Bury Football Club Supporters Society (formed in 2002) can update our members on progress since October.
In November we announced that following meetings between the working groups we would be seeking a second vote between the current two Bury Supporters Groups.
Despite our best efforts, talks with SCS have been very protracted. As previously stated we had been asked to consider allowing an application to be submitted for Bury AFC to change their name to Bury FC and a lease for Gigg Lane for next season. After meetings between Bury FCSS, Bury FC Benefactors and Bury Football Club Limited it was agreed that this should only happen following a successful second vote and as part of a merger process.
We have also suggested a meeting to try to facilitate assisting them by using Gigg Lane to complete their current season. As Bury AFC have many cancelled and rearranged fixtures we hoped this could help alleviate the pressures of finding alternative venues as seen in their recent FA Vase game at Darwen.
We, the working groups and the BFC Benefactors all agreed a merger was the best opportunity to unite a broken fanbase, and we remain fully committed to this, but as deadlines move closer and with no real timeline in place to complete a vote we have to look at what we need to do to comply with the Grant Fund Agreement (GFA). The GFA states there needs to be a Bury team playing at Gigg Lane however it does not state one sole team playing in Bury. As part of the GFA, BFCSS together with the working groups sought an agreement with SCS to bring senior men’s football back to Gigg Lane. This was agreed by all parties and put to the members in the first vote to merge both societies which would achieve the milestone of the GFA. BFCSS are happy to honour that agreement again by holding a second vote to enable bringing back senior men’s football, should SCS wish to do so. This agreement mentioned in the GFA has no deadline attached, therefore talks could continue to try to seek an agreement, whether that be a lease for 2024/25 or a future member vote on a merger. The lease agreement would allow local Bury businesses, restaurants, bars, and local pubs to benefit from weekly football being played at Gigg Lane.
We are hopeful the SCS and BFCSS can still get round the table and try to unite as one but due to their ongoing commitments, our own events, timelines and progressions within the stadium to maintain our General Safety Certificate, we have to assume this is going to be hard to achieve in the near future.
To ensure elite men’s football at Gigg Lane in the 2023/24 season we have today 26th January 2023 submitted an application for the National League System. Following meetings with the chairman of the relevant leagues last year, we sought additional advice and guidance from other long-standing clubs throughout the National League System on the appropriate evidence required. We do not anticipate formal response back from the leagues until promotion, relegation and league amendments have completed. We can assure our members that the application is a very complex process and an in-depth application has been completed along with support from individuals and other non-league clubs who have assisted with our budget plans.
If a successful second merger vote of members can happen in the next two months and the new interim board be formed to pave the way for elections onto the new CBS3, then this league application can be withdrawn at any time before the 31st March 2023, if necessary. BFCSS have taken advice and it is a legal requirement for both societies to hold the new vote at the same time. BFCSS stated December 2022 that we wished to run the new vote under the same agreed terms at the earliest opportunity, we have had no agreement from SCS for a date to do this.
We would like to make it clear to our members that we will continue to update with information that is factual and will not respond to social media hearsay. We would also like to encourage our members and the wider fan base to engage in what is happening at Gigg Lane!
Bury Football Club Supporters Society Board
