Plans to merge two fan groups to bring Bury FC back to Gigg Lane have failed following a crunch vote this evening.
Supporters were asked to vote on proposals to unite two fan groups, the Shakers Community Society and Bury Football Club Supporters Society (BFCSS), in a bid to ensure men's football returns to its spiritual home in the town.
Gigg Lane lay empty for almost three years after Bury FC were thrown out of the Football League and later entered administration in 2019. In the wake of the club's demise, a group of fans set up a new outfit - Bury AFC.
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The fan-owned club won promotion from the North West Counties League First Division North - English football's tenth tier - last season.
Earlier this year, another group of supporters announced they had purchased Gigg Lane alongside Bury FC's assets. H ostile words have been exchanged as a divide emerged between the two factions.
A merger of Bury Football Club Supporters Society - which helped buy Gigg Lane and Bury FC's assets including its name - and the Shakers Community Society - which founded Bury AFC - would have seen supporters finally unite behind one club again.
As the original Bury FC remains in administration - its name was recently changed to CCFB Realisations 2022 Limited, according to Companies House - the merger would have meant renaming Bury AFC as Bury FC.
At a "special general meeting" tonight, 94pc of Shakers Community Society members who took part in the vote backed a merger between the two groups.
However, only 62.9pc of the 771 BFCSS members voted in favour off the merger - 3.7pc short of the two thirds majority (66.6pc) required for it to be go ahead.
Bury council pledged £450,000 alongside a £300,000 government grant to support the new club if the plans went ahead. Council bosses have now said they will not be providing the funding.
Announcing the outcome of the vote on its website, the Shakers Community Society said: "We know that many supporters will be extremely disappointed that we are unable to move to Gigg Lane in the summer. However, we do believe this is something we will return to in future.
"Whilst the two thirds majority was not reached to allow the amalgamation to take place, there is a clear majority of Bury FC Supporters’ Society members who support working with Bury AFC and do not see the benefits of creating another new club.
"The message from our own members could not be clearer. The 1003 Shakers Society members who voted in favour are almost as many in number as the entire Bury FC Supporters’ Society membership, who are now faced with the consequences of not proceeding with an amalgamation of the two societies."
A spokesperson for BFCSS said: "BFCSS now have a clear direction to move forward. This has been a divisive period in the history of Bury Football Club.
"Differences now need to be put aside, everyone should work together, bringing Bury FC back to where it deserves to be. No individual or group of individuals are bigger than Bury Football Club, something we should all keep in mind.
"What we are building today, is for those who will look back, be proud of the work we as volunteers have put into establishing this club as a shining example of a sustainable fan owned football club.
"We would ask every person to now look to themselves as to how best you can support Bury Football Club. The future of your club is in your hands, join us, become members and be a part of the future.
"Do not walk away, come back to be part of the future of Bury FC, we are the Shakers."
A spokesperson for Bury council said: “We are disappointed by the result of the vote, which was a golden opportunity to unite Bury’s football fans and work together to bring elite football back to Bury at its historic Gigg Lane home.
“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. We take our responsibility to the appropriate use of public money very seriously and 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 that 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.”
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