‘Debt collectors tried to take the goalposts’ – Bury FC fate revealed as football club goes up for sale

The owner of Bury FC put the club up for sale less than six months after it was taken over.

Steve Dale, who bought the League Two club and took over from former owner Stewart Day last November, said in a statement that “potential buyers will be considered.”

Mr Dale also revealed that he had “received expressions of interest” and issued an open invitation to offers.

The development comes as the club contemplate automatic promotion to League One with just two games of the season, starting with a crucial game at Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.

Things off the pitch remain troubling, however.

A liquidation petition against the Gigg Lane club heard by an insolvency and corporate court judge on April 10 has been adjourned until next month – and Mr Dale in his statement that the players have agreed to ‘wait their wages “in March due to electricity and water bills totaling around £ 250,000, combined with other bills.

Staff were also paid in full in installments, with help from the Professional Footballers Association, he said.

Mr Dale, who said he was “just a temporary guard,” said in the statement: “Our team has certainly made us proud on the pitch, and as stated there are two of us, maybe. being at a League One game, so the job done and given my health, it’s time for me to move forward with regret and reluctance. Recent events have galvanized that determination.

“In addition, over the past few days, I have received a few expressions of interest. In view of this, I would openly invite myself directly to offers to take over ownership of the club.

“Consideration will be given to potential buyers who are able to devote the time, money and attention to build on the tremendous progress we have made and secure the future of this great club for many years to come. years to come. “

Mr Dale, of Prestbury, Cheshire, said the club were “in serious trouble” when he took office and “it turned out to be way beyond what we could have understood”.

But he said: “I can say with confidence that if the buyout hadn’t happened when it did, Bury Football Club wouldn’t have existed.

“We faced many challenges, both within the club and away, some for which we were prepared and, unfortunately, others which have since become evident.”

Mr Dale said a separate company had been formed – Bury Heritage Ltd – had been formed to protect mugs and memorabilia from debt collectors seeking to collect historic debts.

“On a Friday at 5 pm they attended, trying to grab the posts to prevent the game from taking place on Saturday,” he said.

“I could go on, because there have been dozens of chances like this. I can’t say what we expected, but we fought them.”

On wages, he said: “It was certainly not ideal, but we have to choose daily between keeping the trading club or paying the others. It is not a good decision to make, I can tell you, and only by making reductions will that correct itself, because it cannot continue as it is. “

The wind up petition was filed by HM Revenue and Customs for unpaid taxes and other petitioners who should have owed the club money.

Judge Sally Barber has learned that the club have a number of debts, including an unpaid tax bill of over £ 200,000, which is said to be the largest. A lawyer representing the club, however, said plans had been agreed to pay some of the money owed.

The hearing is set for May 15.

“Despite all of the above, I can say with pleasure that we survived the shutdown, have solid plans to hopefully save the club, not just for now but in the future as we get the support the club desperately needs, ”added Dale.