What a emotional 24 hours it’s been for English football, yesterday morning both Bury and Bolton Wanderers fans woke up praying they would have takeovers accepted later that day, but it wasn’t to be for one.
Bury supporters volunteered to get the ground scrubbed up, ready as if they were to finally about to play their first league match since winning promotion from League Two.
⚪️? Thank you everyone, this is overwhelming #buryfc pic.twitter.com/xOBn58EeVR
— Bury Football Club (@buryfcofficial) August 27, 2019
The #BuryFC matchday programme that will never be.
It features Shakers fan of 70 years Kenny Hindle who'd been turning up at Gigg Lane everyday wanting news on the future of the club. https://t.co/3OYvLPQrSI— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) August 28, 2019
Though just a hour or so away from EFL’s deadline, their proposed takeover collapsed, meaning the worst outcome looked set to be announced.
After hours of discussion and trying to get a deal done, 11pm came about, fans were outside stadiums waiting to hear the slightest bit of news.
Shakers fans fell to their knees after finding out that they had been expelled by the EFL for failing in their bid to secure a buyer for the club.
For Bolton, it was announced that they have 14 days to find a buyer or prove they have the funds to complete the season.
Supporters then spoke to Sky Sports – who was slammed for displaying a transfer deadline day type clock to the countdown of whether both clubs of still have a future in the EFL of not – with many urging someone to come in a protect Gigg Lane, guaranteeing that it would have 3,000 fans if the club could come back either as a phoenix club from if they work their way back up the pyramid.
"Please, please save this ground"
A Bury fan pleads for someone to save his club after they were expelled from the EFL. pic.twitter.com/6ehrKJ5sRH
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 27, 2019
This is what is we are faced with at Gigg Lane.
It’s raining and the fans are in tears. #BuryFC pic.twitter.com/aZywjOAUmV
— Mike Minay (@MikeMinay) August 27, 2019
So with that in mind, how does Bury’s expulsion affect the league structure going forward and what happens now at the club?
LEAGUE STRUCTURE:
The EFL had stated:
– The current League One season would be completed with 23 teams, with the number of relegation places reduced to three.
– Four teams will still be promoted from League Two this season, ensuring League One is rebalanced in 2020-21.
– Only one team will be relegated from League Two, with two to be promoted from the National League as usual.
WHAT NOW FOR BURY:
Right now, no one whether it be the fans, staff and players know what will happened to the founding member of the EFL or the stadium.
The league has also said if the Shakers were expelled the club would “be free to make an application to the Football Association to rejoin league competition further down the English football pyramid from season 2020-21”.
Just received the news. Absolutely devastated for everyone . My thoughts go out to all the fans . Who i have developed a special bond with. Still can’t believe it. ??? it’s best I hold my tongue at this moment . Thank you to everyone and thank you for the memories Bury FC ? pic.twitter.com/2ElUf8cq0z
— neil danns (@dannzy1) August 27, 2019
Whilst fans take in the depressing news, Bury captain Neil Danns told talkSPORT: “I would say look what you’ve done.
“This should never have happened. If you thought you could not move this club forward in a positive way you should never have taken over because you’ve literally destroyed lives, because that’s what this football club meant to so many fans.
“Serious questions have got to be asked.”
“When you see the devastation of the fans I just think I have to say something,” he said. “It’s unbelievable. I still can’t believe it.
“We have been in as normal, training. I don’t think anyone really believed that this was going to happen.
“We were just preparing every single week as though the next game was going to be on, the next game was going to be on.
“For it to happen so suddenly, it’s still really unbelievable. For a club with so much history and that has added so much to the league, for it to just be gone like that is just unimaginable.”
“I’ve come to have a special bond with the fans and created some amazing memories, especially last year.
“At this moment in time I just feel for them the most because you have got people who have been going to the game for years. It’s like every story, you go to the game with your Grandad, your Mum, your Dad, your brothers, it’s such a community. It means so much to people.
“For me, it’s starting to hit me harder because I have got young sons myself. I know what it is like to take them to watch my boyhood team Liverpool and the bond that gives us. To see that taken away from future fans is just devastating.
“Football brings not just football on the pitch but it is so much more than that. This whole situation just does not feel real.”
After finding out Bury’s fate, but also listened to what the fans had to say when talking with Sky Sports on the club’s future, social media users took to give their reaction – see what they had to say on the next page.
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