Bury News Feed

We are delighted to confirm our Women’s pre-season fixture list, as the team begins its preparations to play at Step 5 of the pyramid. It begins with the double-header away at Thackley on July 1st, with the ladies kicking off at 12pm, followed by the men at 3:30 pm. Tickets are on sale now. The following Sunday (9th July) sees a trip to east Manchester to take on last season’s North West Women’s Regional League champions FC United of Manchester. Bradford City are then in town on Sunday 16th July for our only home pre-season fixture, the West Yorkshire side were relegated from Step 4 last season, and will be playing in the North East equivalent division to our team. We are back on the road for the remaining friendlies on Sunday 23rd July, which will see us make the short trip to Accrington Stanley before facing Port Vale who play their football in the West Midlands Regional League Division One on July 30th. The pre-season campaign will end on Sunday 6th August when we make the trip across the England-Wales border to face Connah’s Quay Nomads. Two weeks later, the league campaign will begin, fixtures for which will be published in due course. More details about individual pre-season fixtures will be available on social media in the coming weeks. Bury FC Women’s Pre-Season Schedule July 1st – Thackley (A) July 9th – FC United of Manchester (A) July 16th – Bradford City (H) (played at Unsworth CC) July 23rd – Accrington Stanley (A) July 30th – Port Vale (A) August 6th – Connah’s Quay Nomads (A) View the full article

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 View the full article

Buy This Week If You Want A Card If you want to get a printed, season ticket card in your hands for the start of the season you need to be quick and buy this week. The deadline is 1st July. We will send the cards to print after the 1st July and have them ready to collect at Gigg Lane before the season starts and ahead of home games. If you haven’t got time to collect it, or lose it, you can get in just as easily using the QR code which you should have received by email and/or text message. Season tickets are available to purchase using the button below. We have also repeated all relevant information below. Buy Now Single Match Tickets Adult £10 16-18 Year Olds £5 Under 16s £3 Under 5s Free We have set the cost of a single adult ticket at £10. This is higher than many clubs in non-league Step 5 but we are not the first club in the NWCFL to charge this. Macclesfield and Isle of Man have previously charged £10 to cover the costs of their larger stadiums where additional stewarding is required. We will need to employ more stewards to comply with the requirements of our safety certificate and to provide catering staff to supply food and beverages around the ground. Volunteer support is very much welcomed but will not be enough on its own. We appreciate price inflation is effecting everyone at the moment, including the club, but believe the prices to be fair in the circumstances. We have introduced a new lower ticket price for 16-18 year olds, which is only available on the turnstile on production of some relevant valid photo ID e.g. driver’s license, a student card with an expiry date. Season Tickets For all 23 home league games, includes VAT, excludes booking fee: Adult £196 Under 16s £50 Under 5s Free The NWCFL rules only allow us to offer a maximum of a 15% discount on season tickets so the season ticket price is set at a point designed purely to comply with this rule. We are unable to reduce it further. It is £8.52 per game for adults. We are now starting work on parts of the stadium which can provide additional hospitality beyond the usual purchases of food and drinks from kiosks, but this will take time to complete. As a result we are focusing on sales of standard season tickets for now. We are grateful for the generosity of over 50 individuals who have agreed to pay the ‘old’ rate of £720 for an 1885 suite hospitality season ticket inclusive of VAT. We know this is a high price to pay and it was agreed before the number of league fixtures was known. It allows us to pay for much of the stewarding required to open the main stand for the season. We have a number of 1885 suite season tickets which can still be purchased. Season Ticket Cards Only Guaranteed If Bought By 1st July All purchasers of single match or season tickets will be sent a receipt with a QR code by email and by text (as long as you provide your mobile number) after purchase. Please check your junk mail for your receipt as it can often go there. You must save this QR code as it is required for entry to the game and will be scanned at the turnstile. If you receive it by text and use an iPhone you can save it to your Apple Wallet. Single Match tickets are digital only, we will not provide a paper ticket. However you may print your QR code at home if you do not have a smart phone to present it on. All season ticket orders received by 1st July will be printed onto a season ticket card which you can present at the turnstile instead of the digital ticket if you wish. Season tickets bought after the 1st July will be digital only. Disability Tickets We have used the best practice guidance set out by Level Playing Field for ticketing and seating management for disabled supporters, and had input from a small number of our own disabled fans and other clubs. This follows the concept of making a more considered ‘reasonable adjustment’ rather than just a concession on price. In accordance with this guidance, anyone with a disability requiring the assistance of a carer will be asked to purchase a ticket at full price and then offered a free carer ticket for someone to escort them to the game. Purchasers of free carer tickets will be contacted by email to provide evidence of disability which can be one of the following documents: Receipt of the mid-rate care element or the high-rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement or Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Receipt of either the Severe Disablement Allowance or Attendance Allowance. War Pensioners’ Mobility Allowance or War or Service Disablement Pension for 80% or more disability. Blind or partially sighted registration certificate (BD8 or CVI Certificate). Further advice can be found on the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) website. Confirmation in writing from Social Services that the individual is included on their Deaf Register, or a letter or report from an aural specialist confirming that hearing loss has been recorded at 70 – 95 dBHL or worse. Confirmation in writing from Social Services that the individual has a learning difficulty or disability. For children – a letter from the head teacher at a their school confirming eligibility will be acceptable. We reserve the right to cancel carer tickets where evidence is requested and not produced. We will make 25 season tickets available for wheelchair users along with a carer. These will be in the South Stand. If we open up additional stands which have wheelchair spaces these will be available as single match tickets. Seating and Stands It is unlikely that all stands will be open due to the stringent safety requirements and consequent costs of opening stands where crowds do not require it. As a result we are not offering reserved seating for this first season back at Gigg Lane. We know this will disappoint some but it is unlikely to prevent many people from sitting in their old seat with so much seating available. We will not make dramatic changes to the layout and functioning of Gigg Lane as a stadium in the short space of time we have until the start of the season so you should consider its development as a work in progress. It is important that we prioritize safety at this point and we will be constantly looking for feedback from supporters as to how we can improve their matchday experience throughout the season and beyond. Buy Now

Bury FC are delighted to confirm the addition of midfielder Jack Lenehan, who joins the club after leaving Atherton Collieries. As a youngster, Jack played in Rochdale AFC’s youth setup, before moving to Chorley where he played a notable part in their 2018 Lancashire Cup success. He then moved to Prescot Cables and followed then-manager Brian Richardson to FC United of Manchester in May 2019. Jack then joined Atherton Collieries in October 2020, where he played until the end of the 2022/23 season. Away from football, he’s also been a successful athlete previously for the well-regarded Southport Waterloo Track & Field. Upon joining, Lenehan said: “You only have to walk into the stadium to see the facilities. I spoke to Andy about the project and it’s something to be excited about and I’m looking forward to being a part of it. “I’m looking forward to getting straight into pre-season and getting as fit as possible, and then it’s all about getting onto the pitch and hitting the ground running when the season starts.” Watch Jack’s first interview as a Shaker here. View the full article

Bury FC are delighted to confirm Chris Rowney has joined the club ahead of the 2023/24 season. The midfielder has played under Andy Welsh for the last two seasons at Bury AFC and has made 76 apps, including 55 league starts and scored just once against Widnes in the FA Cup last season. Chris started out at Oldham Athletic, before playing in non-league starting at Seel Park, with Mossley AFC making 72 appearances across two spells, he spent time at Woodley Sports in between. In 2013, he joined Curzon Ashton where he would play for the next six years and was a part of their squads that were promoted to National League North. He then travelled across the town of Ashton, to play at Hurst Cross for Ashton United before his time at Bury. When asked about making the switch to Gigg Lane, Chris said: “It makes you feel proud to play for Bury FC. I think for any players around this level, this is a massive opportunity, that I’m willing to take and I’m excited to get going.” “It’s an unbelievable ground, the pitch looks in amazing shape.” We asked Chris about pre season and he added that: “pre-season will all-about getting minutes on board and the players gelling as a group” You can see Chris’ interview below. View the full article

Bury Football Club are delighted to announce our Golf Day on Wednesday 13 September 2023, at Bury Golf Club. The event will begin at 11:00 am, for a 12:30 pm shotgun start. For a team of four it costs £240 to enter, the entry fee includes: Nearest the pin (all par 3s). Nearest the line (4th hole) Beat the pro One mulligan shot (“Shaker”) 20-foot String to utilise anywhere on the course Food to be served on the day will include bacon rolls and coffee on arrival, followed by a two-course hot buffet after the golfing is complete. Evening entertainment includes prize giving, raffle, auction, quiz and stand-up bingo. There will be opportunities for businesses to promote on the day, with various sponsorship options available: examples include, sponsor a hole – £150, scorecard sponsorship – £50, match day brochure sponsorship – £50. There will be some superb prizes to be won, and this is a unique moment for all golfers and sponsors to come together and demonstrate their support for Bury Football Club. Single players can enter and form a team, and we hope to have a number of past and present Bury footballers taking part. To enter, or for any questions please email commercial@buryfc.co.uk. View the full article

Bury FC are delighted to confirm the club’s former midfielder, Jason Jarrett, will take interim charge of the women’s first team until a successor is appointed. The 43-year-old played at Gigg Lane for two seasons under Andy Preece, making 63 appearances, scoring four goals. After his 00s spell, he went on to play for Wigan, Norwich, Preston North End and then had spells at Leicester, Brighton and Oldham before finishing his career at Salford FC. Following his playing career, Jarrett went on to referee, taking a course with Lancashire FA in 2013 and has worked his way up the ranks to Level 4. Jason is also now the proud co-owner of Jay Jays Childcare and Learning Centre which aims to inspire and help children of all abilities in their educational needs. Jason told us, “I’m really looking forward to working with the team. I know what a talented, hard-working bunch they are and this is an exciting new period for them that I’m proud to be part of.” The club would like to place their thanks on record to Jason for stepping into this position in the interim. Head of women’s football, Casey Lynchey, added, “Jason has had a very close connection with our women’s team for a long time. “He actually coached the girls and formed really good relationships with them, prior to us appointing our previous manager. He has worked with them for strength & conditioning sessions in the gym. The girls were all buzzing when I broke the news. “Jason has stepped up to help us again and I have no doubt this will enable us to have a really positive pre-season, as he obviously brings a wealth of experience with him.” Applications for the role are still open until Saturday (24th June). We are looking for a hard-working, ambitious, natural leader to take on the exciting role of manager of our women’s elite team. This incredible squad have won back-to-back promotions and had a successful FA Cup run too. This season we are now in Tier 5 of the women’s pyramid, playing home games at Gigg Lane. Applicants must have experience of managing a women’s team or in men’s football at a high level. Minimum of UEFA B qualification and a proven track record of developing players. To apply please email women@buryfc.co.uk and attach a CV and a cover letter, explaining why this job is for you. The club are also pleased to announce the appointment of Lewis Shaw & Tom Sheridan as the women’s reserves team manager and assistant manager. Alongside brothers, Nick & Jay Traynor, as the women’s development team management. Lewis Shaw & Tom Sheridan who will manage the Reserve Squad Nick & Jay Traynor will take charge of the Development Squad Long-standing goalkeeper coach, Kelly Boag, will continue in her role for the first team and she will be joined by Katie Kefford, who will be looking after the reserve & development teams. We also have a vacancy for a physiotherapist for the upcoming season, following last season’s physio, Matt Howarth, leaving the club due to work commitments. The club would like to thank him for his commitment over the last year and him the best of luck for the future. View the full article

This week’s Treasureline Winners for Week 4 – 21st June 2023 are in! The rollover this week was £500 and remember it can reach up to a life-changing £10,000!! PrizeDraw No.Members Name£500 RolloverMN5250G OUSBY£1000LK2779T BRADLEY£100BA4415I CALVERT£50BD6722P LILLEY£50WC6085MRS WALKER£25NC2313K DAVIES£25NC2773H KITTO£10NN0694M CASSIDY£10BB3301J RICHARDSON£10LN3267O OLUYEDE£10HE4156K SMITHSON£10PE3336P HOGG£10LA3100T SHINGLER£10FA2136C JACKSON£10GP3713R BRAITHWAITE£10NF2025J PLANT£10PA2123B LISGO View the full article on the Bury AFC website

Bury FC are delighted to welcome centre-back Jimmy Moore to the club ahead of the 2023/24 season. The 35-year-old brings a wealth of experience in non-league football having previously won the North West Counties Premier Division title at Runcorn Linnets. Moore also spent the last three seasons at Bury AFC under Andy Welsh making 75 appearances, scoring five goals, and making a cameo appearance between the sticks. The no-nonsense centre-back counts Glossop North End, Atherton Collieries, Cheadle Town, Abbey Hey & Trafford as his former clubs. Jimmy told buryfc.co.uk “I’m delighted to have signed for Bury FC, it’s been an incredible journey so far. I’m proud to be a part of it and represent such a big club. “I’m really excited to meet all the Bury fans from both sides of this story and I hope that when I cross that line the ones who haven’t will understand what it means to me to play for this club.” Moore becomes the 15th player to commit to the club ahead of the new season, which sees pre-season training start next week before our double-header trip to Thackley on July 1st. Tickets for which are on sale now. Click here to buy. View the full article

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 View the full article

We are excited to announce a partnership with Genus Recycling, who will sponsor the back of our playing shorts for both our home and away kits. Genus Recycling will feature on the rear of shorts Based in the heart of Bury, waste paper recycling specialists Genus Recycling have sustainability at the forefront of everything they do so fit in well with the Bury FC ethos. Being a lifelong supporter of the Shakers, Director Rick Waterson said, “When the opportunity came about to get involved with Bury FC as a board of directors we felt strongly that we wanted to give something back to the town and the club that mean a lot to me personally. It is great to see the club getting back on its feet and the buzz around the ground is really inspiring. Come-on you Shakers!!!” We would like to extend our thanks to Genus for their generosity and 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 View the full article

We are now receiving applications for the new position of General Manager of Bury Football Club. We are looking for experienced candidates who can meet the job description which can be read here. This will be an employed role with salary of up to £50,000 per annum plus pension, depending on experience. Please submit your CV to admin@buryfc.co.uk by 5pm 7th July if you wish to be considered for interview. View the full article

Bury FC are delighted to confirm the addition of midfielder Harry Brazel to the squad for the 2023/24 season. The 31-year-old made 91 appearances and scored 18 goals across the last two seasons for Bury AFC. Last season also saw him pick up four trophies at the end of season awards, including Goal of the Season and Fans Player of the Season. Brazel has also previously played for Stockport County, Glossop North End & Cefn Druids. He told buryfc.co.uk: “I’m really excited to be representing Bury. It was an easy decision to make knowing the club’s ambition and the direction it wants to go in. “Hopefully, I can continue where I left off last year and make the first season back at Gigg Lane both a memorable and successful one.” Harry is also a qualified barber, so no doubt he’ll be getting some of the lads with his clippers ahead of the upcoming squad photos. View the full article

Bury FC are excited to announce former Wigan Athletic player Andy Kellett will join the club for the upcoming campaign. The 29-year-old has a wealth of experience to bring to Andy Welsh’s squad and can play in an array of positions including central-midfield as well as left-back/left-midfield. Kellett will join the Shakers following three years playing for Guiseley. He struggled with injury in the previous two seasons, but scored twice in 14 appearances last term. Born in Bolton, he was playing grassroots football when his team got to a final which was played at the stadium of his hometown team. After an impressive performance in front of the Wanderers scouts, he signed for the club. He progressed through the ranks at Bolton, playing in the U23s and the B team, whilst also going out on loan to Manchester United & Plymouth Argyle. In 2015, Andy made the move from Bolton to Wigan, where he played for three years before joining Notts County, which is where he made his one appearance against Bury FC in December 2018 during a 0-0 at Meadow Lane. After leaving County he went onto play for AFC Fylde & Alfreton Town before his time at Guiseley. Upon joining the club Kellett said: “It’s always a nerve-wracking thing coming to a new football club. In my previous clubs, I’ve always known people going into them but I’m coming to this one not knowing anyone. I’m sure we’ll have a good pre-season together and get to know each other. “I’ve always known Bury as a team to be in the Football League, it’s a little bit different now but hopefully we can re-build it back to being that status again. “I’ve played with lads before who have said that if you can get down to Bury, get yourself down there because it’s a brilliant club.” You can watch his first club interview right now on YouTube: View the full article

Bury FC are delighted to announce that former Wigan & Oldham youngster Sean Higgins has joined the club. The 20-year-old can play in a number of positions including full-back and central midfield. Sean started out at Wigan Athletic before moving to Oldham in July 2019. Following two years at Boundary Park, he joined Altrincham before moving to Matlock last summer and then onto Bury AFC in December 2022. Higgins made 36 appearances under Andy Welsh last season scoring four goals. He’s also had loan spells at Stalybridge Celtic & Trafford in the last few seasons. Speaking to buryfc.co.uk Sean said: “I think the project that they are building here is massive, you look at the stadium, you look at the fans they’ve got now, it was a no-brainer to join and I’m looking forward to a big season ahead. “Playing under the gaffer last year was a really good experience in terms of getting me back and I enjoyed every minute playing last year and fingers crossed I can do the same here this season and push us to win the title. “I’m being put into the team to do my job and help the team wherever possible. I’m fit, I’m dynamic and I bring a lot of energy, so hopefully when I’m called upon, I’ll do a job.” You can watch his first club interview right now on YouTube: View the full article

Rochdale-based AC Ventilation sign on to sponsor the back of The Shakers’ training wear for the coming season. Established in 1995 AC Ventilation Limited has become a thriving and well respected business, specialising in the design, supply, installation and maintenance of all types of air conditioning, ventilation and fresh air heat recovery systems. The company operates throughout the UK and across all sectors. This includes commercial, industrial, healthcare, leisure, hotels, retail, education, restaurants, and specialist residential projects. Managing Director Steve Valentine was down at Gigg Lane to meet boss Andy Welsh, and had a few words for buryfc.co.uk: “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to sponsor Bury FC especially after being a Jnr Shaker during the 80’s. There is a real buzz around Gigg lane and the future plans for the club are looking bright.” (pictured) Director Steve Valentine meets manager, Andy Welsh down at Gigg Lane Steve recalled being a mascot for the Bury vs Swindon Town game on 16th October 1982 (pictured left) and following the Shakers into the 90’s with friends & family. We would like to extend our thanks to AC Ventilation for their generosity and 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 View the full article

Bury FC are delighted to welcome Dan Lafferty to the club ahead of the 2023/24 season. The commanding centre-back joins Andy Welsh’s side after leaving Atherton Collieries at the end of the previous campaign, where he’s played for the last six seasons. He also had an initial spell at Colls in 2009. Lafferty signed for Radcliffe under Kevin Glendon in 2013, he went on to make 116 appearances and scoring 8 goals before leaving in 2016 and joining Colls. Speaking after his move, he said: “It was a difficult decision leaving Colls, I have been there for a long time, and I never really wanted to leave, I just felt now was the right time. “I spoke with Andy [Welsh] on the phone and he outlined his aims and the ambitions of the club and I just bought into it straight away. “My next move after Colls, I always wanted it to be a project, maybe try and win a league, a cup and this just suited.” You can watch his first club interview right now on YouTube: View the full article

Bury FC are delighted to confirm Andy Briggs will join the club ahead of the 2023/24 season. The 25-year-old striker will join the club from NWCFL Division One North side Steeton where he scored 35 goals last season. Briggs has played in his home West Yorkshire town since the age of 16 and has spent the last nine seasons playing in Steeton green, he’s played through their journey from amateur football to them joining the National League System. When asked about joining the club, he said: “I felt like it was time for a new challenge and when Andy [Welsh] called me and said he wanted me to come down here, it was almost a no-brainer.” “Just looking at the setup down here and where this club plans to be and wants to be, it’s going to be a real great experience” You can watch his first club interview right now on YouTube: View the full article

The League's Annual General Meeting took place today at the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool. Representatives of 56 of the 60 member clubs were in attendance as well as the eight new member clubs that have been allocated to the league for the new season. To open the meeting, League Chairman Paul Lawler welcomed all delegates at 11.00am prompt. After apologies were given, the minutes from the previous AGM were raised and adopted prior to moving on to the Chairman's Report. The report from the Chairman said it was another great season for football. He said that average gates were well up on previous years, with clubs giving value for money with quality to match. We should be well placed to attract football fans from higher up the pyramid. He then ran through successes of clubs. Vauxhall Motors won the Premier, with Avro also achieving promotion through the Step 4/5 Play-Off. He mentioned though how glad he was that the format has been scrapped with traditional play off's coming in. In the First Division North, Pilkington took the crown with Chadderton promoted in the Play Offs. In the First Division South it was Wythenshawe Amateurs who won it, with Cheadle Town promoted in the Play Offs. Our last remaining side in tie FA Cup was Bury AFC, and Paul was very proud that we had three Quarter Finalists in the FA Vase. Well done to Bury AFC, Congleton Town and West Didsbury & Chorlton for their success in the competition this season. Congratulations to Congleton Town and Bacup Borough on winning the respective league cups. Northwich Victoria won the Mid Cheshire Senior Cup, with Winsford Unitedas runners up. Credit to Congleton Town who became the first NWCFL side to win the Cheshire Senior Cup, and to Kendal Town who won the Westmorland Senior Cup. Also well done to Wythenshawe Town who were runners up in the Manchester Premier Cup. Sadly we do lose clubs. As well as Vauxhall and Avro, we say goodbye to Cleator Moor Celtic, Foley Meir and Rocester who were relegated from the First Division. It is with much sadness that we say goodbye to both and hopefully they can return to us for 2023/24. To replace these we have eight new clubs, four from the Northern Premier League, three from the County Feeder League and one from hiatus. He then wished the new clubs all the best on their new journey,. Then he came onto lateral movements. These come at a considerable cost, potentially putting their future in doubt. Winsford had to take voluntary relegation to secure the clubs future. With Uttoxeter getting a reprieve. This issue is one we have constantly raised with the FA. The lateral movement problem will not go away. Almost certainly, lateral movement end of 2023/24 from South Manchester sides or eastern sides. Current rules aren't fit for purpose and need changing. Paul said behaviour on the field continues to be a problem, verbal abuse and incidents . Also record number of dismissals from the technical area. He asked clubs to read and digest the Respect and Fair Play reports produced by Stewart Taylor. The standard of administration from some clubs is poor and creates significant work. Our league is about respect and friendship which some clubs seem to have forgotten. Administrative procedures were carried out which included adopting of standing orders, adopt the accounts for the financial year as well as reviewing the auditors report produced by Steve Conway. This technically concluded the league business for the 2022-23 season. Next was the exclusion of clubs, which in a long-standing tradition at the NWCFL, was a chance to say goodbye. Avro thanked people for advice that they have been given, its been a great journey and that he hoped not to see us in 12 months time. Cleator Moor Celtic said that they had made good friends over the last four years, they are now dropping to the West Lancs and that he hoped to see us soon. Congleton Town said that they had had the best season for quite a number of years, that they looked forward to making friends in the Midland League and that they would miss us all. Northwich Victoria echoed Congleton's thoughts, and said that it had been a tough few weeks. Its now a rebuild job and moving to the Midland League has put 149 years of football at stake. Finally Vauxhall Motors, who thanked the officers of the league for their help and to fellow member clubs for their hospitality and friendship. They then wished everyone all the best for the future, before all clubs left the room. The constitution of the league was then agreed, with 24 clubs in the Premier Division, 19 in the First Division North and 18 in the First Division South. This is subject to any FA appeals. As Paul pointed out, we have no choice these days but to accept it as it is decided nationally by the FA! The eight new clubs were then accepted into the league with representatives from Colne, Droylsden, Glossop North End, Market Drayton Town, Route One Rovers, Ramsbottom United, Shelley Community, Skelmersdale United. All took to the stage to say hello and to give a bit of information about their clubs to the room. The full make up of all three of our divisions at this present time is as follows: PREMIER DIVISION AFC Liverpool, Barnoldswick Town, Burscough, Bury (formerly Bury AFC), Chadderton, Charnock Richard, Cheadle Town, Colne, FC Isle of Man, Glossop North End, Irlam, Kendal Town, Longridge Town, Litherland Remyca, Lower Breck, Padiham, Pilkington, Prestwich Heys, Ramsbottom United, Skelmersdale United, Squires Gate, West Didsbury & Chorlton, Wythenshawe (formerly Wythenshawe Amateurs), Wythenshawe Town DIVISION ONE NORTH AFC Blackpool, Ashton Athletic, Ashton Town, Atherton LR, Bacup Borough, Daisy Hill, Darwen, Droylsden, Euxton Villa, FC St Helens, Garstang, Holker Old Boys, Ilkley Town, Nelson, Route One Rovers, Runcorn Town, South Liverpool, Shelley Community, Steeton DIVISON ONE SOUTH Abbey Hey, Abbey Hulton United, Alsager Town, Ashville, Barnton, Brocton, Cammell Laird 1907, Cheadle Heath Nomads, Eccleshall, Ellesmere Rangers, Maine Road, Market Drayton Town, New Mills, Sandbach United, Stafford Town, Stockport Georgians, Stockport Town, Winsford United The next item was the Life Members and the Election of Management Committee members. With the passing of Bob Eccles, the President position is vacant and we have had no nominations thus far. Four committee members were up for re-election who were Mick Ainsworth, Martin Fallon, Rob Goodwin-Davey and Chris Stirrup. All offered themselves for re-election to serve for a 3 year term will commence another period of office which will see them on the Management Committee until 2026. With no other nominations, all were duly elected. We did have a vacancy during the season. With Sue Hyde's departure the committee co-opted Charlie O'Brien. With no other nominations, a show of hands in the room formally elected Charlie to the League Management Committee. Administration for the new season was addressed with the FA Standardised rules reviewed and agreed. John Deal explained that we don't really have a lot of choice these days.One change for 2023/24 will be the introduction of a Match Arrangement Form similar to FA Competitions due to some disagreements in the past between clubs regarding admission prices. The fees tariffs was agreed. The one change from last season being a small increase in assistant referee's fees. The fines tariff was agreed, with no changes made. Next was confirmation of the League Insurance Scheme, and there have been no proposals for change there. This was followed by the re-appointment of auditors which was agreed. The Chairman then closed the Official Meeting at 11.45am.

A big congratulations to the guys who have created and developed the matchday programme, as they've only gone & done it again! 2022/23 NWCFL Premier Division Programme of the Year, two on the bounce! 🏆🏆 Led by editor-in-chief, Chris Saville 👏 Pictured last night (l-r) Andy Andrew Corns, Marcel De Matas & Mike Howarth who picked up the award at the AGM on behalf of the club.

We are looking for a hard-working, ambitious, natural leader to take on the exciting role of manager of our women’s elite team. This incredible squad have won back-to-back promotions and had a successful FA Cup run too. This season we are now in Tier 5, playing as the official Bury FC women’s team, at Gigg Lane. Applicants must have experience of managing a women’s team or in men’s football at a high level. Minimum of UEFA B qualification and a proven track record of developing players. To apply please email women@buryfc.co.uk and attach a CV and a cover letter, explaining why this job is for you. Applications close on Saturday 24th June. View the full article

Never again will you have to ask the question “Is the club shop open?” because we are excited to announce that your brand new online club shop will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! We’ve partnered with Hope + Glory to bring you some fantastic lines of Shakers merchandise including replica shirts, training gear, leisure wear and more. Our new member-selected home and away kits and training shirts are on sale NOW. A pre-orders window is open until midnight on Sunday 2nd July, when the first batch of orders will be sent for manufacturing to be with us as soon as possible and target for the first game of the season at the end of July. Further lines of merchandise will be added in the coming weeks so keep checking back at the shop or look out for our updates via email or on social media. Visit your new club shop by clicking on the image below, grab your Shakers gear and be #PartOfIt View the full article

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 View the full article

We are excited to welcome Redfox Countryside Services as sponsor for the 2023-2024 season. Redfox will be sponsoring the sleeves of both the home and away kits. Redfox is a leading environmental services company with over 20 years of experience in the field. They specialise in ecological management and restoration and have a proven track record of success. Redfox is committed to protecting the environment, and they are excited to partner with Bury FC to help promote sustainability and environmental awareness. Director Phil Sedman, spoke to buryfc.co.uk and was delighted to agree the deal: ‘As a life long Bury fan, we are extremely proud to be part of bringing good times back to Gigg Lane and can’t wait for season to start.” (Pictured) Phil Sedman with Manager Andy Welsh this week. 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 View the full article

This week’s Treasureline Winners for Week 3 – 14th June 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 LA1583 MR HESKETH £1000 RC0141 G WALKER £100 LL2500 N DIXON £50 LJ3417 M TAYLOR £50 BB1052 S ADAMS £25 HB4950 P FISHER £25 LJ3909 K LOWCOCK £10 PC1400 MRS HIND £10 WC4501 MRS MICKLEWRIGHT £10 HK3004 D THOMPSON £10 SB1418 P NICHOLS £10 PE5915 D SALISBURY £10 LJ6127 T MIDWOOD £10 HB2113 G FOX £10 MN5283 S WHITEFIELD £10 CB1866 W PARKINS £10 HD3819 J HERBERT View the full article on the Bury AFC website