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38 articles in this category
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Welcome back, Bury Football Club
Welcome back, Bury Football Club
We are delighted to confirm that the FA have now formally approved the use of the playing name Bury Football Club, for the start of the new season. We will see Bury FC take to the pitch once again on the 29th of July, ready to kick off at 3 pm in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division. You can read all about it using the button below.
Read More We’ve already made some signings, and we can’t wait to release the news to you on our new website over the next few weeks. We have a list of friendlies to release ahead of the, which includes a first home game on 8th July against EFL opposition. The full list will be rolled out once the last game is finalised. Season tickets are also ready to go, we are just waiting for final confirmation of the league numbers, as any final changes are agreed or rejected this coming week. We have also submitted all of the necessary paperwork to amalgamate the two societies, Shakers Community and Bury FC Supporters' Society, and expect that to complete within the next two weeks. Once done, we will issue an eight week Calling Notice for a first General Meeting of the new society when the newly elected board will be announced. The process for board nominations will be issued well in advance and members will be asked to vote for nine board members to look after the interests of the club in future. Nominations may come from anyone who has been a member of either Shakers Community or Bury FC Supporters' Society for at least six continuous months immediately prior to the General Meeting. There is a huge amount of work going on at Gigg Lane to get things ready for the new season. The amalgamation has given us a vastly improved aggregated balance sheet and we have committed a budget to making improvement around the stadium already, but please bear in mind this is a work in progress so some of the work underway is not obviously visible to supporters, such as improving pitch irrigation, and some will take time to put in place. We are working hard to make sure your money is spent wisely and make every visit both safe and enjoyable
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Get Involved: Volunteer Your Time at Gigg Lane
The hard work continues as we turn Gigg Lane around in time for the 2023-24 season.
As much as the ground has been operating for the past 12 months, and the pitch is currently undergoing it’s summer regeneration, there is plenty to do both inside and outside the ground in preparation for staging games from July.
The main focus of the working groups involved so far has been to establish the various works that are necessary to both stage and operate out of Gigg Lane. These continue to be worked upon in conjunction with the Council and other associated bodies.
We do thankfully have lots of supporters getting in touch itching to get involved in whatever way they can and we welcome anyone and everyone looking to #GetGiggGleaming.
For the fundamental jobs of cleaning seats, jet-washing and sweeping walkways and clearing rubbish, the ground is officially open from 10am this weekend (3rd – 4th June) for anyone to turn up and get cracking. Just sign-in on entry and look for the ground-based team to direct you to the job of the day.
We urge all supporters to bring any equipment they can to assist in this clean up – sweeping brushes, buckets, cleaning clothes etc.
#VolunteersWeek (1st – 7th June)
In line with Volunteer’s Week we are also making preparations for new season and keen to hear from anyone who is considering their availability to help in the running of the club and operations down at Gigg Lane.
As has been shown across the last few seasons, volunteers are the key to the success and whereas we are blessed with a number of enthused and hard-working individuals who are part of a number of working groups already, many hands make light work so we are keen to hear from you.
We have volunteers who are very hands on, to those who are not local and work predominantly on a remote basis. A flavour of the areas our volunteers currently cover are as follows:
Matchday ground staff (net movers / pitch forking and maintenance / stretcher bearers) & administrators Fundraisers and idea generation Broadcasters, film-makers / camera technicians and media runners Match photographers Presenters, musicians and DJs Graphic designers and video editors Match reporters / writers Website technicians and content creators Merchandise and programme sellers Hospitality providers General match day stewards, customer service and crowd assistance Accounting and Book-keepers Now is the perfect time to get involved if you want to join the journey in time for the 2023/24 season, click on the below button to fill out a form with SurveyMonkey:
Volunteer Survey #Community | #ShakersTogether | #PartOfIt | #GetGiggGleaming
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Treasureline: Week 1
This week’s Treasureline Winners for Week 1 – 24th May 2023 are in! The rollover this week was £500 and remember it can reach up to a life-changing £10,000!!
Prize Draw No. Members Name £500 Rollover WD6957 NO WINNER £1000 ND4195 P BRIERLY £100 RB5541 MRS TAYLOR £50 WC5606 M JACKSON £50 HJ6946 J SCOTT £25 NA1063 H HOLDEN £25 NA0985 L PATTERSON £10 NJ2051 S CROSTON £10 OB6230 J HANLEY £10 NN5444 K ALLEN £10 SA4855 C HARRIS £10 MN2966 T TOLLERSON £10 LJ2516 S MEARNS £10 HL1024 G THOMAS £10 WD1577 M TOMLINSON £10 GP4526 L SPENCER £10 LL2615 P METCALFE View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Our Mandy honoured at National Game Awards
Bury fan and volunteer Amanda Freeman was honoured this week at the Isuzu National Game Awards in London.
Mandy picked up the Unsung Hero Award, for which she was nominated for following her passing earlier this month.
Two of Mandy’s teammates from her recreational women’s team Diane Dobson & Caroline Suttie collected the award on her behalf at AFC Wimbledon’s Plough Lane.
Speaking to the Bury Times Diane said: “When it was Bury FC, she used to be a lifelong supporter with her dad. She was devastated, as were many people in the town when Bury FC went, but she just wanted to follow football in Bury and when Bury AFC was created, she just wanted to support them.
“She used to be there at the tunnel, greeting players out on a matchday, and she would be there painting and cleaning and selling tickets and fundraising, for Bury AFC men and women.
“In non-league, no club has got a lot of money, so they rely on volunteers to get out there and do the work. Fortunately, we have got a lot of people that love the team, it is a labour of love, and they will go out and do it.”
Bury fans and the wider football community raised £5,620 for costs towards her funeral.
Mandy was also recently honoured at the Bury AFC end-of-season awards, being named Volunteer of the Year.
Football Board Chair, Marcel De Matas said: “Mandy was a lifelong Bury supporter and one of the unsung heroes of Bury AFC. From the inception of the Phoenix club through to her untimely death, Mandy involved herself in everything from fundraising to match day stewarding and did so with a smile on her face, making many friends along the way.
“She was at the heart of all things great about Bury AFC and was pivotal to the family ethos and community feel around the club. She’ll be sorely missed by her many friends, and we just wish she was here to see the return of football to her beloved Gigg Lane.
“Her dedication to the Bury cause for very many years and the enthusiasm for volunteering, that shone through, even during periods of ill health, truly made Mandy a worthy winner of the Unsung Hero Award for 2023”.
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Treasureline: Week 51
This week’s Treasureline Winners for Week 51 – 17th May 2023 are in! The rollover this week was £500 and remember it can reach up to a life-changing £10,000!!
Prize Draw No. Members Name £500 Rollover HL1006 M BALDWIN £1000 LM2366 J HARRISON £100 HA3483 A PEACOCK £50 ND0612 R STARKIE £50 HK5722 M DALE £25 SD5643 M HEYWOOD £25 SB4012 D SELWOOD £10 SC5501 M LAWLEY £10 FA4412 C TOWNSLEY £10 NJ0425 M GALLOWAY £10 WB3934 L KAVANAGH £10 HD6994 M DYER £10 BK0440 P THOMAS £10 LK4156 J PERKIN £10 WB0579 MR ROCKETT £10 HK6080 P RILEY £10 LP0196 S RYCROFT View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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New Season, New Kits – You Decide
Since announcing that kit partner, Hope + Glory Sportswear were to return for the 2023/24 season, the team at H+G have been hard at work in conjunction with the Interim board and operating football board to give members a fresh set of kit options for the new season.
In future, we will continue to make a commitment to keep our kits for two seasons, but for the 2023/24 season we will have two fresh kits as the ‘White & Blue Army’ makes the return to Gigg Lane. The options being put to members can be found here.
Home Kit
Ever conscious about our illustrious history, the kit designs have drawn on inspiration from the past with versions which have been sported by teams representing the club across the years, as shown below.
circa 1924 1984/85 1994/95 1997/98 Images courtesy of Pete Cullen
This season’s selections provide replica versions of our simple all-white shirts, with or without blue trim to the collar, and with a subtle nod to the chevrons that featured in the 90s. Or how about a kit that was worn in our visit to Wembley in 1995?
The choice is yours from those styled below:
Your 2023/24 home kit choices
What will also be your choice, will be the shade of blue that features across the trim, shorts and socks. Will it be Royal or Navy Blue, for you?
As author of the The Official History of Bury FC Pete Cullen writes, we have flirted with both over the years:
“Despite playing in white shorts in the first two years of the club’s history, a shade of blue has been the predominant colour of this part of Bury’s kit since 1888.
“Navy was the colour of choice from 1888 all the way through to 1962. From then until 1986 the team wore royal blue, before the switch was made to a darker shade which lasted until 1994 when royal blue was reintroduced. Barring the 2009/10 125th anniversary season and the 2014/15 promotion season when white was the adopted colour, royal blue remained the colour of the team’s shorts until its last season in the Football League, when navy blue was chosen once again.“
Away Kit
When our home kit clashes with the opposition and we need to make a change, we have also taken inspiration from the past with how the team on the pitch represent us in the stands. A regular feature at the top of polls with any Bury supporter was the purple and green striped kit from 1994/95 season.
Hope + Glory have given us their take on the designs with three choices, again for members to select from.
Your 2023/24 away kit choices
Kit votes will be processed online with email ballots sent via our partner, Election Buddy. This vote will be submitted to members of Shakers Community and Bury FC Supporters Society over the coming days.
All existing members of both societies will be transferred over to the new amalgamated society (‘The Football Supporters’ Society of Bury’) in the coming weeks, so with memberships open again, if you are not a member yet, why not? Join NOW by clicking on the badge above.
We hope you like the designs and enjoy the process of making your selection and having your voice, on your club! Be #PartOfIt, Be #ShakersTogether.
#PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Hope + Glory to be kit supplier for the New Season
As indicated within the ratification vote on Friday (view results here), the two societies Shakers Community and Bury FC Supporters Society will now amalgamate to form a joint society which will mean that competitive men’s football will again feature at Gigg Lane from this summer.
As outlined in the Interim Board’s first address following the ratification vote (available here), the first stage to move the club towards a new season at Gigg Lane, is what kit will the ‘White & Blue Army’ (both men’s and women’s sides) will run out in from July onwards.
We are now pleased to announce that Oldham-based Hope + Glory Sportswear will continue to provide the kit and training wear in 2023-24. A popular local business and a brand particularly familiar to non-league football supporters, we have outlined the benefits that Hope + Glory bring to the club below.
A bespoke kit is a chance to make a statement
There are plenty of famous sportswear brands making football kits but they are based on generic templates so other than copies, one kit looks pretty much the same as another. As we have seen with the kits provided for the club over the past three seasons, a bespoke kit sets us out from others. A new season at Gigg Lane is another momentous occasion which we feel is right to celebrate with another classic set of kits for supporters to wear with pride.
It also allows us to provide members with the opportunity to vote for the kit design they like the most, and we expect to have the options in front of you soon.
It rewards fans as well as the club
The revenue the club receives from Hope + Glory is similar to that offered by the big brands. We could make more money by using alternative suppliers, but we found that the quality of kit and design suffers as a consequence. We think you’ll be delighted with the quality of the new kit, which will include a stitched badge.
In addition our contract allows for a new home and away kit once every two years. This rewards fans who purchase shirts as they know they will last for at least two seasons. After this year, we can move into a cycle of alternating new home and away kits once every two years. So there will be a new home or away kit to vote on each season but never both at the same time.
Convenience and choice
We know there are Bury fans throughout the country and plenty overseas. As part of our deal with Hope + Glory they will host and manage an online shop with shipping offered nationally and internationally to cater for those people who aren’t always able to get to the ground. As we are able to produce the kits to order rather than just hold stock, we can offer a huge range of sizes to cater for men, women and children. As a volunteer run club this allows us to offer a service we couldn’t provide on our own.
Environmentally friendly EcoKit
As part of our commitment to a sustainable future, each kit is made using using rPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) with a significantly lower environmental impact than virgin polyester. Every shirt is manufactured using a piece of fabric made from approximately 16 recycled plastic bottles. You won’t notice the difference, they still have a premium, smooth feel to them and are lighter than polyester.
Further details about the new designs for The Shakers’ kit, and how to vote for the one you love, will be released soon so make sure you are #PartOfIt.
#PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Statement on Vote Result
We are pleased to announce that the confirmatory vote for the amalgamation has been passed by both societies and we can now move on to the next stage of the process to apply to use the playing name Bury Football Club and progress the legal work required to amalgamate the two societies and form one membership, and launch a vote to establish the new Society board.
For now, please keep your membership subscriptions in place as they will be moved across to the new society as long as you continue to pay your subscription. Memberships for both societies are £5 per month or £60 per annum and they are both now open again for membership.
For the election, which will take place in a few weeks’ time, only one vote per person is allowed. So you only need to maintain one society subscription. If you are a member of both you only have one vote.
In the meantime, both existing societies and once FCA approved the new society, called The Football Supporters’ Society of Bury, will be managed by the interim board. The board members are Mike Goodier, Mike Howarth, Karl Lee, Alistair Rowe, Martin Stembridge, Dave Triggs, John Woodhead and Phil Young. Rod Peters is the non-voting secretary. You will continue to receive communication from both societies in future, and the new society once it is FCA approved. Anyone not wishing to do so can opt out of emails or terminate their membership at any time.
There is a huge amount of work to be done to get us ready to play at Gigg Lane. We look forward to welcoming you all down there in future. The interim board are first prioritising the work which needs to happen to ensure we can play league fixtures at Gigg Lane next season. This includes a number of items which the North West Counties Football League want us to address, alongside other legal requirements such as safety certificates and various licences. We will move through the other many suggestions members and volunteers have made designed to make Gigg Lane as welcoming and hospitable as possible once we have addressed the priority items.
We have established a number of volunteer committees who are managing much of the day-to-day work, and intend to extend this further and invite more people in due course.
We will launch a vote for the new home and away Bury kit in the very near future so please look out for emails and information on that over the next few days.
Become a Member HERE The Shakers Community Society Limited Confirmatory Vote showed 98% were in favour of confirming the decision to amalgamate the two societies made at the previous General Meeting on 5th May.
1093 votes were cast, with 1073 in favour, 20 against and 13 abstentions.
We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to the Shakers Community board members who are now standing down and have been instrumental in building a successful club both on and off the pitch.
#PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether
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Our dear friend Amanda Freeman is laid to rest.
Today our thoughts are with friends, family & the whole Bury footballing community as our dear friend Amanda Freeman is laid to rest.
RIP Mandy 🤍💙
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Treasureline: Week 51
This week’s Treasureline Winners for Week 51 – 17th May 2023 are in! The rollover this week was £3000 and remember it can reach up to a life-changing £10,000!!
Prize Draw No. Members Name £3000 Rollover BB6229 ASHWORTH £1000 HN3867 A BROWNRIDGE £100 SA4793 R WHITEOAK £50 GP4139 P JOHNSON £50 LL6595 D BRESLIN £25 BD3270 J WAUGH £25 HC1881 R VARLEY £10 NQ5091 R PETRUCCO £10 RA5248 C KANE £10 HA2413 M TATHAM £10 HA5833 M WILSON £10 RA3941 V COLLINSON £10 HD5133 M BUCKNALL £10 BC2962 J RYAN £10 LA1427 S LORD £10 PC4523 A HARGREAVES £10 HD0320 S ROBINSON View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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24 Teams Announced For The North West Counties Football League Premier Division
2023-24 NWCFL Premier Division Gigg Lane will once again feel the beat of competitive men’s football from the start of next season and the FA have today announced the 24 teams who are expected to compete in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division in 2023/24.
Relegated from Step 4, we have Ramsbottom United, Colne, and Glossop North End, as well as Skelmersdale United who have been demoted due to not meeting ground regulations in the Northern Premier League.
Burscough have been reprieved at Step 5 following a 21st-placed finish last season, and Winsford United, Congleton Town and Northwich Victoria have been moved sideways to the Midland League. Supporters will be glad that FC Isle of Man remain a fixture within the NWCFL next season.
Coming up from Step 6, we have champions of their respective north and south leagues, Pilkington and Wythenshawe Amateurs, as well as play-off winners Chadderton and Cheadle Town.
Any appeals from clubs will be due to be heard ahead of the league AGM in June. Following this meeting, the final allocations will be confirmed and the start date of the season will be set. This is provisionally set as Saturday 29th July at this point.
The application for the name change to ‘Bury Football Club’ is due to be made in the coming weeks. This process can commence following a successful ratification vote, due to be announced this Friday (19th).
The numbers for the league have been confirmed and we are working towards making season tickets available over the forthcoming weeks. Please bear with us as we know there is plenty of demand to meet.
#YourTown | #YourTeam | #ShakersTogether
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Jake Williams Departs
The club is sad to announce the departure of Bury AFC Women first team manager Jake Williams.
Jake joined us shortly after the team was first established in April 2021. In that time he has been instrumental in guiding the team to great honours and achievements, most notably back to back league championships and subsequent promotions. Furthermore, in those 2 seasons, the team only lost 1 league game. They also reached several cup semi finals and an impressive 3rd qualifying round of the Women’s FA Cup.
Jake leaves the club with our sincere gratitude and he will be sadly missed by all. We would like to thank him for his relentless hard work and commitment and we wish him all the best for the future, in all that he does.
Steven Mainwaring, Jake’s Assistant Manager has now been appointed as Manager and will start to plan for next season with the rest of the staff. We will soon be releasing details of retained players for the 23/24 season and expect to recruit well in the upcoming trials.
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Treasureline: Week 50
This week’s Treasureline Winners for Week 50 – 10th May 2023 are in! The rollover this week was £2500 and remember it can reach up to a life-changing £10,000!!
Prize Draw No. Members Name £2500 Rollover BB6692 NO WINNER £1000 BB3082 J NEWTON £100 PE6579 N LEWIS £50 BA3054 A KNIGHT £50 HB2338 J CHAPMAN £25 BK0892 P BAINES £25 SA5338 C SEEL £10 HC2543 T JOHNSON £10 PB2249 R COLE £10 LQ6954 K MCDERMOTT £10 NJ1580 F WALKER £10 BL6318 R GRAHAM £10 SD2462 D LONGDEN £10 NG3703 R GRAY £10 WA0195 MR MITCHELL £10 KA0772 J PERRY £10 CB2768 R HEPPLE View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Bury AFC Men’s Goal Of The Season 2022/23 Vote
We’ve had a wild ride this year and seen some spectacular goals, but who has scored your goal of the season?
Members of Shakers Community are now able to place their vote to help us find our Goal Of The Season for 2022/23 Voting is now open and to enable the trophies to be made in time for our end of season awards, the poll will only be open until 5pm on Wednesday 10th May. You can watch the 13 finalist goals below to remind yourself.
So what are you waiting for? Login and pick your winner: Bury AFC Men’s Goal Of The Season 2022/23 Vote – Bury AFC
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Bury AFC Women’s Goal Of The Season 2022/23 Vote
We’ve had a wild ride this year and seen some spectacular goals, but who has scored your goal of the season?
Members of Shakers Community are now able to place their vote to help us find our Goal Of The Season for 2022/23 Voting is now open and to enable the trophies to be made in time for our end of season awards, the poll will only be open until 5pm on Wednesday 10th May. You can watch the 13 finalist goals below to remind yourself
So what are you waiting for? Login and pick your winner: Bury AFC Women’s Goal Of The Season 2022/23 Vote – Bury AFC
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It Gets Me Home, This Curving Track
The amalgamation vote has been overwhelmingly approved by both societies and we will return to Gigg Lane next season. You can view the results here.
It never seems like it at the time, but the more painful route is often the more valuable.
Over the last few months every idea and opportunity has been explored, all avenues walked down, all stones turned over. It’s led us back here, with no regrets and with no ifs or buts left to debate. We are left with the right decision as it was the only decision. The arguments are no longer exhausting, they are exhausted. Thank god for that.
Modern life constantly asks us to make choices. Between one thing or another, this idea or that. Sometimes the answer is both. We don’t need to choose one and abandon the other. This was one of those moments.
This vote preserves the old and the new, history, present and future, nothing and nobody is lost or left behind. It was never a choice between one thing or another.
Voting yes means voting for both. It means everything. It means all of us. It will take all of us to make the future work, so it was the only way to set us off on the right track.
A more direct route would have been easier but we would have learned less along the way. We now know more. We know how to play an active role in our football club. Our sense of agency has never been stronger. All this makes us better prepared. And the curving track still got us home.
Thank you to everyone who voted and thank you to all the people who kept us going during some difficult times. We look forward to seeing you all at Gigg Lane for the start of the new season.
From the Shakers Community Board
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Shakers Community Society General Meeting: Vote Results
The motion to adopt of the Gigg Lane Stadium as the football club’s home playing venue was approved by 97% of the vote. 1116 were in favour, 34 against and 9 abstentions.
The motion to adopt Bury Football Club as the playing name was approved by 92% of the vote. 1046 were in favour, 95 against and 24 abstentions.
The Resolution that the Society and Bury Football Club Supporters’ Society Limited (Register number 29385R) (“BFCSS”) shall be amalgamated pursuant to section 109 of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 was approved by 97% of the vote. 1109 were in favour, 35 against and 15 abstentions.
As the Bury Football Supporters’ Society also approved their motion to amalgamate with a 90% majority we are pleased to confirm that the amalgamation will proceed subject to the Confirmatory Vote which will now begin and the results announced at the next General Meeting at 7pm on 19th May.
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Vote Update: Next Steps
As we approach the conclusion of the amalgamation vote we would like to remind members of both societies of the process should the amalgamation be approved.
Shakers Community Society had just over 1400 eligible voters and Bury FC Supporters’ Society had around 1300. These are big numbers in the context of fan ownership, and turnouts were high last time at 80% and 75% respectively. We are pleased to report that we will be near those turnout numbers again.
There are two votes required to pass the motion to amalgamate the two societies. The first is the most critical as it requires under law a two thirds majority from each society’s members. The results will be announced after 7pm on Friday 5th May.
There will be a second confirmatory vote, which simply asks members to ratify the decision made with the results announced at another Special General Meeting 14 days later on Friday 19th May. This should be a more of a formality as it requires a simple majority of 50% of members to vote in favour.
Both societies need to approve both votes independently for it to go through.
If it’s all agreed, the paperwork will be filed with the Financial Conduct Authority, and an interim Community Benefit Society board will be formed to deal with administration such as banking and to launch a full election so that a new board can be created based on the votes of the combined membership of both societies. The Terms of Reference for the Interim Board can be found here.
The election process is already written and part of the paperwork members were issued with before the current vote started and should complete by 30th June, so that a new, fully elected Community Benefit Society board is in place in advance of the start of the new season.
There is no need to cancel your current membership. This revenue is critical to us. They will remain valid, with the same voting rights until we start to transfer memberships to the new Community Benefit Society. This could take some time, but as the new Society membership will be £5 per month or £60 per annum any renewal subscriptions paid to either Society will be credited forward.
We are hopeful that the vote will be approved this time, and look forward to welcoming everyone to Gigg Lane to watch Bury Football Club in the summer.
Shakers Community members will receive an email invite to the Zoom meeting for the General Meeting on Friday.
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Treasureline: Week 49
This week’s Treasureline Winners for Week 49 – 3rd May 2023 are in! The rollover this week was £2000 and remember it can reach up to a life-changing £10,000!!
Prize Draw No. Members Name £2000 Rollover RC0728 NO WINNER £1000 SA4868 K WATERHOUSE £100 LJ4734 A ROCHE £50 HL6622 A BENNET £50 LJ5779 C HODDELL £25 WE4917 MRS PERKINS £25 LL5516 M HORSEY £10 PC4825 A HARVEY £10 HB2291 S FENTON £10 HB3149 B HIRD £10 PC1645 MRS BOARDMAN £10 WF4956 MRS WOODSFORD £10 HJ2457 J ROBERTS £10 LL5030 F RUSSELL £10 GP6415 I YATES £10 HA0925 M RYMER £10 BA6706 G NUTTALL View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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End March Management Accounts
These are the consolidated management accounts for Shakers Community and Bury AFC covering the period to end March 2023. They cover both the men’s and women’s teams and our financial year starts from 1st July so year to date figures refer to that start point. Use the navigation buttons at the bottom of the page to change page, and zoom out to view all tables.
Bury-AFC-Member-Report-Bury-AFC-Member-Pack-Mar-2023-1
If you prefer to download via a new window please click here.
Ask any questions below and we will endeavour to answer where possible. Some information may be commercially sensitive.
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Away Days Blog – Burscough – 25th February 2023
Welcome to the latest official away days blog from our resident gonzo journo, James Beedie. He continues to take us on his travels to our away games this season, concentrating as much on the experience of the day as of the actual football itself.
This time out, it’s a trip to West Lancashire with James wondering what accents he was going to be faced with for a game which, on paper, seemed an easy one…
Burscough remains one of the few sides in the division that we have yet to meet, another fixture delayed by weather and cup runs means we will play them twice in fairly quick succession. Given their lowly placing in the division this looks on the surface like an easy three points but at this stage in the season there is no such thing, especially when playing against a side in need of a win.
Second-bottom but still in with a fighting chance of pulling off the great escape Burscough have had a tough campaign. With only two wins in the league before the end of November Burscough seemed doomed before hitting a sudden purple patch over the winter. Wins over Prestwich Heys, Squires Gate, Isle of Man and Charnock Richard brought them right back into contention but since then have struggled on the back of consecutive defeats. Getting back to winning ways last week away at Irlam the Linnets know that any chance they have at staying up means getting something from every match, even when those matches include the likes of Bury AFC and Wythenshawe Town.
I’m not that familiar with Burscough and wasn’t sure what to make of them. I knew of Burscough Bridge a structure synonymous with the town and that the local football club was once home to both Dave Nugent and Ryan Lowe in the early 2000s but that’s about it. I wasn’t even sure what their accents would be like, Burscough is typically roped in with the likes of Ormskirk and Skelmersdale as West Lancashire towns that are essentially considered to be extensions to Merseyside. I wasn’t even sure what the accents of the local residents would be and was fully expecting a Scouse voice at the turnstile.
The route to the match however was a familiar traipse through Lancashire. After a quick run up to Chorley I turned off the motorway and took a pleasant drive through the heart of the Lancashire countryside passing farms and small villages along the way.
Arriving at Burscough, a small town in itself but probably the largest single place since Chorley I turned off the main street just after crossing the bridge and turned down a narrow street parking just round the corner from the local Tescos.
The walk to the ground was a little longer than I had expected. Their ground, the new Victoria Park, was built further down the path from the original ground. Little but the closed and rundown clubhouse remains from the original home of the Linnets as newly built houses occupy what was once the pitch and there are signs that these new houses will extend into the gap that Burscough’s current ground fills.
Along the walk with fellow Bury fans we saw a large square white building out in the distance. Looking oddly out of place among the fields on all sides of it, like a monolith in a Kubrick film. We discovered this would one day serve as the new clubhouse to a completed ground that currently serves as home to both Burscough FC and Skelmersdale United however for now it would only be used as changing facilities for the teams while fans would have to settle for a beer tent out the front or queuing by the hutch near the turnstiles.
Arriving at the turnstiles and discovering our hosts were not Scouse and were most certainly Lancashire, wielding the sort of slightly posh Lancashire accents that make them distinct from the Burnleys and Accringtons of this world, I felt I already had a greater understanding of the place.
In and out though a mini wooden maze that the turnstiles presented and emerging with my entry paid and programmes in my hand I looked upon the ground for today. A simple wooden fence hemmed the whole ground in but really there was nowhere beyond the ground to go to. Open fields on all sides gave the ground a hugely open feel. The only structure as of yet is a metal seated grandstand that runs along the pitch and appears on the right as you enter.
Clearly much more is to be built here as this is still a recent development and all good grounds take time to build character but it was quite a simple set up. The all weather surface has proved to be useful this season and will be a money earner and a community asset for the future I have no doubt. The ground is full of potential as there is near unlimited space to build upon except for the far end of the ground that backs out onto the train lines. On all sides of the pitch a narrow tarmac path is set out for fans to stand around pitchside and lean against the green metal railings but on three sides of the pitch this is then surrounded by a grass banking. With much of the pitchside already accounted for many fans ignored the ‘stay off the grass’ signs and climbed to the top of the banking offering a rare high view of the pitch.
I met up with my friends the Hamers and after a quick lap of the pitch took our places opposite the entrance to the ground. The sun was just peeking out of the cloud cover and for the first time in I don’t know how many months I felt the warmth of the sun on my back.
I saw the team warm up with some returning players. MJ Monaghan, only recently revealing his long absence from the team was related to his health and concerned a heart condition. Only revealing this news after he got the all clear to return to full training we were all very grateful to see him out and about again though he would not make the squad for the match. The team news came out and contained a few surprises. Harry Brazel was absent, the rumour being he was on holiday, and so Charlie Doyle continued his tour of Bury’s midfield by lining up as the number 10 for this match having previously played at number 4 as well as a number 8 and out on the wing. The rest of the midfield was boosted by the returns of Chris Rowney and Kris Holt. Niall Cummins was given the nod up front for Bury while it was all change on the wings from the midweek match against West Didsbury and Chorlton. The combination of Gilboy, Higgins and Hellawell replaced by Comber, Doyle and a first start for Sam Unwin.
On Burscough’s team there was no sign of Sope Awe and Billy Ahmed, two players that had looked like decent prospects for Bury all the way back in preseason. Neither of them lasted long once the season started for real and both headed west to Burscough though clearly neither of them stayed. Also missing from the team was former Bury FC forward Chris Sang who had recently joined the Linnets but former Ramsbottom United keeper Charlie Monks would be in goal and in Edward Servuts Burscough have one of the more prolific strikers in the division. Twenty goals already this season despite their league position.
The two teams came out ahead of the match led out by referee Jacob Viera a little after 3 o’clock. The kick off was then delayed a little further when one of Viera’s assistants spotted that one of the goals at one end didn’t have the netting correctly fitted so a longer delay occurred as a groundsman had to fix the problem. In the end he used what looked to be a black shoelace to tie the netting onto the post that Jack Atkinson would be guarding in the first half. At long last and more than five minutes late the match began.
Bury started the match positively with a Comber shot blocked, an Unwin cross headed out before it could fall to Cummins and the resulting corner saw Joe Denman head just wide of goal. When Unwin shot just over the bar again it felt like it was only a matter of time before Bury would take the lead.
When it arrived it came off another incident from the influential Unwin. Fouled in the build up of an attack the resulting free kick was swung in by Jack Tinning for Niall Cummins to head home his eighth goal of the season. It was a good time to score with Bury in the ascendancy early. The goal taking some of the pressure off. It feels like Cummins has been coming into his own recently though for whatever reason he has been mainly scoring in the cups, his last four goals prior to this one all coming in the FA Vase.
Bury pushed for a second Charlie Doyle twice going close with one shot that was palmed away by home keeper Charlie Monks and another that cleared the bar. As the first half progressed however it was the home side that grew in strength. From my position I could hear Jack bark his orders to his defenders as the Linnets pushed to take the match to Bury. From a corner Burscough defender Lewis Willingham headed the ball onto the post. “That was the moment”, I thought.
With barely seconds left of the opening period Matty Williams barged over Nuno Costa in the box and referee Jacob Viera pointed to the spot. Burscough’s number nine Edward Servuts stepped up to take the spot kick with twenty goals to his name already this season, but he could not add to it on this occasion. Jack Atkinson dived down to his left and forced the ball away maintaining Bury’s lead into the break.
The second half was a far harder task for the visitors. Attempts on goal were at a premium with only a couple of loose half chances well wide of the target and none of them troubling Monks. At the other end Bury’s tiring defence had to withstand the onslaught of the Burscough attack and contend with the pace of Xenon Bahula and Nuno Costa especially.
The defence held out admirably and finally the full time whistle rang out and Bury AFC’s unbeaten run extended by one more match. “Made hard work of that” was the often repeated phrase around the terraces as fans made their way home but as we enter the business end of the season the most important thing is the three points that were secured by the moment of magic by Cummins, the tireless hard working defence all match and the great penalty save by Jack Atkinson.
I made my way back up the long path back to the Silver Shark, making a quick stop at the Tescos before heading home. As I began the drive back with the victory mint already eaten I thought about the match. It was another match done, another away trip completed and another three points earned but the fact remains we have some tough matches coming up, Wythenshawe Town and Northwich Victoria at home in the league and Congleton away in the Vase. We need to find a way to be at our best in this difficult run in order to win some of the tougher matches that will be coming our way soon.
I turned back the way I came in, the Silver Shark twisting through the country lanes back to Chorley before turning south for home.
To catch up with any of James’ blogs from last season’s championship-winning run and away games so far from this season, you can head to the ‘Fear and Loathing’ website HERE.
#BuryAFC | #ByTheFans | #ForTheFans
View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Treasureline: Week 48
This week’s Treasureline Winners for Week 48 – 26th April 2023 are in! The rollover this week was £1500 and remember it can reach up to a life-changing £10,000!!
Prize Draw No. Members Name £1500 Rollover SE3664 NO WINNER £1000 PB3781 I JACKSON £100 LL1615 A SHARP £50 WE5066 P BARNETT £50 HC4560 P WAINMAN £25 HJ5380 T GLEDHILL £25 BA0847 B BROOKS £10 PC4085 M BELLAMY £10 WC0523 MRS FLASHMAN £10 BL4683 R HANNAY £10 HJ0106 R WALTON £10 BE3802 P HOGAN £10 MN2287 K KNIGHT £10 GP0246 J CLARKE £10 NG1903 R EBDON £10 GP5997 G SIDDLE £10 HL5494 ECLIPSE ENERGY View the full article on the Bury AFC website
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Happy Ryan Lowe Day!
The 25th of April 2011 was a day that will always hold a special place in our hearts. It was the day our club secured a crucial 3-2 victory over Chesterfield, which saw us gain promotion to League One despite losing Alan Knill a month prior.
The game got off to a nervy start for Bury, as Steven Schumacher picked up a yellow card just two minutes into the match. Probing of defences was undertaken by both teams until Tom Lee's goal in the 12th minute gave Bury the lead.
We can all agree the game was an absolute rollercoaster ride, with both teams creating chances and the scoreline constantly changing. As a fan, I was on the edge of my seat throughout the match, cheering us on every time Bury pushed forward and holding my breath whenever Chesterfield attacked.
Bury maintained their lead until the second half when Craig Davies' goal in the 50th minute equalised, but it wasn’t long until David Worrall's goal in the 55th minute put Bury ahead again. Chesterfield refused to give up, and Jack Lester's goal in the 63rd minute gave Chesterfield hope of a comeback.
With just minutes remaining, Bury's talismanic striker Ryan Lowe stepped up to score the first of his two goals, making the score 3-2 and setting up a thrilling finale. And in the dying minutes of the game, Lowe scored the decisive goal in the 87th minute, sending the travelling fans into raptures and securing promotion to League One.
Looking back, it was a truly unforgettable game and a fantastic achievement for Bury FC. Despite the field setbacks, the team showed tremendous resilience and character to mount a comeback and secure the victory we needed to earn promotion. As a fan, I will never forget that day as one of the greatest in the history of our club.
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HIGHLIGHTS - Bury AFC 5 - 1 Winsford United
FULL TIME
Connor Comber gets a fully-deserved hat-trick, and goals from Gilboy and ElHassan round out an excellent afternoon to end the season! Daniel Boden with Winsford's early goal. Bury AFC 5 - 1 Winsford United #BuryAFC | #YourTown | #YourTeam
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