Bury owner could sell troubled club just five months after taking over

Bury Football Club

The new owner of Bury FC could sell the troubled club just five months after taking control at Gigg Lane.

Businessman Steve Dale is considering selling the League Two club two weeks before a crucial court hearing.

A winding up order issued against the club earlier this month has been adjourned in the High Court until May 15.

And last month a director had to apologise after wages were paid to players later than expected.

Steve Dale has issued a lengthy statement about the current state of affairs at the club.

And has said there are people interested in taking over.

He said: “I have outlined in my previous statements the difficult environment we bought into in late November, which has been well documented.”

Even though I was advised by my advisors not to proceed, I decided I could help, given the information we had.

“This football club was in serious trouble, and this turned out to be far in excess of what we could have comprehended. I can confidently say that had the takeover not gone ahead when it did, Bury Football Club would have been no more.

“I have always stated that I am here to use my 45-years of business experience to help rebuild Bury Football Club as a business; a business that has been completely mismanaged and stripped of almost all tangible value over the course of the last few years.

“We have daily battles to keep the Club alive, but one thing is clear the Club needs to understand what it is.

“It’s a Club with 4,500 regular fans; it has staffing levels akin to a Championship Club. We need £1.6m to pay wages, HMRC, pensions (not creditors) to the end of May, and we have a projected income of c£180k for this period.

“Clearly, we have not made ourselves popular with the staff for our need to cut back, but our job is to save the Club, not ingratiate.

“I said from day one I was only a temporary custodian, I would fight to save the Club, and I felt confident we would do well on the field, then I would pass it on to a future younger custodian.

“Well six months on, we’re still going, despite social media’s predictions of closure daily. Has it been difficult? More than you could imagine, and our plans if everyone buys in to reduce the outgoings and staff, will ensure its future.

“Furthermore, over the last few days, I have received some expressions of interest. Given this, I would like to openly invite offers to me directly, to take over ownership of the Club.

“Consideration will be given to prospective buyers who are able to commit the necessary time, money and full, undivided attention that’s needed to build upon the progress we’ve made which is considerable, and secure the future of this great Club for many years to come.”

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