Bury FC: Vote to merge with Bury AFC along with £450,000 council funding falls short of threshold

Bury played their last game at Gigg Lane in May 2019

A vote to merge Bury FC and Bury AFC has failed to go through after Bury FC members failed to reach a two thirds majority that would have won local council funding.

The Shakers were expelled from the English Football League in 2019 with some fans going on to form Bury AFC.

But, while Bury AFC were massively in favour, Bury FC members did not reach the 66% majority needed by both clubs.

Bury Council later released a statement to say that discussions will continue.

"We are disappointed by the result of the vote," said the statement. "It was a golden opportunity to unite Bury's football fans and work together to bring elite football back to Bury at Gigg Lane.

"The council's financial support of up to £450,000 was always conditional upon a merger, and a viable business case in support of Gigg Lane."

Bury fans completed a deal to buy back their old Gigg Lane ground in February - and to trade going forward as Bury FC.

Bury AFC was set up in the aftermath of the Shakers being kicked out of the EFL - and they are currently 10th in the Premier Division of the North-West Counties League, the ninth tier of the English football pyramid, playing their home games a few miles down the road from Gigg Lane at Stainton Park, Radcliffe.

Although the majority of Bury FC members - just short of 63% - voted in favour of joining with Bury AFC, that was just short of the 66% of fans of both sides required to merge.

Bury were expelled from the English Football League in August 2019 before then owner Steve Dale put the Shakers into administration in November 2020.

What happens next?

Bury Council said in their statement on Friday night that they remain open to further debate, having been encouraged by the closeness of the vote.

"We take our responsibility to the appropriate use of public money very seriously," added the statement.

"We have always made clear our belief that bringing together the football fanbase in Bury, united behind one team, is the most sensible and sustainable way forward to guarantee the future of the stadium as a footballing venue and a community asset.

"Unfortunately, in the absence of a merger, a revised business case for Gigg Lane is needed and therefore the council will now not be making the funding available.

"However, this does not need to be the end of the journey.

"The vote shows that the overwhelming number of Shakers Community Society members (94%) were in favour of the merger, and a clear majority (63%) - albeit short of the required 66% - of Bury Football Club Supporters' Society members were too.

"This demonstrates that there is still a desire by the vast majority of fans to see how a new future for football in Bury can be achieved. We are happy to have further discussions with all concerned parties on the way forward, and we will try to bring all parties together as soon as possible."