Bury Football Club warned it has 14 days to avoid being kicked out of league

Bury FC has been warned it has 14 days to avoid being kicked out of the football league.

The EFL has also confirmed the club is facing a 12-point deduction when the new League One season gets under way.

The Football League has told the crisis torn club it is facing expulsion because its owner, Steve Dale, had not provided evidence that he has the money to pay its substantial debts and ensure the club is able to field a team.

Steve Dale put the club up for the sale six months after taking over but has yet to find a buyer.

In a statement published on its website the EFL revealed it is considering serving of a notice of withdrawal of membership.

The statement said that Bury has until today to provide the necessary details.

The statement said: “Should key information not be provided to the EFL by then – including the means of payment of outstanding football creditor debts and source and sufficiency of funding – the EFL’s board would consider whether to implement the notice.

“Once issued, the club would have 14 days to meet all outstanding requirements of the league’s insolvency policy ‘or its membership in the EFL may be terminated.”

“The League’s Articles of Association provide for the club, following an insolvency event, to be served with a notice of withdrawal of membership which, once issued, will give the club 14 days to meet all outstanding requirements of the league’s insolvency policy or its membership in the EFL may be terminated.

“The EFL Board is working diligently to avoid this situation but ultimately can only act upon information received or not received from the club.

“The board has suspended the activation of this notice initially until close of business today (25 July) in order to give the club additional time to provide the outstanding information it has requested on a number of occasions, which includes the means of payment of outstanding football creditor debts and source and sufficiency of funding.

“If in receipt of the missing information by the deadline, the EFL will commence negotiations with the club to enter into a Membership Agreement, which will incorporate the ongoing conditions for continued membership in the League and ensure the terms of the CVA are met.

“If this information is not provided the Board will then determine whether to implement the notice to transfer its share or further extend the deadline.”

A rescue plan had been unveiled earlier this month that was backed by creditors and shareholders.

The CVA meant the club would be able to continue to operate and pay back the creditors.

Meanwhile the Gigg Lane ground has not yet been passed fit for games to be played there.

The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) was meeting today to consider whether the club meets requirements to safely stage fixtures.

Debbie Jevans, executive chair at the club, said: “This is an incredibly difficult and complex situation for all those involved, in particular the staff, players and supporters of the club.

“We fully recognise the value and importance of the club to the local community and its fans, and will continue to work proactively and diligently with the ownership, as we have done over an extended period of time to try and ensure Bury FC has a long term future as a member of the EFL.”