In 1993, Mike Walsh and Stan Ternent decided they wanted to add some toughness to the Shakers’ midfield. When they noticed that Lenny Johnrose’s contract at Hartlepool United had come to an end, they swooped in to sign him. Having begun his career at Blackburn Rovers as a trainee, Lenny had come from good stock amongst the likes of Colin Hendry and Mark Patterson.
It was not just Ternent and Walsh who instantly recognised the potential Lenny had. He instantly became a fan favourite where he partnered Nicky Daws in midfield. The two had an immediate connection and complimented each other in a magical way that not many have seen at Bury. Lenny’s tough tackling and desire to battle brought the best out of those around him. He contributed with defensive duties and got more than his fair share of goals.
It was therefore unsurprising that Lenny stayed a Shaker for six seasons accumulating almost 200 appearances, and almost always one of the first names on the team sheet. Lenny was therefore a pivotal part of the historic promotion winning squad that rose from Division 3 to Division 1 in three consecutive seasons. As Lenny rose through the divisions, it became clear that he could not just hold his place but make life hard for any midfielder her came across.
From there, Lenny followed Stan Ternent to Burnley in 1999 where he maintained his status as Division 1 midfielder. Before making his way to Swansea City where he became a Legend amongst the fans and team, he did return to Bury for a short spell in the 2002/03 season. Playing under Andy Preece, he helped contribute to a play-off placed squad and brought smiles and happiness to the fans who were elated to see him put on a Bury shirt three years after departing. After helping Swansea avoid relegation from Division 3 and contributing some crucial goals, he returned back to Lancashire to clock up a final few appearances with Burnley before finally retiring in 2004.
After retiring, Lenny pursued more of his gifts by becoming a teacher. It was during his career as a teacher that he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. When the news emerged of Lenny’s condition, it sent ripples of emotion through the fanbases of all the clubs he played for. However, those emotions soon became those of pure inspiration as Lenny frequently showed his same battling spirit to confront the disease and turn his own situation into a wider mission to improve awareness for MND. After setting up Len Johnrose Trust, he campaigned up and down the country and made countless appearances to further his mission.
Lenny visited Gigg Lane and fundraisers on numerous occasions and made his family a part of his journey. As Bury fans it was always our honour and pleasure to welcome Lenny and his family to Gigg Lane. He brought a smile to the faces of fans as a reminder of our historic successes in the 1990s, and inspired us all to display determination and bravery when faced with adversity. His most recent visit came on Sunday 17th July when he attended a reunion of Bury FC Legends to play at Gigg Lane after the historic stadium became fan-owned in February. Playing against Burnley legends, the game brought almost 3,000 fans into the stadium to watch men’s football for the first time since 2019 when Bury FC were expelled from the EFL. Not only did this joyous occasion raise money for the restoration and redevelopment of the stadium which had been left dormant for three years, but it was also decided that 25% of the proceeds should go to Len Johnrose Trust as well.
Less than a month later, on August 15th we received the sad news that Lenny had died. Though he openly talked about dying in his various interviews, the news still came as a hammer blow, with all fans of his former clubs grieving for his loss. News and social media were awash with tributes and messages of condolences as football had lost a Legend.
One of the ways that Bury Football Club Supporters’ Society responded was by arranging another Legends match at Gigg Lane to celebrate the life and career of a footballing Legend. This time, it would be played against Legends from all of Len’s former clubs; Hartlepool United, Blackburn Rovers, Burnley and Swansea City. Not only that but it was decided without hesitation that all proceeds from the ticket sales should go in one direction and one direction only – the Len Johnrose Trust.
Lenny’s work while alive made a huge impact on a wide range of people and we recognise the important role that the Len Johnrose Trust played in their lives. We have now taken another step to recognising the amazing contributions made by Lenny Johnrose. Today we proudly unveil the ‘Len Johnrose Stand’ at Gigg Lane.
The Manchester Road End was built during the rise from Division 3 to Division 1 when Lenny was reaching the heights of his career. One of the most memorable heights was when Bury secured the title winners of Division 2 with a filled-to-capacity Gigg Lane by beating Millwall 2-0. When the second goal went in, it not only secured an unbeaten home record at Gigg Lane, but it sealed the Championship and was scored by none other than Lenny Johnrose and it was at the Manchester Road End.
All stadiums are filled with magical memories, and emblazoned at the top of the Manchester Road End we now have the name of a Shaker who brought so much joy and happiness to fans. The next part of the dream is seeing the Len Johnrose Stand packed from wall-to-wall with football fans, watching the Shakers play the beautiful game at Gigg Lane once again.
