Five English Football League clubs have been named in a growing list of those that are in a financial crisis and now fans are fearing that ‘entire league could fall apart’.
The Telegraph spoke with Dave Giffard, the chairman of supporters group Forever Bury, who revealed that a WhatsApp group “Clubs in Crisis” has been set up by the fans of Bolton Wanderers.
It’s claimed Blackpool, Macclesfield Town and Coventry City have also been invited and since joined to talk about the difficulty they have all faced in recent years.
— Here's Jonny (@jonny_bass) August 15, 2019
There has been a huge amount of supportive messages towards Bury from those on the group, ‘his one source of consolation’.
Dave Giffard, who has raised thousands for the club, told the Telegraph: “I reckon all 72 EFL clubs are pretty unhealthy in the current model. There’s a dozen or so who are just needing a check up at the doctors. The rest are in hospital. Some are just on the wards. There’s probably about 15 in intensive care, and there’s us on life support – with somebody with their fingers on the plug switch. It will be like a bereavement for us fans if we go.
“If we go, I think we’ll be the first of many. The entire league could fall apart. It’s that fragile but they will not do anything about it as long as they can see fixtures are played.
“Anyone who googled Steve Dale could have seen within five minutes what he was about.
“An independent body should issue the licence and then the EFL can take that licence as read that this person is okay to take over a club. We’ve asked the league to meet with fans because at the moment we can’t talk to the chairman and we can’t talk to the EFL. We have no voice and yet we’re the ones affected the most. Fans just feel absolutely in despair, because we can’t do anything.”
Bury have just one week to save their EFL status and for owner Steve Dale, who has been with more than 20 troubled businesses, starts reassuring the league that they can prove the club’s financial visibility.
Dale bought the Shakers for just £1 in December, hasn’t provided proof that he can clear the creditors and pay his players – a large amount have since departed, a fair few joining up with promotion winning boss Ryan Lowe at League Two promotion favourites Plymouth Argyle.
Bury have so far had four league games suspended, the latest one being next Tuesday’s trip to Rotherham United along with the Carabao Cup First Round clash with Sheffield Wednesday.
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