Bury News Feed

The club are delighted to confirm our second summer signing of defender Gareth Peet. The 33-year-old joins the club after leaving Atherton Collieries in May, for which he is the record appearance holder at the club. Peet made 36 appearances for the club in his final season, scoring twice, the latter of which was on the final day of the season, which was his 50th goal for the club. He joined Colls in 2010, having previously played for Skelmersdale United. Gaz is described as a tricky wing-back with a killer eye from free-kicks. Upon signing for the club, Peet said: “I am really excited to be signed, the history of the club and also the chance to help the club progress on the pitch is the main reason I’ve signed, I want to get promoted in front of all the fans is the aim.” Manager, Andy Welsh added: “Gaz is someone I’ve been monitoring for years now. He has an unbelievable engine to get up and down the pitch joining in attacks but also most importantly defensively very hard to beat. “He has come from a much higher level and offers us the experience we need at the club to build on and add competition to an already very strong group of players and I’m pretty sure if he performs like we know he can he is a player that will be a firm fans favourite with his hard working performances.” Peet joins Benito Lowe in joining the club this summer, alongside Jack Atkinson, Lewis Gilboy & Connor Comber who have also signed for the 2023/24 season. View the full article

Bury FC are delighted to confirm the first summer signing, 25-year-old forward Benito Lowe, who has signed a contract ahead of the 2023/24 season. Lowe joins the club with a wealth of experience in the local non-league pyramid, having played 34 games for Wythenshawe Town last season, scoring 22 goals. Football runs in the family, with his late dad Gary managing Curzon Ashton to the FA Cup first round & Hyde United to the National League North. In his youth, Benito spent time at Sheffield United and was also attracting attention from fellow league clubs, Portsmouth & Fleetwood. Before his time at Wythenshawe Town, most of his non-league career had been spent at New Mills he made 76 appearances over four seasons, before joining Curzon Ashton in 2022. Lowe made six appearances for the Nash at the start of the 2022/23 season before joining Wythenshawe Town. He’s also registered appearances for Abbey Hey, Ashton United & Skelmersdale. Benito Lowe pictured with his mum at Gigg Lane following his signing. Benito spoke of how Gigg Lane was a massive attraction to him joining the club. “It was a no-brainer for me really, and I solidified my decision when I turned up [at Gigg Lane] with my mum, and looked out onto the pitch. “Everyone knows, we shouldn’t be where we’re playing, and we’ve got ambitions this year to win the league and hopefully it’s a stepping stone for all of us.” “Everything about the place, I can’t wait to get going now.” Manager, Andy Welsh commented on his first summer signing. “Benito has had a fantastic year at Wythenshawe, he’s someone that came on the radar when he was at New Mills in the previous season. Andy Welsh (left) shaking hands with new signing Benito Lowe (right) “It’s his overall game, he knows he’s coming here to learn more about his game. He could be a really good addition and someone that the fans should get excited about.” View the full article

Jack is Back! The 22-year-old Welsh shot-stopper has been integral to Andy Welsh’s side over the past two seasons, clocking up 98 appearances. Atkinson signed for the club in July 2021 and has been a fan favourite ever since. Making the big saves along the way and can’t forget banging the drum in the Isle of Man. Last season he picked up the North West Counties Division One North Goalkeeper of the Year award. Jack’s aims are clear to see ahead of the new campaign. “I want to get another promotion with this club, as I’ve really enjoyed my time with the club and I’ve been given the opportunity for another season with the club and I’m absolutely buzzing to be at a new stadium. With it being three or four years since the first competitive game that’s going to be played here, the place is going to be absolutely rocking for the majority of the season. If we are hitting good form like we have been for the last two seasons, I’m sure it will be a really good place to be for the next season.” #PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether View the full article

We are delighted to extend the contract of winger Connor Comber. The 23-year-old joined the club in August after leaving Atherton LR and signed a contract in December until the end of the 2022/23 season, which has been extended for a further year. Comber knocked up 45 appearances last season, with the second most goal contributions amongst the squad, scoring 18 goals and supplying five assists. He’s also been on-trial in the last 18 months at EFL side Queens Park Rangers, so he’s a player we are delighted to retain. “I can’t wait to get going, it’s going to be big, very big. I want to get as many goals as I possibly can and I want to lift everyone here that’s watching.” View the full article

We are happy to announce the Lewis Gilboy has extended his stay with the Shakers putting pen to paper for the coming season. The 23-year-old joined the club in August 2020 after being released by Accrington Stanley. He also had non-league experience before coming to join Andy Welsh’s team after playing 10 games for City of Liverpool just before the pandemic in March 2020. Lewis had the most goal contributions last season, with 32. Scoring 22 and assisting a further 10. He’s also the second highest on the appearance charts with a 105 apperances. “I have had a good few seasons with Bury, with things happening and the club moving forward as a whole. We’ve got goals that we want to be hitting for next season, as a team he [Andy Welsh] wants me in that side and I want to be a part of it. It’s going to be a massive season for us and hopefully with some silverware at the end of it.” #PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether View the full article

In the words of Lionel Richie, we are delighted to confirm three players that have extended their contracts for the 2023/24 season. Starting with the No.1, it’s Jack Atkinson. The 22-year-old Welsh shot-stopper has been integral to Andy Welsh’s side over the past two seasons, clocking up 98 appearances. Atkinson signed for the club in July 2021 and has been a fan favourite ever since. Making the big saves along the way and can’t forget banging the drum in the Isle of Man. Last season he picked up the North West Counties Division One North Goalkeeper of the Year award. Jack’s aims are clear to see ahead of the new campaign. “I want to get another promotion with this club, as I’ve really enjoyed my time with the club and I’ve been given the opportunity for another season with the club and I’m absolutely buzzing to be at a new stadium. With it being three or four years since the first competitive game that’s going to be played here, the place is going to be absolutely rocking for the majority of the season. If we are hitting good form like we have been for the last two seasons, I’m sure it will be a really good place to be for the next season.” From the backline to the forward line, we are delighted to extend the contract of winger Connor Comber. The 23-year-old joined the club in August after leaving Atherton LR and signed a contract in December until the end of the 2022/23 season, which has been extended for a further year. Comber knocked up 45 appearances last season, with the second most goal contributions amongst the squad, scoring 18 goals and supplying five assists. He’s also been on-trial in the last 18 months at EFL side Queens Park Rangers, so he’s a player we are delighted to retain. “I can’t wait to get going, it’s going to be big, very big. I want to get as many goals as I possibly can and I want to lift everyone here that’s watching.” Another player that’s re-signed from the forward line is Lewis Gilboy. The 23-year-old joined the club in August 2020 after being released by Accrington Stanley. He also had non-league experience before coming to join Andy Welsh’s team after playing 10 games for City of Liverpool just before the pandemic in March 2020. Lewis had the most goal contributions last season, with 32. Scoring 22 and assisting a further 10. He’s also the second highest on the appearance charts with a 105 apperances. “I have had a good few seasons with Bury, with things happening and the club moving forward as a whole. We’ve got goals that we want to be hitting for next season, as a team he [Andy Welsh] wants me in that side and I want to be a part of it. It’s going to be a massive season for us and hopefully with some silverware at the end of it.” Manager Andy Welsh commented on the three contract extensions. “Lewis and Jack have had two really good seasons with us, proved themselves at these levels both in performances and off the field. Connor came in last year and he’s been an absolute revelation. We are expecting all of those to kick on again, and I think it’s important that fans can relate to players on the pitch.” #PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether | #BuryFC View the full article

Whilst Andy Welsh is already preparing for the 2023/24 season, we wanted fans to learn more about the man who will be managing the Shakers for this exciting time ahead. Welsh’s football pedigree goes right back to 2001 when he began his professional playing career at Stockport County. From there he went to progress right up to the top tier, playing in the Premier League for Sunderland. His career saw him play for many other clubs, and even saw him be part of Toronto FC’s inaugural season. He first became a manager at Ossett United. Welsh then joined Bury AFC in 2020 and the Manchester–born manager achieved promotion in their first full season as Champions of NWCFL Division One North. Welsh managed 101 games for Bury AFC, amassing 69 wins with a 74.55% win ratio and an eye–watering goal difference of +122. When asked about the footballing philosophies he will be instilling at Gigg Lane, Welsh said, “Wherever I go, I want to win games.” He demands “High–energy entertaining football” and acknowledges the community and town who come to watch the games. “(The fans) don’t pay all their hard–earned money to come and watch a lethargic team that sits behind a ball. We go and get after it, and we make life hard for the opponents.” Though Welsh has enjoyed success up to date, he is well aware of how the situation has changed. Following the successful amalgamation of Bury FC Supporters’ Society and Bury AFC, Welsh knows that those Bury fans who have not attended AFC games are a big part of this exciting journey. “It’ll be like Christmas time again. We want all those good feelings to come back for everybody. It’s about everybody coming together now. The history is always going to be there. It’s never going to go, but what we are in charge of now is creating our own future together.” There are many jobs to do in order to start building for the future. For Welsh, the first on his list is recruitment. While three players (Lewis Gilboy, Jack Atkinson and Connor Comber) carry through their contracts from Bury AFC, Welsh is already in the thick of attracting new players to the club. With his attitude towards winning clear, one of his main priorities is making sure whoever he signs would know the significance of playing for Bury Football Club. “It’s a privilege. It’s an honour. Any player that pulls that football shirt on has to feel the same, but most of all we have to enjoy it together.” Working together is something Welsh is passionate about. He will require the same of the squad he assembles. “It’s about making sure that the group of players we bring in work together and gel together. We’ve got to get used to playing together here at Gigg as well. My job as manager, our job as staff, is to get players used to playing at this club as quickly as they can, and to enjoy it as well.” Playing at Gigg Lane is something Welsh wants his players to go to sleep “dreaming about”. However, he knows the opposition will be no different. “We are everyone’s cup final. Everyone will want to come here and beat us.” Welsh knows the challenge ahead, but his focus remains on looking upwards. “We go into leagues to win them. We want to get promoted – no doubt about it.” Above all else, Welsh recognises the club is now fan–owned and the importance of working together is essential to success. From his time managing Bury AFC, he knows the value of creating a collaborative ethos. “One thing we built there was a fantastic family–orientated football club that got behind the players week in, week out.” With pre–season around the corner, Welsh wants fans to show no hesitation in helping the effort on and off the field. “Everyone is part of it. Everyone is going to be in a position to do their bit of getting us up the leagues, getting us into a position where we can fight back where the club used to be. It’s not about it starting tomorrow, we need everyone today. Everyone in the community coming together and spreading the word that Bury are back at Gigg Lane.” As we look forward to Bury back at Gigg Lane in August, Welsh is calling on everyone to be part of it. “We all now have to work together to get this football club back to where it belongs.” #PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether | #AndyWelsh View the full article

We are pleased to announce the results of our member vote on the kit designs and colours for the new season as we head into the 2023/24 season. As we reported when the kit vote went live last month, the team at Hope + Glory had headed into the Bury footballing archives to bring the supporters three new kit designs to choose from for both home and away kits. On the vote selection was also the question as to whether our new home kit would be trimmed in either ‘Royal’ or ‘Navy’ blue. We are delighted to report that next season’s kits are displayed below. We will be in Royal blue with selection No.2 winning in both cases! The background to the Hope + Glory EcoKit design can be found on our piece from last month here. As a reminder to all supporters, we are due to keep the home kit design for two seasons, with the chosen away kit in place for only a season to allow us the ability to only change one kit at a time in future. Our online shop should be up and running as soon as possible to enable supporters to place their order for the new kit! So keep your eyes glued to our social media for updates on this. #ShakersTogether | #PartOfIt View the full article

The launch of a new website for a new start. Since the results of the amalgamation vote were confirmed in May, with a resounding percentage of the support wanting to see football being played out of Gigg Lane in 2023/24 and following yesterday’s announcement that the name Bury Football Club can be used also, the media groups across the two separate entities have come together for a ‘New Start’ for football in the town of Bury. A fundamental part of spreading this message will be centred on our media output, with this website being a base for all of this. Wherever you are following from, make sure you keep it here for all your club updates. In readiness for the switch of name back to Bury Football Club, we are delighted to be back on the familiar buryfc.co.uk domain. There will be further updates to all areas in the coming weeks, where we will add access to season tickets, match fixtures and tables, on-line shop, history, contacts pages and membership logins. Please be patient while these changes are put into action. We look forward to bringing these to you as the new season draws closer. On social media, the teams have also worked hard to secure previous account details, which in some cases had either become dormant or unrecoverable post-2019. We have utilised these where possible and brought a consistent approach to the account names, with our men’s and women’s sides represented separately, where this works for covering each respective matchday output. You can connect with us across all of our social media channels below. Men’s First Team Women’s First Team Follow us here Men’s First Team Women’s First Team Subscribe Here Follow Us Here Connect With Us Here Whatever your background, come with us on this journey. We know you’re going to love it! If you want to be #PartOfIt in any way, contact the media department via our email address at media@buryfc.co.uk. #PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether View the full article

We are delighted to confirm that Bury Football Club will be back playing at Gigg Lane for the new season. The FA have now confirmed that the name Bury Football Club can be used in competition, and a squad is ready to start the 2023/24 season in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division. The club will use its full name, Bury Football Club, and the abbreviated Bury FC where appropriate. Where team names have a suffix, we will use Bury FC in the team name, for example Bury FC Reserves, Bury FC Women. The North West Counties Football League will simply show ‘Bury’ in all fixture lists and league table, in accordance with their convention. We want to thank all the people and organisations that have made this possible and who continue to support us on and off the pitch. Please join us on our adventure and become a member to help fund the club and allow you a say on how it is run. Everyone is welcome to join us on our wonderful journey. Up the Shakers and see you in July! #PartOfIt | #ShakersTogether View the full article

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

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

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

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

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 above links. 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

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

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, 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 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

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

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

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 of SCS HERE Become a Member BFCSS 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 View the full article

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

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

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

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

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