Bury FC owner accuses EFL of ‘a grave injustice’

Bury FC owner Steven Dale has accused the English Football League (EFL) of dealing a “grave injustice” to the club after suspending a second fixture.

The EFL last night (August 2) decided to cancel the Shakers’ game at Accrington Stanley next Saturday, claiming Bury has again failed to provide evidence the club has the financial clout to see out the new football season.

The league body had suspended the club’s opening fixture of the season against MK Dons which was due to take place today, for the same reasons.

In a statement released last night the EFL said: “Following a lengthy discussion the board agreed that progress had been made with regard to the outstanding evidence requested by the League.

“However, the information provided is still not enough to demonstrate that the club has the ability to immediately settle all football debts, meet the obligations to unsecured creditors and ensure the club has the appropriate financial resources for the 2019/20 season.

“As a result the board has regrettably determined that Bury’s League One fixture away at Accrington Stanley, scheduled to take place on Saturday 10 August 2019, will be suspended under the provision of EFL Regulation 28.2.”

The statement added: “The EFL acknowledges this remains a difficult and challenging period for the club, their players and supporters, and will continue to work with the ownership at Bury FC as it looks to resolve all outstanding matters.”

Mr Dale, who bought Bury for £1 last December, responded: “I today have seen the biggest injustice I have ever seen from this alleged body there to help clubs ‘the EFL’.

“Again, after submitting all that was asked from the EFL from our lawyer, we got a call late tonight saying they are postponing our fixture with Accrington Stanley.”

Under the headline ‘Bury Football Club have been tonight dealt a grave injustice’, he continued: “Why did they not wait till Monday to again postpone our fixture if something was missing, we have the weekend to get any information to them, but no once again they prove they are clearly ‘The Destroyer of Clubs’ where malice and vindictive actions take precedence over the whole premise of the EFL to help clubs.”

EFL interim chief executive, Debbie Jevans, said later that the league was “not standing in the way” of Bury’s survival.

Last Wednesday the club managed to fight off a High Court winding up petition at the fourth attempt.

The club had been given more time to seek a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) to stave off an immediate winding up petition.

According to reports the League One club owes £277,640 to HMRC and is £4m in debt.

A CVA has been agree which will allow Mr Dale to stay in control as a result.

At the High Court a barrister acting for HM Revenue & Customs reported that the CVA had been approved and she asked for the winding up petition to be dismissed.

Bury has already suffered a 12 point deduction for going into administration, even before it begins its league campaign.