Bury FC left in limbo after application is rejected by league

Bury FC have been left in limbo after their application to join the North West Counties Football League was rejected.

The Bury FC Supporters’ Society had applied to join the league, which represents the ninth and 10th tiers of English football, and wanted to play games at the former EFL club’s Gigg Lane stadium.

The original Bury FC were expelled from the EFL ahead of the 2019-20 season following financial difficulties, having just gained promotion into League One.

The Supporters’ Society had secured investment which enabled the Bury FC name, history, memorabilia and stadium to be bought out of administration.

They had aimed to begin climbing back up the football pyramid with the ambition to return to the EFL within a decade.

Bury FC’s application to join the North West Counties Football League has been rejected – the club was expelled from the EFL ahead of the 2019-20 season

The Bury FC Supporters’ Society had bought the original club’s name, history and stadium 

However, the North West Counties Football League (NWCFL) turned down their application because the business plan and governance structure did not fit their criteria.

The League were also reportedly unhappy Bury FC submitted their application only five days before the deadline of February 1.

‘They have not met our criteria,’ NWCFL vice-chairman Geoff Wilkinson told The Sun.

The Supporters Society will appeal the decision and will apply to join the West Lancashire League – a feeder division into the NWCFL.

However, that could reportedly be turned down on the basis that Bury FC’s large fanbase could cause safety concerns in a league where most grounds are little more than playing fields.

It could fall to the Football Association to determine which league Bury FC are placed in to.

A separate club called Bury AFC already play in the NWCFL and play games at Stainton Park, the home of Radcliffe Borough.

Bury FC hoped to play under their original name and wanted to play games at Gigg Lane 

A Bury fan outside the gates of Gigg Lane after the club was kicked out the EFL in August 2019

This phoenix club won promotion as champions from Division One North of the NWCFL into the Premier Division last season and are presently fifth in the table.

Bury AFC are owned by the Shakers Community Society and there has been a  sometimes bitter divide between the various groups.

Last October, supporters were urged to vote in a poll to amalgamate the Shakers Community Society and the Bury FC Supporters’ Society to form The Football Supporters’ Society of Bury.

Had this happened, the team would have played at Gigg Lane under the Bury FC name.

However, the proposal failed to reach the required 66 per cent threshold from both societies.