Bolton / Bury On The Brink (Merged)

[CyderInACan]

47 minutes ago, bcfcredandwhite said:

Weren’t Dagenham and Redbridge local rivals who didn’t really like each other, but merged so they could pool resources and have a shot at getting into the football league? It does happen. 

Can you imagine the scenes if Streatham Rovers and Dynamo Catford were ever forced to merge. 

[BS2 Red]

2 hours ago, walnutroof said:

Whilst it may be too late for Bolton and possibly Bury the authorities need to get their act together to stop these situations happening, imposing a salary cap for example and ensuring there aren’t any ridiculous loopholes 

Also i’d like to see some sort of levy imposed as sort of a membership fee of the top 4 divisions. If 1% of turnover and tv money went into a centrally managed fund this could go towards grassroots as well as issuing grants to make it more of a level playing field. If clubs refuse to pay this fee then they should be kicked out of the league and it’s only really the top 6 clubs who’d threaten to break away if this happened 

True but if those 6 did break away then it would destroy the entire league system.  The money will always follow the likes of Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool. 

In the long run it might not be a bad thing if the top 6 buggered off to a European superleague, but in the short term it would cause chaos in the leagues as the money dried up and clubs started going bust. 

[samo II]

1 hour ago, Sydneybcfc said:

Salary caps don't work much better, over here in the NRL they're frequently being rorted. Things like the players girlfriends getting paid 100k a year to work for 1hr behind the clubhouse bar, lots of owners and private sponsors paying brown envelopes outside the system to top players.

Unfortunately human greed will always find away around most of the rules, i guess all you can make is the punishment for getting caught not worth doing the cheating in the first place.

Only way it really works is in ‘closed systems’ like the NFL, but there isn’t really any prospect of that happening in English football.

I agree that imposing one on the UK isn’t likely a viable solution, and regardless; the FFP rules we have haven’t stopped clubs falling into this position.

Chasing promotion/glory is an expensive business, and with the rewards for reaching the promised land so great, clubs will take risks.

Someone mentioned Villa above; they threw everything they had at getting back up and succeeded, while Stoke look to have failed - I’m curious as to how the Potters are doing ‘under the hood’ as carrying players like Butland who must be on very decent wages while looking miles off promotion can’t be good for them.

[BCFC11]

Aswell as the owners of these clubs how have no shame whatsoever the EFL are just as bad for letting people like them takeover in the first place. Look into their worthless ‘fit and proper test’ and it states the EFL can’t take anything into account from potential new owners financial history from more than 8 years previous. Why they have that I do not know, looking at their history especially Anderson’s he shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a football club.

[Bristol Rob]

37 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

Can you imagine the scenes if Streatham Rovers and Dynamo Catford were ever forced to merge. 

They'd fight like Cat and Dog 

[Bristol Rob]

Going back to the comments about salary caps (and apologies of it has already been mentioned).

During their last season or so in the Championship, Bolton were under a salary cap as part of their embargo.

[CotswoldRed]

7 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

Going back to the comments about salary caps (and apologies of it has already been mentioned).

During their last season or so in the Championship, Bolton were under a salary cap as part of their embargo.

Good point, but it was kind of "after the horse has bolted". 

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

Good point, but it was kind of "after the horse has bolted". 

Unsure about that, in 2017/18 so far as we can see they broke even or made a profit- if not, where the cash went because salary cap, rise in income from promotion, released players and £6m for Madine- it enabled them to get through the season.

Perhaps they needed a 'Madine' type sale each season and that's just in the Championship- yet their overall losses and indeed debt by Championship standards are very low- at best Anderson put next to nothing in it would seem.

This thread once read in full helps pick out the key bits.

At minimum, he and his family took £650,000 in consultancy fees it'd seem in his first season alone.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

Could be the end for both?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/08/26/bolton-bury-hours-collapse-deals-save-clubs-liquidation-hanging/

[miketh2nd]

20 hours ago, foghornred said:

Bury and Bolton going bust because of non football people owners who have no right to own a club, THANK GOD THAT WE HAVE AN OWNER WHO IS ONE OF THE BEST STEVE LANSDOWN 

Easier said that done... I dont think its Boltons current owners fault they made such big debts whilst in the prem...

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 minutes ago, miketh2nd said:

Easier said that done... I dont think its Boltons current owners fault they made such big debts whilst in the prem...

If the PL debt was written off- which it was, then how is it affecting them now? Debt write off was supposed to be a fresh start, a final roll of the dice.

Btw check out admittedly may be outdated management accounts- according to Kieran Maguire the administrators payment is £340.77 per hour- very nice work if you can get it?

Still maybe it's fairly standard in that world- is a complex job no doubt.

You might want to look at Championship debts and owners if they ever decided to call in their full investment.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Mr Popodopolous

[Bristol Rob]

13 minutes ago, miketh2nd said:

Easier said that done... I dont think its Boltons current owners fault they made such big debts whilst in the prem...

But those debts were all written off. Some time back.

[Curr Avon]

19 hours ago, Swede said:

Gigg Lane would be ideal for a small club like the sags

Under pay as you play. They could call it, 'The Gigg Economy'.

[Silvio Dante]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2019/aug/27/david-squires-on-bolton-bury-and-the-threat-to-our-football-clubs?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

Squires. Always worth reading for the (sometimes gallows) humour but the last frame really sums this up

[Up The City!]

5 hours ago, bcfcredandwhite said:

I feel sorry for the fans. They haven’t spent beyond their means. They just buy their tickets and merchandise from their clubs, plus all the expense it takes going to and from watching their team play, and hope that the powers that be use their hard earned money sensibly to take their club forward. 
Those owners are not fans. If their venture goes wrong they will simply move on. 
Real shame that this has been allowed to happen. Football is in the blood - we all know that. I may be in the minority here, but wouldn’t even wish this on the Sags. It’s a sad day for football - but also English culture - when a football club folds.

I can remember this happening to Chester City, Hereford United and Newport County - it’s taken how many years for Newport to climb back into the league (?) but as far as I know the other 2 clubs are still out of business (happy to be corrected on this - not Googled it!!  )

(No idea how the text size changed half way through this - and can’t work out how to standardise it  )

I'm sorry but yes I do wish it on the sags because they are a horrible football club and their fanbase is rotten to the core.

If Bury or Bolton were closer then no doubt they would be after their stadiums, whilst trying to get someone else to pay for it.

[Up The City!]

13 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Ok, so let’s assume Bolton and Bury merge and the new club is called Bury Wanderers playing in Bolton - how many Bury fans do you think would consider the new entity to be ‘their club’ ?! And how many Bolton fans would support a team called Bury Wanderers?! You haven’t thought this through - way back a proposal was put forward to merge Reading and Oxford under the name Thames Valley Royals - if you were a Reading or Oxford fan would you have supported ‘that’ ?!

Way back, a proposal was also out forward to merge Bury, Rochdale and Oldham, to be called Manchester North End, 20 years down the line and you could say that idea wasn't that bad of an idea.

[Always Believesham]

34 minutes ago, Up The City! said:

Way back, a proposal was also out forward to merge Bury, Rochdale and Oldham, to be called Manchester North End, 20 years down the line and you could say that idea wasn't that bad of an idea.

20 years ago, Oldham & Bury were both 2nd Tier clubs and Rochdale hadn't been promoted or relegated for 30 years (the epitome of stability on the face of things! I know they were probably riddled with debt and a dilapidated stadium). Wigan, Swansea, Reading & Cardiff have all seen a decent rise up the footballing pyramid since then - it could also be said that running a modest football club sustainably isn't that bad of an idea, that's not down to the fans.

This country has the appetite to sustain more than 100 professional football clubs & most prove their worth to their communities every year. Rushden & Diamonds, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hayes & Yeading were all non-league and had to pool resources to make a step up, I do think they brought more to the community as a joint entity than as 2 individual teams [happy to stand corrected]. I'm not even sure Hayes & Yeading did much more than tread water - I think that merger was a necessity because of finances.

I don't think one would gain even as much as the other two towns(?) would lose in this scenario, let alone do any more for the area.

A well run club should be the pride of a town which can be relied upon to have its fair share of joys and disappointments, bumper crowds and leaner seasons - they should not have to empty their pockets to support it when the next failed businessman risks everything for an ego trip and it doesn't work.

It happens time and again, just when you think football is beginning to learn

 

[foghornred]

You only have to Google it the Bury owner has been in charge of loads of companies that have gone bust he should never have been able to take over a Football club with that record

[Mr Popodopolous]

37 minutes ago, foghornred said:

You only have to Google it the Bury owner has been in charge of loads of companies that have gone bust he should never have been able to take over a Football club with that record

Don't think Ken Anderson at Bolton's track record pre buying them is especially shining either.

Two- at best- grossly incompetent, and definitely unfit and improper persons to run football clubs.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Mr Popodopolous

[bcfcredandwhite]

5 hours ago, TomF said:

Rushden & Diamonds were the merger of two teams.. who then went bust when the owner stopped funding them.

Ah yes. I stand corrected. Thanks.  

[bcfcredandwhite]

5pm today then........

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2019/august/statement-on-behalf-of-paul-appleton-joint-administrator-for-bolton-wanderers4/

 

[CotswoldRed]

1 minute ago, bcfcredandwhite said:

5pm today then........

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2019/august/statement-on-behalf-of-paul-appleton-joint-administrator-for-bolton-wanderers4/

 

When they get a 14 day notice to prove funds. 

This goes on forever. 

[The Nest Egg]

25 minutes ago, foghornred said:

You only have to Google it the Bury owner has been in charge of loads of companies that have gone bust he should never have been able to take over a Football club with that record

The worst thing is that he failed the fit and proper persons test and yet the EFL still let him buy the club.

I would say they have a lot to answer for but we’ve already had enough of their woolly statements. It’s time they took action. No wonder Shaun Harvey ran away before this crisis came to its peak

[samo II]

3 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

When they get a 14 day notice to prove funds. 

This goes on forever. 

I thought that too, though I did hear it said that in those 14 days they can’t be taken over, and it would be near impossible for them to currently offer proof that they could continue.

At this stage it is all proper confusing though, so not really sure of what will take place. If two league one sides fold will play havoc with the league tbh.

[CotswoldRed]

5 minutes ago, samo II said:

I thought that too, though I did hear it said that in those 14 days they can’t be taken over, and it would be near impossible for them to currently offer proof that they could continue.

At this stage it is all proper confusing though, so not really sure of what will take place. If two league one sides fold will play havoc with the league tbh.

Maybe that would force the current owner's hand? I wonder if he has the cash but just doesn't want to inject anything. 

Who knows what he stands to lose/gain depending on the scenario. 

[Red-Robbo]

On 26/08/2019 at 12:07, Davefevs said:

You could call them BUR-TON

As Bolton are the Trotters and Bury the Shakers, will this new club be the Shatters?

[Up The City!]

39 minutes ago, solihull cider red said:

20 years ago, Oldham & Bury were both 2nd Tier clubs and Rochdale hadn't been promoted or relegated for 30 years (the epitome of stability on the face of things! I know they were probably riddled with debt and a dilapidated stadium). Wigan, Swansea, Reading & Cardiff have all seen a decent rise up the footballing pyramid since then - it could also be said that running a modest football club sustainably isn't that bad of an idea, that's not down to the fans.

This country has the appetite to sustain more than 100 professional football clubs & most prove their worth to their communities every year. Rushden & Diamonds, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hayes & Yeading were all non-league and had to pool resources to make a step up, I do think they brought more to the community as a joint entity than as 2 individual teams [happy to stand corrected]. I'm not even sure Hayes & Yeading did much more than tread water - I think that merger was a necessity because of finances.

I don't think one would gain even as much as the other two towns(?) would lose in this scenario, let alone do any more for the area.

A well run club should be the pride of a town which can be relied upon to have its fair share of joys and disappointments, bumper crowds and leaner seasons - they should not have to empty their pockets to support it when the next failed businessman risks everything for an ego trip and it doesn't work.

It happens time and again, just when you think football is beginning to learn

 

The issue is, can greater Manchester sustain all the teams they have in the area? 

20 years on and there is now two huge Manchester clubs that will draw support from far and wide. Personally I don't think all these greater Manchester clubs will be able to continue in their current form.

Wigan, Reading, Cardiff and Swansea all rose up the football pyramid because of investment. Unfortunately the Burys and Rochdale's of this world are not that attractive of an investment as those clubs were, due to living in the shadow of the huge Manchester clubs. 

[CotswoldRed]

1 minute ago, Up The City! said:

The issue is, can greater Manchester sustain all the teams they have in the area? 

20 years on and there is now two huge Manchester clubs that will draw support from far and wide. Personally I don't think all these greater Manchester clubs will be able to continue in their current form.

Wigan, Reading, Cardiff and Swansea all rose up the football pyramid because of investment. Unfortunately the Burys and Rochdale's of this world are not that attractive of an investment as those clubs were, due to living in the shadow of the huge Manchester clubs. 

So long as the crowds are big enough then yes. 

Bolton is also under significant pressure from the change in their demographic too. Lets just say the local population is less likely to attend football than would have done 30/40 years ago. 

Nothing wrong with that, just the way it is. 

[Loderingo]

9 minutes ago, Up The City! said:

The issue is, can greater Manchester sustain all the teams they have in the area? 

20 years on and there is now two huge Manchester clubs that will draw support from far and wide. Personally I don't think all these greater Manchester clubs will be able to continue in their current form.

Wigan, Reading, Cardiff and Swansea all rose up the football pyramid because of investment. Unfortunately the Burys and Rochdale's of this world are not that attractive of an investment as those clubs were, due to living in the shadow of the huge Manchester clubs. 

Leyton Orient are another one who have found life tough in the shadow of bigger teams.  Teams like Yeovil and FGR are small clubs but they don't particularly have any local competition.

Our own relative success vs Rovers has seen us grow our combine share of local fans.  If you think at one point it was nearer 50/50 and it is now 75% City, 25% Rovers

[Up The City!]

 

19 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

So long as the crowds are big enough then yes. 

Bolton is also under significant pressure from the change in their demographic too. Lets just say the local population is less likely to attend football than would have done 30/40 years ago. 

Nothing wrong with that, just the way it is. 

Rochdale 3,574 (record average attendance)

Oldham 4,264

Bury 3,845

Bolton 15,887

Wigan 11,661

Salford 2,489

Are those average attendances from last season really big enough and sustainable?

 

[Drew Peacock]

I do wonder why the Neville brothers got involved with Salford rather than Bury, a club with a stand named after their Dad and whose mother worked as Club Secretary for many, many years.

[ChippenhamRed]

2 hours ago, Up The City! said:

I'm sorry but yes I do wish it on the sags because they are a horrible football club and their fanbase is rotten to the core.

If Bury or Bolton were closer then no doubt they would be after their stadiums, whilst trying to get someone else to pay for it.

Hate this attitude. Of course we all love to hate Rovers but I would always draw the line at wishing them out of existence.

I know plenty of Rovers fans and they’re not all “rotten to the core”. They’re ordinary people who enjoy football and love their club. They’re colleagues, fellow parents at the school, old school mates, even friends. It’s their misfortune that they follow the one they do, but at least they are backing a local team. We have plenty of less desirable characters amongst our own support - how would you like to be tarred with the same brush as them?

I enjoy banter with my Rovers-supporting friends, I laugh at their tinpot club in their tinpot ground...but I don’t want their club not to exist. It means something to them and I can respect that. And I would miss the rivalry.

If you genuinely consider ALL supporters of a rival club to be “rotten” people, I would suggest football means too much to you.

[Drew Peacock]

7 minutes ago, Up The City! said:

 

Rochdale 3,574 (record average attendance)

Oldham 4,264

Bury 3,845

Bolton 15,887

Wigan 11,661

Salford 2,489

Are those average attendances from last season really big enough and sustainable?

 

 

If 15,887 isn't sustainable then there are around 10 clubs in the Championship at risk and virtually all of L1 and L2.

[Fatalist]

29 minutes ago, Up The City! said:

The issue is, can greater Manchester sustain all the teams they have in the area? 

20 years on and there is now two huge Manchester clubs that will draw support from far and wide. Personally I don't think all these greater Manchester clubs will be able to continue in their current form.

Wigan, Reading, Cardiff and Swansea all rose up the football pyramid because of investment. Unfortunately the Burys and Rochdale's of this world are not that attractive of an investment as those clubs were, due to living in the shadow of the huge Manchester clubs. 

Natural selection has reduced the number of clubs in an area when times change. The North West couldn't sustain Darwen, Nelson, Glossop and Accrington , and South Wales decline in the valleys saw off Aberdare and Merthyr. All a long time ago, but maybe it's starting again.

You have to hand it people who stick with their club rather than bigger local rivals, but there is point where it just isn't sustainable.

[Always Believesham]

36 minutes ago, Up The City! said:

The issue is, can greater Manchester sustain all the teams they have in the area? 

20 years on and there is now two huge Manchester clubs that will draw support from far and wide. Personally I don't think all these greater Manchester clubs will be able to continue in their current form.

Wigan, Reading, Cardiff and Swansea all rose up the football pyramid because of investment. Unfortunately the Burys and Rochdale's of this world are not that attractive of an investment as those clubs were, due to living in the shadow of the huge Manchester clubs. 

 

11 minutes ago, Up The City! said:

 

Rochdale 3,574 (record average attendance)

Oldham 4,264

Bury 3,845

Bolton 15,887

Wigan 11,661

Salford 2,489

Are those average attendances from last season really big enough and sustainable?

 

 

I understand that - and take your point, I do feel like Wigan, Reading et al. were in the right place at the right time when investment came.

I would put the failings of Bury & Bolton down to owners chasing their losses - agree crowds are required to keep these teams afloat but is it out of the question that they should live within their means?

I think Wigan are fairly sustainable, I doubt Preston's average attendance is much higher & assume they are well run (now, 2009 was touch and go) - ultimatley there are limited tickets to see giant clubs each week. How many people in Bristol support a premier league team & a Bristol Club? It's not out of the question that local residents will watch the team without considering them their first team.

As a borough, Bolton is home to quarter of a million people, Oldham is apparently similar as a borough - if more people can watch Burnley at Wembley than actually live in the town (edit:Borough) of Burnley selling the sport isn't the problem, someone isn't marketing the club right.

(populations from Wiki so take with a pinch of salt)

My general point is, if it's a lack of bums on seats causing a problem - teams need to (& do) tighten their belts, they could reasonably expect to increase crowds with the right marketing too.

Edited August 27, 2019 by solihull cider red

[Mr Popodopolous]

28 minutes ago, Fatalist said:

Natural selection has reduced the number of clubs in an area when times change. The North West couldn't sustain Darwen, Nelson, Glossop and Accrington , and South Wales decline in the valleys saw off Aberdare and Merthyr. All a long time ago, but maybe it's starting again.

You have to hand it people who stick with their club rather than bigger local rivals, but there is point where it just isn't sustainable.

Though they're back!

Brilliantly, got promoted back in 40 years after the bankruptcy of the original- brilliant in a symbolic sense, and I think Oxford replaced them in the League. Well their promotion would have been all the sweeter as when they returned in 2006, Oxford went down.

Interestingly there are a number of those original clubs still in existence in non League- add to that Barrow, Gainsborough, Southport and Workington all voted out at varied times. Reformed versions of some of the others of course but glad to see some of those e.g. the 3 I listed, had a quick look and both Glossop and Nelson still exist- Darwen went bust but very quickly reformed and still play in their own ground- half a continuity.

Back in those days, it must have been tempting to just give up if voted out of the League, professional to semi professional in one close season, no promotion/relegation system until 1986? Credit to those clubs that managed to avoid this.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Mr Popodopolous

[downendcity]

40 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

So long as the crowds are big enough then yes. 

Bolton is also under significant pressure from the change in their demographic too. Lets just say the local population is less likely to attend football than would have done 30/40 years ago. 

Nothing wrong with that, just the way it is. 

Cracking piano in this.

[Southport Red]

15 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Though they're back!

Brilliantly, got promoted back in 40 years after the bankruptcy of the original- brilliant in a symbolic sense, and I think Oxford replaced them in the League. Well their promotion would have been all the sweeter as when they returned in 2006, Oxford went down.

Interestingly there are a number of those original clubs still in existence in non League- add to that Barrow, Gainsborough, Southport and Workington all voted out at varied times. Reformed versions of some of the others of course but glad to see some of those e.g. the 3 I listed, had a quick look and both Glossop and Nelson still exist- Darwen went bust but very quickly reformed and still play in their own ground- half a continuity.

Southport were replaced by Wigan. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

40 minutes ago, Southport Red said:

Southport were replaced by Wigan. 

Quite rare that- usually Northern clubs were ejected/voted out for Southern ones- doubtless there's a list somewhere.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Mr Popodopolous

[downendcity]

So many comments about how lucky we are to have SL, when looking at the plight of cubs like Bury and Bolton.

I think there are major differences between SL and many club owners, and not just in term of the level of personal wealth. In Bury's case in particular ( they aren't the first and won't be the last) there are strong suspicions that the owners motivation is how much he can personally profit from club ownership,

I'm not suggesting that SL is not looking to make us profitable, although in the championship it is a bit of an uphill struggle, but I suspect his motivation is for something more than that. I am sure he is looking to build something that has not really been done in English football with the Bristol Sport model, and to leave something as a legacy long term that will be seen as successful beyond Bristol City's achievements alone. 

The Bury owner's slightly sharp actions by getting £7m of club debt purchase by his son in law for a fraction of that, appear to be with the intention of turning a quick profit. I know that many have been sceptical of SL's motives with various aspects of the club's operation, in particular Bristol Sport,  but  I see SL's aim of sustainability as not only a pretty clear commitment of long term planning and commitment, but the intention of securing the club's long term future and a legacy that will probably pass to the hands of his son, who is hopefully gaining all the knowledge and experience he can from Dad and will prove a "chip off the old block" when his time comes around, even though it will be a very difficult act to follow.

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by downendcity

[Southport Red]

8 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Quite rare that- usually Northern clubs got ejected/voted out for Southern ones- doubtless there's a list somewhere.

I used to work with the Chairman of Wigan at that time. That particular year the Football League were v keen not to dilute the NW contingent. If a Southern Team had finished bottom if Div 4 that year, Wigan mightn’t have gotten in. Because Southport is less than 20 miles from Wigan, it was felt to be OK so Wigan took there place. 

[BS4 on Tour...]

3 hours ago, Up The City! said:

Way back, a proposal was also out forward to merge Bury, Rochdale and Oldham, to be called Manchester North End, 20 years down the line and you could say that idea wasn't that bad of an idea.

I thought that was an awful idea - did you really think fans of Bury, Oldham and Rochdale would have supported Manchester North End in their droves whilst watching their own clubs’ histories and traditions be expunged overnight? Would you be in favour of City merging with other clubs and changing the club’s name, stadium and kit colours etc? Would you go and watch? 

You were probably in favour of Hull City being renamed and Cardiff changing their home kit to red ...

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

I thought that was an awful idea - did you really think fans of Bury, Oldham and Rochdale would have supported Manchester North End in their droves whilst watching their own clubs’ histories and traditions be expunged overnight? Would you be in favour of City merging with other clubs and changing the club’s name, stadium and kit colours etc? Would you go and watch? 

You were probably in favour of Hull City being renamed and Cardiff changing their home kit to red ...

...Not to mention the identity, between town, club and community- arguably the smaller the town, the closer this is for a professional club?

[Dastardly and Muttley]

Bury are done. C&N have pulled out.

[Numero Uno]

Bury takeover just announced as off.

[cidered abroad]

1 hour ago, Drew Peacock said:

I do wonder why the Neville brothers got involved with Salford rather than Bury, a club with a stand named after their Dad and whose mother worked as Club Secretary for many, many years.

I've been thinking the same for some weeks. Really puzzled why they went for Salford rather than Bury.

[Loderingo]

Sad news about Bury.

[soultrader]

6 hours ago, Curr Avon said:

Under pay as you play. They could call it, 'The Giggsy Economy'.

Isn't it ?  Marvelous

[Steve Watts]

Bury are gone.  Takeover has fallen through. Sad times

[Carey 6]

Horrid really. Hopefully the fans all get behind a new Phoenix club. 

[Super]

Awful news.

[cidered abroad]

1 hour ago, Fatalist said:

Natural selection has reduced the number of clubs in an area when times change. The North West couldn't sustain Darwen, Nelson, Glossop and Accrington , and South Wales decline in the valleys saw off Aberdare and Merthyr. All a long time ago, but maybe it's starting again.

You have to hand it people who stick with their club rather than bigger local rivals, but there is point where it just isn't sustainable.

Replaced by Wigan, Salford, Macclesfield. Stockport also on the road to recovery?

[samo II]

That’s tragic about Bury - no word on Bolton either and not much time left.

[Mr Popodopolous]

7 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I've been thinking the same for some weeks. Really puzzled why they went for Salford rather than Bury.

Salford- not far from Old Trafford, big Man Utd fanbase.

[FForbes]

Sad news !!

Not sure if mentioned in previous replies but Bury are the only team that BCFC have played at all 4 levels of the League.

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Replaced by Wigan, Salford, Macclesfield. Stockport also on the road to recovery?

Looking at some of the Conference North, the number of ex clubs from the lower 2 divisions or reformed versions of them is nuts!

Like a Division 5 in parts.

[Olé]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49486208

WTF. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

The always excellent Kieran Maguire...EFL and their ways in terms of oversight, governance etc!!

Edited August 27, 2019 by Mr Popodopolous

[Northern Red]

The prospective owners have obviously seen the books and thought "**** that".

Grim.

[Spud55]

14 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I've been thinking the same for some weeks. Really puzzled why they went for Salford rather than Bury.

They wanted a club the meant something to all of them and Bury have no connection for Nicky Butt, Beckham, Giggs etc, but they all "Grew up together" in a football sense in Salford so it has meaning to all of them rather than just the Nevilles if they went for Bury. 

[Wanderingred]

3 minutes ago, Spud55 said:

They wanted a club the meant something to all of them and Bury have no connection for Nicky Butt, Beckham, Giggs etc, but they all "Grew up together" in a football sense in Salford so it has meaning to all of them rather than just the Nevilles if they went for Bury. 

A shame really. Nobody would care if Salford City disappeared.

[ZiderEyed]

The amount of incredibly shit takes on twitter over this whole situation is astonishing. A good amount of people almost condoning whats going on and laughing at the demise of the two clubs.

[Mr Popodopolous]

9 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

The amount of incredibly shit takes on twitter over this whole situation is astonishing. A good amount of people almost condoning whats going on and laughing at the demise of the two clubs.

Seen a few apparent Liverpool fans, laughing about it due to Neville Neville and Bury link.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Mr Popodopolous

[cider hoss rules]

7 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

The amount of incredibly shit takes on twitter over this whole situation is astonishing. A good amount of people almost condoning whats going on and laughing at the demise of the two clubs.

I've got a mate who's a Blackpool fan, and he has no sympathy for Bury as they turned up at Blackpool with 'Oyston In' banners and t-shirts on.

Chanting throughout that Blackpool would soon be closed down and gone forever.

[Sir Geoff]

35 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Salford- not far from Old Trafford, big Man Utd fanbase.

Didn't realise Salford was in London.

[phantom]

[Mr Popodopolous]

Bury have just released a statement!

Wasn't quite what I was anticipating when I clicked on it...

https://www.buryfc.co.uk/news/2019/august/statement-from-bury-fc/

Interesting Tweet too...

Edited August 27, 2019 by Mr Popodopolous

[Wanderingred]

27 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

The amount of incredibly shit takes on twitter over this whole situation is astonishing. A good amount of people almost condoning whats going on and laughing at the demise of the two clubs.

The piss takers are mostly Leeds fans.

[EmersonsKev]

A young Bolton fan helping some 400 volunteers clean up Gigg Lane in preparation for a game on Saturday which now looks highly unlikely but for some kind of miracle.

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, Wanderingred said:

The piss takers are mostly Leeds fans.

Few Liverpool too- Neville Neville, Bury- Neville Neville, dad of the Nevilles- to stupid people it means "Haha".