Bury FC Supporters Society call for second merger vote

Bury FC Supporters Society have tonight called for a second merger vote with the Shakers Community Society, the board that manages Bury AFC.

A merger was voted against at the end of October after the threshold of a two-thirds majority hadn’t been met by both societies. 

The lengthy statement from the Bury FC Supporters Society was released just after 8:30 pm this evening. 

Board members of the society will support a yes vote should a second vote be agreed. 

“For the club to be as successful as it can possibly be we need to seek to re-unify the club’s supporters, the statement reads.

“We are therefore going to ask the Shakers Community Society whether we can work closely together to realise our vision. We propose to undertake a second vote for a merger on the same terms as voted on last time. The BFCSS board are all fully supportive of a merger and will proactively promote a yes vote.”

BFCSS are proposing the new vote takes place as soon as possible, so that football can return to Gigg Lane for the 2023/24 season. 
Opportunities will be offered in the coming days for members to ask questions about this new statement. 

In response, Shakers Community Board Chair Phil Young said that they are ‘amenable to a second vote’ but is disappointed that BFCSS didn’t notify them of tonight’s statement. 

Mr Young’s statement reads: “It’s disappointing that having asked them not to issue further statements about our football club without running them by us first that they have chosen to issue this without the courtesy of notifying us. 

“Bury FC SS misled their members prior to, during and after the vote. They were given multiple opportunities to correct this. For this to simply be ignored is not right. 

“We have maintained that we are amenable to a second vote but have already shared with them a number of steps which they must take to repair trust with their own membership, never mind with Bury AFC supporters and members. 

“These steps have been reiterated by other parties also. We hope they will see the need to be pragmatic, honest and unreservedly apologetic in the first instance.”

Bury Council and other members of the working group have been contacted for comment.