In October 2019, six weeks after Bury were expelled from the Football League, a group of supporters met in the back room of a local pub. With Gigg Lane padlocked and the club spiralling towards liquidation, discussions began over forming a team to keep football in Bury alive.
“The priority was getting players on the pitch playing again,” says Phil Young, one of the fans in attendance. Two and a half years on, Bury AFC have earned promotion in their first full season and Young is the chair of Shakers Community, the trust that underpins the new club’s fan-owned model. It has been an impressive start to a journey beset by twists and turns.
