbours Radcliffe in the Third Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup.
The tie is scheduled to take place on Saturday 28th September.
More details to follow when we have them.
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Radcliffe (a): FA Cup Ticket News
Radcliffe FC have informed us that they intend to make 600 tickets available for Bury supporters for our Third Round Qualifying clash on Saturday 28th September.
We will follow our ticketing process of issuing access to tickets online over the coming weekend to the following brackets of supporters:
– those who are both Members AND Season Ticket Holders
– those who are either Members OR Season Ticket Holders
– where tickets remain then on General Sale
As has become standard practice when processing tickets to away games where the ticket availability is limited, supporters will receive email communication from the club when tickets become available.
Supporters who are successful in purchasing a ticket, will be required to collect a ticket from Gigg Lane prior to the game to gain admission on the day. Our online issued tickets will not be accepted on the gate on the day.
The timeline around ticket availability and pick-up times at Gigg Lane will follow later in the week.
Any enquiries should be directed to the club during opening hours at enquiries@buryfc.co.uk
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Radcliffe (a): More Tickets Available + Collection Update
We have been informed this morning, that an extra 200 tickets have been made available to Bury fans ahead of this Saturday’s FA Cup fixture vs Radcliffe.
Following feedback on the earlier two phases of the ticket release, we will distribute these 200 tickets to those who are season ticket holders AND members at 7pm tonight (Monday). We expect this allocation to be sold within this distribution.
As identified on the ticket receipt, a digital ticket is required to be presented in exchange for an admission ticket supplied by Radcliffe. These tickets can be collected from Gigg Lane across the below time periods this week:
Between 6.30 – 7.30pm on Tuesday evening (24th Sept) at our pop-up canopy in the car park, ahead of the Stockport Town game On reception 1.00 – 7.00pm on Thursday (26th Sept) On reception 1.00 – 5.00pm on Friday (27th Sept) We’ve been made aware by several supporters regarding the request for carer tickets. For those who require a carers ticket, you will not be able to collect your ticket on Tuesday, and we request you attend one of the later slots in the week to collect. Please make sure you bring relevant documentation to collect a carers ticket. Due to our hosts not having a carers ticket category, these tickets will be chargeable at £15.
Gigg Lane will be closed on Wednesday for works to the electrical systems, so no collections can be made on that day.
If there are any ticket enquiries, these should be directed to our ticket email tickets@buryfc.co.uk.
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Ramsbottom thank Bury for Saturday’s fixture
The club has received the following message from Ramsbottom United following Saturday’s game at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium:
We would also like to thank our supporters in line with Tony’s comments above, and for adhering to our requests to remain in the stands at all times. It is of great importance that we all work together to make the matchday experience a special one, for all supporters.
We take this into the playoffs now! UTS
#ShakersTogether | #BuryFC | #PartOfIt
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Reaction: Dave McNabb – Lower Breck (A)
Bury were outclassed on the day suffering a 4-3 defeat to the hands of Lower Beck ending the Shakers unbeaten run. Dave McNabb when speaking to the club gave his thoughts on the game.
Dave McNabb: “I don’t think we were good enough especially in the first half, In the second half I thought we were better we competed more and won more first and second contacts but I can’t believe we’re at the point where were congratulating the lads for putting a bit of effort in but the second half was better but I think on the balance of play and chances we probably should’ve come away with a point as we missed some gilt-edged chances especially towards the end but I won’t take anything away from Lower Breck they put us to the sword they had four shots in the first half that one of the lads put just wide and a freekick maybe but the other three big chances they had they’ve put away. They were clinical and deservedly went in 3-1 up and that put us in a tough position obviously to get something out the game, but we almost did get something out of it but I’m really disappointed with the performance.”
Dave then spoke about what potentially went wrong in the first half saying “Most things to be honest and look you can’t come to places like this and not fight and the desire and passion that was shown in the second half wasn’t there in the first half, but you’ve got to win first contacts and second balls what we just didn’t do. I think the officials had a tough day as well if you look at two of the goals that went against us were really poor decisions especially the first one on the corner the goalkeepers being held back and they just didn’t see the obvious and they had a really difficult day I think.”
He then spoke about the half time changes of Gaz Peet and Reuben Jerome replacing Connor Pye and Sam Coughlan and what that offered saying “We just needed to get more players on the top line I don’t think we were brave enough to play and we couldn’t play through the thirds and DJ [Pedro] was on his own and was trying to fight two powerful centre halves so I had to get another player on the top line and try and play from the first contact further up the pitch but to be honest 3 or 4 probably could’ve come off at half time.”
Dave concluded on what the team must improve on to avoid dropping further points ahead of next weekend’s game, he said: “We need to look at ourselves because look I’m not going to blow this one up we’ve lost one game in 22 games so I think the fact we’re so angry and disappointed in this shows where we are, we’ve obviously had too many draws but to lose your first game towards the back end of November when you’ve already played 22 games is a testament to the lads and it’s the same group that won 8-0 on Saturday and were absolutely sublime so nothing has changed in that and I don’t think we’ve turned into a bad team or bad players overnight of course, we haven’t so just need to look back we have a full week of training again we meant to have a full week this week obviously we got kibosh a bit because of the weather so hopefully it’s a little bit kinder towards us and have a full week training and re establish some of the way we want to play and re establish some of the requirements of what we need from the players and staff and look we’ve still got some games in hand but you can’t expect to win them if you are not putting the performances in.”
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Reaction: Gaz Peet – Lower Breck (A)
Following Bury 4-3 defeat away at Lower Breck defender Gaz Peet spoke to the club giving us his thoughts on Saturday’s game.
Gaz Peet: “I mean to get to this point of the season undefeated was unbelievable I think the lads have worked hard and are disappointed with today. It’s I think the manner of the goals we conceded we’re great and I don’t even remember the last time we give so many chances away to a team and it was just one of them days and we’ve had too many of them this season and I know how good this group is so we won’t have many more.”
Gaz then talked us through the last 10 minutes of the match saying: “We’ve got quality all over the pitch so when you’ve got lads at the top end of the pitch who can give you that little bit extra so it’s not surprising, it would’ve been nice if we didn’t concede the fourth in the way we did and that just gave us too much to do and yeah it’s not surprising we got back into the game we just did it too late and in the end I know we had a couple chances where we could’ve got a point but the lads tried and they left everything out there on the pitch but first half let us down a little bit.”
Gaz then finished the interview by giving the fans a message ahead of next weekends match, he said “I mean this groups got something I’ll tell you that, it’s a great group and they’ve got quality everywhere so get yourself down again and I’m pretty sure we can turn everything around I mean its not even all that it’s one loss and we’ve got plenty more to come and this won’t define our season losing away to Lower Breck so stick behind us and support us.”
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Reaction: Tim Lees Post AFC Liverpool (A)
After two goals in either half from DJ Pedro against AFC Liverpool this afternoon, Tim Lees reflected on the game.
“A turbulent week, turbulent few days with everything that’s gone on. Our job as staff and as players is just to focus on the pitch and that started on Thursday with us, so there was no talk of anything outside of the club. It was purely football, how we’re going to get better, how we’re going to keep improving and I thought the lads were excellent, particularly first half. We’ve been working a lot on the defensive side, so how we press the game, how we’re organised and that’s one goal we conceded now in five games in a league, so another clean sheet, another 2-0, really pleased with it.”
Tim then further expanded on how important getting clean sheets and praised goalkeeper Mitch Allen for it.
Tim Lees: “Mitch is outstanding. We’ve known for a while that, in our opinion, Mitch is probably the best keeper, certainly in this league and the league above as well. Yeah, it’s come from the lads’ hard work on the training pitch and when we get more time on the training pitch, we’ll get better. So, when we can get down to one game a week, which we’re not far off now, I think that’s when you really see the best of this group. Collectively, individually, there’s so much improvement. The average age is just over 23 in the squad.”
Further adding “I think last time we looked we had 10 out of the 20 who were 23 or under. So that shows to us how much this group can improve once we can get the time of them. Recently we’ve started getting some sessions in where we can really work on that defensive side. We know how much quality we’ve got in possession and the patterns in which we work. We’ve got the ultimate belief with the ball that we can take teams apart. But I think to win a league, you’ve got to be able to keep consistent, clean sheets. So that’s what we’ve been focusing on recently. I think it’s not just the backline for us, it’s how the front four press, how are the areas where they shell them. It’s the understanding of the two pivots in front, what they do, and then obviously it’s the box defending with the backline. So, it’s the whole team. I think defensively we’ve seen a massive improvement in the last four or five games. I’m pretty sure it’s four out of five games now, kept a clean sheet and conceded one goal in that time. So, the group are really improving and that’s the area we needed to get better. We’re going to really push and win this league.”
Tim then spoke about today’s starting eleven with Ruben Jerome returning to the side from injury and Connor Pye playing slightly further forward.
“I think because we’ve got depth in the squad, a part of the recruitment was we wanted lads who could play in different positions and could fill in and you wouldn’t have a drop in terms of the quality. That’s the biggest thing we learned from the league last year. We’ve got lads who can contribute in different areas. We’ve got a certain way of playing that the idea is they can play in these different areas, and they know exactly what’s required from them. Connor did great play further forward. He’s done that before when he was younger as well. In terms of Ruben, he’s been pushing. He’s had an injury that we didn’t want to push too early. The last time he played 90 minutes was the Radcliffe game, which feels like so long ago now. Great to have him back.”
Tim then spoke on DJ Pedro performance after the striker scored another 2 goals to extend his scoring run to 4 in 4 games.
“I think you can see in him the raw attributes he’s got, which is the work rate, the desire, the tracking back. That’s what you can’t really teach people when he’s got it in abundance. His athleticism, his change of direction, his power. It’d be horrible to play against for opposition. His performances have been excellent since he’s come in. He holds the ball up for us well. He makes forward runs. He adds what we call verticality to the game. When he was playing the 10 today, everything’s not to feet. He runs off, and he runs off Ruben. Really pleased that he’s getting the goals. He’s scored in every game he’s played. He’s technical, and we’re hoping with the time we have, we can do that, when I say technical, in terms of his clean striking and his finishing. He’s another one that when we get down to two sessions a week, he’ll really kick on.”
Tim than spoke on Tuesday’s game against Charnock Richard.
Tim Lees: “I think it’ll be a different game. I think when it was 11 v 11, before the sending off, it was a good game, it was close. I think we were starting to get control of it, but their physical side, we know them very well. They caused us problems last year. You know when you play Charnock exactly what you’re going to get. One of the toughest games that you’ll have, I think, Charnock. But the idea from our point of view, even though we’ve not got a session in between, is more of what we’re doing. We’re playing really, really well with the ball.”
Further adding “I’m not necessarily saying it’s going to be Tuesday, but I think with the chances that we’re having, in terms of the number, there’s going to be a team that we’re going to put several goals past in one game at some point soon. So yeah, we’re going to have to be tight defence. We’ve got to have the same organisation against Charnock and yeah, we’re going to every game. At the moment, we’re confident in every single game.”
Tim than finished the interview praising the fans for their continued support.
“Yeah, they’re the best. When you come to Bury, they’re the first thing that you sell to every player when you’re trying to recruit them. It’s the fans. They’re unbelievable. They come out every single week. Like we always say, the away games feel like home games. I think in terms of the stuff that’s going off off the field at the minute, it’s so important that they stick together and that everybody’s positive. I think obviously our job on the field is to make sure we give them something to be positive about.”
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Recruitment Update – September 2024
Our Head of Recruitment Jimmy Holmes has provided the following update for supporters:
We are now 2 months into the season. I just wanted to provide an update on the new squad with an insight into how we’ve gone about it.
From day one at Bury FC my job was to help build a squad that could compete at the top end of the table and ultimately gain promotion, but also go on and progress up to the next league once we get there.
Previously the club had a high turnover of players throughout the past 4 seasons. We wanted to change this and add in players for the long term.
The next stage was to take what the club had from last season. We only had a handful of players that had committed so we had to build an entirely new squad.
We had a number of key targets that had been watched on numerous occasions that we wanted to bring to the club so when we made our approach we were fully confident in the player.
They are a brand new squad that will take time to fulfill its potential with an average age of 23. It was part of our plan to also build a squad that is younger. Long term we don’t want to have a relatively high average age & we don’t want to be having to re-build like in previous years.
We have a clear plan on how we want to get there. Even if it isn’t always easy to bring the right players into Bury FC it’s important that the individual players we sign can identify with our path. Players who can handle the pressure of playing for Bury FC but who can also handle the expectations week in week out.
Players that can go on a journey with the club, identify with fans and be ready for the next challenge when the club gets there. We want to invest in these players now so the rewards will come later down the road after making 50/100/150 appearances for the club. That is something unique at these levels of football. If you want to build something, you have to think two or three years ahead.
Most of the players are of an age, so that in one, two or three years they will still be at a good footballer’s age and everyone’s goal is to move forward with the club.
The purpose of good recruitment is to find players who fit a team’s style of play before anyone else realises how good they are clubs can also look for undervalued players. We wanted to bring into the club players that the fans might not have heard about before. New players that we believe can go and take the club on to another level. Players who may not have played in a certain position before who we can develop and fit into our system & style of play.
If the players individually and squad collectively keep their levels high it’s going to be a pleasure to watch them moving forward.
We don’t want to copy other clubs we want to recruit the best talent for our club and be unique.
Jimmy Holmes.
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Remembrance Service 2024
Each year, we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, sovereign, families and loved ones in order that we may live our lives in freedom and safety. It is important for us all to reflect on the lives lost, the families and friends affected and those who were injured whilst serving their country.
As a mark of respect, ahead of our home game next Saturday against Pilkington, we will take a moment to remember all those brave men and women who have lost their lives in many conflicts and wars around the world and in service to our country at home. We owe them so much in countless ways.
Especially poignant this year are memories of those who served in the D-Day landings of 1944 and the 25th anniversary of the end of the war in Bosnia and the Balkans where the British and NATO armed forces served with distinction in the Peace Keeping Force.
Not only do we remember the armed services, the Army, Navy and RAF, but also the emergency services, Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services and all those who work within the NHS and social care and who serve to keep us safe.
We also welcome special guests His Worship, the Mayor of Bury, Councillor Khalid Hussain, Lady Mayoress, Mrs Carol Bernstein and the Rector of Bury Parish Church, Reverend Julian Heaton.
We are proud to launch the opening of our Veterans Bar for this fixture where service veterans will be able to gather together on match days and drop in sessions supported by The Two Tubs Public House and the landlady Donna Haslam. This will deepen our connection with veterans in the area which is so important to us as a club in a town with strong military connections. Saturday will be free of charge for all veterans, entry will be via the main reception on production of ID.
We also remember those within the Bury FC family who have passed away. We particularly remember those who have passed away since our last memorial game. All those we have lost are missed by their fellow supporters, family and friends. Whilst their may be an empty seat, an unworn scarf or a missing click of the turnstile, each Shaker has made their own mark on the club, leaving their unique legacy and we remember them all with our own special memories.
We are a town with a proud history of association with the Lancashire Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and we continue the tradition of trooping the colour.
We would ask supporters to be in their seats as early as possible for the remembrance service beginning ahead of kick-off.
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Robert Nicholas Steels to Sponsor The Shakers Training & Travel Wear
We are delighted to announce that Robert Nicholas Steels (RNS), an Accrington-based company, has agreed to sponsor the club’s training and travel wear for the coming season. RNS is a leading supplier of both primary and secondary steel, delivering nationwide.
The company has a long history of providing high-quality products and services to businesses across the UK. Managing director Bill Rhind said: “We are pleased to support Bury FC on their return to Gigg Lane and wish them every success in the future.”
We are thrilled to have Robert Nicholas Steels on board as a sponsor. Their support will help us to continue to provide our players with the best possible equipment as they prepare for the upcoming season.
We would like to thank them for their commitment to Bury FC. We look forward to working with them in the years to come.
Click here to visit their website.
If you are interested in any future sponsorship opportunities please contact commercial@buryfc.co.uk
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Rod's Clear Vision: 'Do Ya Think I'm Transparent?
Structure of the organisation – How we arrived at the current position
I have previously given an update on where we are with the structure of the organisation and the relationship with the benefactors, but with more questions and so much misinformation in circulation I have prepared this more detailed note which summarises how we have arrived at the current position.
As secretary of the Football Supporters’ Society of Bury (FSSB) I have no vote, my role is to record discussions and decisions made and where appropriate share these with members.
My role is primarily to protect the members’ interests and if, as Secretary, I believe the society is not acting in the best interests of its members then I must remedy the situation.
As a result, these notes are intended to be a factual record of events, rather than a statement of opinion. External advice has been sought and received all the way through this process, and I will refer to this where relevant.
In summary:
The current ownership structure was agreed by all seven of the board members present. There were no objections and one person was absent due to holiday. We have acted in accordance with the external advice we sought from both our lawyers and the FSA. The facts were supported by other impartial individuals involved in discussions, including the Investment Director at Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Opportunities to discuss or comment on our previous communications have been offered to the benefactors. There is no reason the structure cannot change once the promised funds are committed, it just needs member approval. The contents of this report have all been agreed as accurate by the board of FSSB. There was very little difference in the information presented to members from the first amalgamation vote in October 2022, which did not pass, and the second vote in May 2023 which was approved. The formalities of the motions themselves were identical and all of the actions required from these motions are complete. Specifically, Bury FC Supporters’ Society members (BFCSS) were asked to approve the amalgamation of the two societies. Shakers Community Society (SCS) members were asked to approve the amalgamation of the two societies, change the playing name to Bury Football Club, and move playing venue to Gigg Lane. The differences between the two votes simply reflect that SCS owned the football club, then playing as Bury AFC, which needed member approval to change playing name and home ground. BFCSS owned a controlling interest (in that they owned the majority of voting rights) in the company which owns the stadium, called The Bury Football Club Company Limited. The other co-owner of The Bury Football Club Company Limited is Bury FC Benefactors Limited, which is the vehicle which holds the shares on behalf of the benefactors who invested in half of the cost of the acquisition of Gigg Lane, the other half funded by central government money in the form of the Community Ownership Fund, which falls under the remit of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC). In regard to the benefactors’ contribution to acquire Gigg Lane they have no expectation or desire to earn a financial reward.
Two other key pieces of information were noted within the documentation issued to members prior to the vote, which are pertinent to the current situation.
One was that the organisation would be restructured so that the football club would fall under the ownership of The Bury Football Club Company Limited, which would give Bury FC Benefactors Limited an equal share in the football club, albeit without voting control.
The other was that a successful vote to amalgamate would result in additional capital committed to the project. This included £300k from the two societies, £450k from Bury Council, the remaining £300k from DLUHC and around £300k from Bury FC Benefactors Limited. There is some dispute as to the exact figure which should be used for the benefactor contribution but as no monies have been committed at all so far, I do not think this point is relevant at this point. DLUHC have confirmed that around £300k of the £1m agreed is still available to draw down from their fund. Prior to the second vote SCS board members wished to evidence to its members that this money was still available. It was evident from its own finances that the society could meet its obligations. Bury Council reconfirmed their own commitment, subject to the conditions previously outlined, and DLUHC confirmed the remaining funding was still available. Understandably, it was not possible to evidence the Bury FC Benefactors Limited money was available as it had not been committed and we were advised it would not be committed unless the second amalgamation vote was successful. This was not a surprise. No additional funding has been provided from Bury FC Benefactors Limited to The Bury Football Club Company Limited other than the initial funding required to purchase the stadium in early 2021. A request for a letter of intent from benefactors was requested but not provided and it was accepted this would have no binding legal status. There was a desire from both sides to find a solution to this, as the SCS board was uncomfortable recommending the merger to members based on this level of uncertainty. The Investment Director at Greater Manchester Combined Authority, who had chaired various meetings on the second amalgamation, was asked to discuss the availability of the benefactor funding with a director and representative of Bury FC Benefactors Limited, who confirmed that the funding was available and conditional only on the merger. This information was relayed to the SCS board to provide some additional comfort and evidence that this information had been provided to a third party, not just the SCS board. We received written confirmation from that Investment Director on the 11th2023 that this conversation took place and I have copied the relevant statement below:
“At the working group meeting on 10th February, the minutes show that in order to move forwards towards a vote one of the points you (SCS) needed was confirmation that the £300k of funding from the Benefactors was still available. The minutes note that the £300k was subject to a positive outcome of the vote.”
“Further to this meeting I had a conversation with Matt Barker to understand the position with respect to the additional benefactor monies as given the status of the vote at that time, Matt had not wanted to revert to Benefactors and ask for a letter of commitment. In my conversation Matt was clear that whilst he did not feel it was the right time to go back and ask for a letter of commitment from the Benefactors, that he was comfortable that this funding was available subject to a positive vote outcome and that I could reiterate this message to you ( SCS).
In addition, the Q&As, which were approved by that same director and representative of Bury FC Benefactors Limited, and issued to members of both societies ahead of the merger vote read:
“All of the previous funding is available again should a vote go through this time. This is an instant £1.3m rising to an estimated £2.3m over time. This includes a further £300,000 from the existing benefactors. There has been no further capital invested or donated to the project since the first vote. There will be some confirmatory diligence undertaken to confirm all funds are in place as expected before the merger completes.”
It was understood, therefore, that the additional benefactor money was readily available, and subject to no conditions other than a positive amalgamation vote, given that it was to come from existing benefactors who had already committed funds. The exact source of the funds, whether it be new or existing benefactors is not material, other than by stating the money could come from existing benefactors it gave the SCS board far more confidence it would be made available.
Bury Council were also concerned to establish that this funding was available. The terms of their own funding which are detailed in their cabinet paper of 13th June 2022 states:
“The business plan includes a commitment of £1m from private benefactors of which £730k has been invested to date. The balance of £270k will be invested if the merger discussions are successful and will be used as match funding, alongside the Bury Council funding, to release the balancing £300k of grant from the Community Ownership Fund.”
The business plan originally submitted included additional funding from Bury FC Benefactor Limited.
We were advised that there were no available Bury FC Benefactor Limited funds after voting had closed. There was no immediate financial pressure caused by this situation, however once it became apparent that the money would not be committed a discussion amongst the FSSB board members was held at a board meeting on firstly the 4th July 2023 ( where seven board members were present) and later on the 18th July 2023 ( where seven board members were present) ) about the next steps.
At the meeting on the 4th July 2023 the relevant minute confirms that:
‘It was agreed by all that it would be wrong to transfer Bury Football Club (2019) Ltd to The Bury
Football Club Company Ltd as the financial diligence has not been completed and Bury FC Benefactors Ltd have not provided an additional £300k into that company as set out in the original merger proposal.’
It was also agreed at the meeting on the 4th July 2023 that:
“advice from Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP would be sought (should these funds be made available in future) about whether a member vote would be required. Bury Football Club (2019) Ltd trading as Bury Football Club would remain a wholly owned subsidiary of the Football Supporters’ Society of Bury’
A course of action was agreed at board meeting on the 18th July 2023 attended by seven of the eight board members. All seven voted in favour of this and the relevant minute is copied below.
“MB has confirmed there is £240k outstanding from the Benefactors who want a meeting to discuss. We can arrange a meeting but even with this figure there seems to be a £60k downfall. Benefactors feel £760k has been paid in to date. JW said there was an understanding that there would be £1mil of funding from existing benefactors at the time of the vote amongst members. MB spoke to PY prior to vote results being announced to say that additional benefactor funding would not immediately be available. DT raised that current position of the benefactors suggest that they do not or are unwilling to immediately invest existing funds. MB has stated that the current position is ‘uninvestible’ KL says we’re currently in transition period. Deadline has been given until the end of the month for the benefactors to provide additional funds but keen that all avenues should still be explored with the benefactors to resolve the matter. PY agreed that the deadline was sensible and then we can draw a line under it and decide on a new way forward. PY happy to meet to discuss with benefactors as requested along with other Interim Board members. . Meeting to be facilitated in forthcoming weeks between Benefactors and IB members, Face to Face is going to be more difficult due to geographical and proximity issues involved of IB members and benefactors. KL suggested that a minute taker be present and a second set of eyes and ears. ACTION: Meeting to be arranged between Benefactors and IB members to discuss this current impasse. Remote meeting would be most suitable.”
The legal opinion, obtained from a mutual law expert at the firm who had advised us throughout the amalgamation process confirmed this course of action. In particular, it re-iterated that in the absence of any binding legal agreement on the matter the society could not force benefactors individually or collectively to pay the outstanding amount, nor could the benefactors force transfer of the football cub ownership. Given that this would effectively be transferring half of the ownership of the football club for no financial contribution it was clear this would not be in the interests of the society, which may wish to accept investment into the football club at a future date, subject to member vote.
We were advised to provide a deadline date of seven or fourteen days to Bury FC Benefactors
Limited for the investment to allow another opportunity for investment and gave a deadline of the 31st July 2023. It was confirmed that the outstanding monies would not be paid, and the matter closed. We had also advised further investment could be made, along with changes to the ownership structure but this would be subject to another consultation and member vote, as the terms of the previous agreement had expired. Again, this was in accordance with the legal advice we received and also the advice received from the Football Supporters Association (FSA) who had been involved throughout.
It was expected that the benefactors would not agree with this, as they still believe the football club ownership should be transferred without any additional financial contribution from Bury FC Benefactors Limited. The dispute between board members of FSSB occurred when it was suggested that this situation be disclosed to members. The board was equally split on this issue and we did not have a majority vote to disclose the information to members. The statement which was eventually released and can be seen here, and is repeated below, had been passed to the board of Bury FC Benefactors Limited for comment on the 1st August 2023 and we had received no comment on it other than that it had been received and they were not in agreement with its release. By the 6th August 2023 we had still received no comment on it, and I, acting as Secretary, took advice from the FSA on my obligations as I felt it was something FSSB members should be informed of given we had been asked about funding by some members, questions had been raised about the football club ownership and it was pertinent to the amalgamation vote which was a hugely significant event for members of both societies. It was issued to members by email on the 7th August 2023 at 6.00pm and is reproduced below.
Update from The Secretary of the Football Supporters' Society of Bury
We have completed the amalgamation of the two societies, the name change to Bury Football Club and made Gigg Lane our home ground, which were the three items voted on by members in May.
We also advised as part of the pre-vote information pack that we would move the ownership of the football club, which is Bury Football Club (2019) Ltd trading as Bury Football Club, under the ownership of The Bury Football Club Company Limited, subject to further financial due diligence. We have been advised by Bury FC Benefactors Ltd that at this stage they will not be investing the further £300, 000 they had committed to in the business plan presented to members. This does not place the stadium or club in any significant jeopardy as we are still able to access both central and local government funding in addition to holding our own cash reserves.
There is no obligation on Bury FC Benefactors Ltd to invest this money, and we will continue to work with them as normal. Equally there is no requirement for the Football Supporters’ Society of Bury to make any changes to the ownership of the club, and so it will remain 100% owned by the Society, and separate from The Bury Football Club Company Limited, which the Society co-owns with Bury FC Benefactors Ltd. The Football Supporters’ Society of Bury also owns the majority of voting rights in The Bury Football Club Company Limited, so should not be prejudiced in any way by keeping the organisational structure in its current format.
Should any party, including Bury FC Benefactors Ltd, wish to invest into either Bury Football Club (2019) Ltd or The Bury Football Club Company Limited at a future date they may do so by an approach to the board of the Football Supporters’ Society of Bury, who can take this forward to member consultation and a member vote if they believe it is a credible offer in the best interests of the club and the society.
There are some significant legal and tax issues to consider as part of any transaction like this, in addition to the need for member approval, and so it is unlikely that any offer could be agreed and put forward for a vote quickly or without professional advice.
Rod Peters
Secretary to the Interim Board
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S&S Northern sign up as sponsors
We are thrilled to announce that S&S Northern has signed on as a sponsor for Bury FC!
S&S Northern is a family-owned business based in Lancashire that specialises in the manufacturing and supply of commercial gas safety systems. They were established in 1995 and are owned by lifelong Bury FC supporters Steve and Sue McMahon.
S&S Northern will be sponsoring the back of the team’s shirts for the next two seasons. Steve commented to buryfc.co.uk in response to the deal being struck: “We’re absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to sponsor a club that means so much to us as individuals and also to the town of Bury.”
Steve recalled Brian Grundy being his teacher during the week, and turning out for the Shakers on a Saturday when he and his long-term friend Gary started watching during the late 60’s. A time when they both stood in the old Boys Stand, and now there are three generations of the McMahon family who attend games on a regular basis.
(Pictured) Representatives from S&S Northern were down at Gigg Lane today to take in the sunshine
We thank S&S Northern for their support and for being part of it! We look forward to working with them in the years to come.
Click here to visit their website.
If you are interested in any future sponsorship opportunities please contact commercial@buryfc.co.uk
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Season Ticket Collection
We are delighted to confirm that our physical season cards have now arrived for collection THIS WEEKEND ahead of the new season.
Please remember that cards are only available if purchased prior to Sunday 2nd July 2023. All season tickets purchased after that date will be digital ONLY.
These can be picked up at the Gigg Lane Ticket Office from 1pm until 2.45pm, ahead game against Golcar United this Saturday (22nd), as well as a short period after the game. Further collection times are to be arranged and will be communicated.
To enable swift collection of your ticket, please bring the following with you:
The email or text showing proof of purchase; The name of the person who bought the ticket; and The five letter season pass reference e.g. WSXCL which was sent in the confirmatory text or email you will have received after purchase. Please help us by ensuring that you have your 5-letter ID reference ready before you arrive at the collection point. Note that we are unable to release any cards without this reference. An example is shown in the image above.
You can still purchase a digital season ticket ahead of the season from our ticket page (HERE), priced as follows:
Adults – £196* U16s – £50* U5s – Free 1885 Suite – £720 Be #ShakersTogether, Be #PartOfIt, Be #BuryFC for 2023/24.
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Season Tickets for 2024/25
As outlined in the update recently, we are moving closer to opening up season ticket purchases ready for the 2024/25 season. Tickets will be available to purchase from Monday 17th June.
Manager Dave McNabb has been putting the first signings for our men’s side together this past week, and we hope you are excited to return to Gigg Lane for another season of action from this summer.
General Season Tickets Admission
We are pleased to announce that prices will remain the same as last season*:
Adults – £196 16-18 Year Olds – £98 Under 16s – £50 Under 5s – FREE
*Inclusive of VAT, plus booking fee.
As with last year, physical tickets will be provided to all supporters who sign up for their 2024/25 ticket before the 1st July. This season also, supporters will be able to reserve their seat for the first time too. Details on how you can do this, will be available on the point of sale.
U16s Season Ticket Giveaway
On Saturday 22nd June, we will be running a Junior Season Ticket Giveaway! 100 under-16s who attend Gigg Lane on the day, will leave with a season pass for the 2024/25 season via our draw.
Full details on this event will be provided ahead of the date but put a reminder in the calendar now, and don’t miss out!
Hospitality Season Tickets
The hospitality offerings for next season have also been refined and we are pleased to outline the details of our exclusive membership club for 60 people in the 1885 suite on home matchdays.
The pricing for the 1885 exclusive membership packages will be £620 including VAT per person (£26.95 per game). This is a £100 reduction on last season’s price and we hope provides a great matchday experience for all supporters who want to get close to the action.
The package covers all home NWCFL fixtures:
Entrance via the Hospitality Entrance in the Main Stand Open pre-match, during the game, and post-match until 7pm. Private TV showing all live BT (including 12.30 kick offs) and free-to-view matches. Private pay bar for beers, wines, and spirits. Pre-match food 10% discount on all items from the retail shop. 10% discount on Starkies room hire. Matchday team sheet. One season ticket Half-time refreshments Access to 1885 lounge with bar Players attendance post-match Discount on other sponsorship and advertising opportunities. A further extended VIP package for supporters who want an exclusive experience on Gigg Lane matchdays, will also be available in our EyeLevel Sponsors Lounge.
For full details on this and our Starkies Pass, please head to our Hospitality Season Ticket page HERE. Availability for these packages are limited, so grab your ticket quick by ordering below.
Order Hospitality Tickets Follow the Shakers next season in style, we’ve got you covered!
#BuryFC | #SeasonTickets
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Services Day – Sat 6th April
We are offering free entry to our Armed Forces for our game against AFC Liverpool this weekend.
Bury has a rich military heritage and as part of the club’s commitment to reaching out to all members of the local community, and building on Bury Council’s support which saw them awarded the ‘Gold’ award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, we are offering the opportunity to all serving personnel and veterans to be at Gigg Lane for our important game as the season comes to a close.
To be #PartofIt, head to the hospitality entrance within the Main Stand at Gigg Lane on the day (from 1.30pm) to present your ID and recieve your entry ticket*.
We look forward to welcoming you on Saturday.
* Accompanying members can pay on entry, or secure your ticket HERE.
As always, keep across the latest from the club on the website, X / Twitter & Facebook.
To subscribe to emails, fill out the form HERE.
Join as a Football Supporters Society of Bury member for just £5 a month HERE.
#ShakersTogether | #BuryFC | #PartofIt
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Shirt Sponsorship in Memory of Mandy Freeman
In May 2023, we sadly lost our very own Amanda ‘Mandy’ Freeman.
A supporter of Bury for many years, she was always keen to support the club in as many ways as she could.
Following her passing, her friends and the wider club volunteers came together to sponsor the number six home and away shirts in her name.
This is being continued for the 2024/25 season in the means of a raffle.
Volunteer Co-ordinator, Sam Harman said: “When Mandy passed away, her friends and fellow volunteers decided to ensure we would keep up with her shirt/player sponsorship that Mandy did for her and her dad. The plan was, to each year raffle off the signed shirts, so that her and Keith’s sponsorship would be renewed.
“Both Mandy and Keith were avid Bury fans and it would be greatly appreciated if you could show your support with this.”
Fans can purchase a ticket for £5, with the aim to raise the £160 required to be able to sponsor the shirt.
The winner of the raffle will receive the number six shirts at the end of the season, signed by all players.
Click here to purchase a raffle ticket.
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Sponsor the Club in 2024/25
Want to be #PartofIt and sponsor Bury Football Club?
We have a range of packages to suit all budgets, from match and shirt sponsorship, to ground and matchday hospitality packages.
To contact the club to discuss your sponsorship requirements, email in HERE or call 0161 537 9253.
To find out the latest, our commercial brochure is available to review below.
Bury FC Commercial Brochure 2425-compressedDownload Follow us on social media for all the latest from the club – X / Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn
Be #ShakersTogether, Be #PartOfIt, Be #BuryFC for 2024/25
#Commercial | #BuryFC | #PartOfIt
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Sponsor the gaffer – the Winner is….
Last week, we gave you the chance to sponsor manager Andy Welsh for the 2023/24 season by entering our raffle!
We held the draw this week once the entries had closed and are pleased to announce the winners as below:
The Winner was Eric Grosvenor who will be mentioned in each matchday programme, plus receive a £100 e-voucher for Hope & Glory. Second prize was picked up by Paul Spurr and he will receive a £50 e-voucher for Hope & Glory. Third prize was awarded to Craig Siddall and he will receive a voucher for any hat or scarf from the merchandise stall. We will be in touch with the winners via email. Thanks to all who signed up and congratulations to Eric on the winning ticket!
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Sponsor the Gaffer 2023/24
Do you want to win the chance of becoming Andy Welsh’s sponsor this coming season?
For just £10 you can have the chance to do so by entering the raffle. The draw will take place before kick-off on Saturday, you don’t want to miss out!
There will be three prizes up for grabs!
The winning ticket will get to sponsor Andy with a mention each matchday programme, plus receive a £100 e-voucher for Hope & Glory.
2nd prize will receive a £50 e-voucher for Hope & Glory.
3rd prize gets a voucher for any hat or scarf from the merchandise stall. A gift that will allow you to support Bury anywhere!
Make sure to enter the raffle before Friday 28th July, at 11:59 pm to not only become Andy Welsh’s sponsor but also to have the chance of winning some great prizes for just a tenner!
Click here to enter the raffle.
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