Shakers fans hoping to score a home win
MORE than two years since football was last played at Gigg Lane, Bury FC’s home is in a sorry state.
Between the overgrown pitch, boarded up windows and rusty turnstiles, there is an eerie air to the famous old ground.
The Shakers were thrown out of the Football League in August 2019 due to financial issues. Ever since, Gigg Lane – Bury’s home since 1885 – has stood empty.
The lettering on the Les Hart Stand has fallen off, while the weather has taken its toll on the sea of tributes adorning the gates outside.
But despite its dilapidated appearance, the historic ground has not been written off just yet.
On Friday, a consortium headed by supporters group Est 1885 announced it had entered into a period of exclusivity to purchase Bury and its 12,000-capacity stadium.
In a statement, the group said it was confident of completing the takeover by Christmas and hoped the club would be reinserted into the footballing pyramid in time for the 2022/23 season.
Last week’s announcement has largely been welcomed by fans, many of whom feared the worst when the club’s administrator put Gigg Lane up for sale back in May.
Joan Curtis’s terrace home looks out on to the ground. She has lived here for almost 60 years and the football club has been a huge part of her life throughout.
The 82-year-old’s dad, Bill Gorman, played for the Shakers, while she worked in the club’s commercial department for 48 years.
Her son Michael also used to be groundsman, and until recently kept the pitch pristine even though there was no football being played there. The last two years have been difficult, says Joan, but she hopes last week’s announcement will lead to football finally returning to Gigg Lane.
“I’d like to see it back,” she explained. “It’s been a bit boring around here. It would be nice to see people knocking about again.” Bury’s dramatic expulsion came after the club’s owner, Steve Dale, failed to provide financial guaran- tees to the EFL. When a late takeover bid collapsed, the EFL finally pulled the plug.
The anger, grief and despair felt by the club’s loyal fanbase was clear to see as supporters decked out in club colours broke down in tears outside Gigg Lane.
Just weeks later, a group of supporters decided to set up a new club – Bury AFC. Although they had to start in the North West Counties League First Division North – English football’s tenth tier – the fanowned club has been drawing crowds of more than 1,000 at home matches.
They currently play at Radcliffe’s Neuven Stadium and top the league, having remained unbeaten so far season.
“AFC have a good following but a lot of them really want to go to Gigg Lane,” said Joan. “It’s home. It mustn’t be the same going to another ground. There could be a split, but it would be nice to see the two clubs come together.
“I don’t know if there is too much of a gap between them now though.”
But while many of those who watch Bury AFC have always maintained that they would return to Gigg Lane if they could, it may not be so simple for others.
Some Bury fans were upset at the decision to set up a new club while the original still existed, albeit with no players, no league to play in, and no employees to speak of.
Those behind the new outfit said it was initially set up as a last resort, an emergency option, to put pressure on the Dale to sell up.
While some have embraced AFC, other supporters refused to give up on saving Bury FC. On occasions, hostile words have been exchanged between the two factions.
Those behind Est 1885 have publicly stated their hope that fans will unite behind one club, and say they want Bury FC to be ‘majority fanowned, democratic and debt free.’
Lifelong Bury fan Danny Isherwood, 27, has been following Bury AFC, but says he would return to Gigg Lane in a heartbeat.
He said: “Hopefully AFC can link together with Est 1885 because they have done a good job in creating a club that is community and fanfocused.”
The ripple effect of Bury’s loss was felt throughout the town, and the memory of what happened still lingers like a bad dream.
Barry Taylor’s son was a season ticket holder and used to meet with a group of friends beforehand.
“There were seven of eight of them who used to meet up then watch the match,” said Mr Taylor, 58.
“That has been taken away. It’s a part of the town and was where people gathered. “I hope it comes back.”
Supping his pint in the Knowsley pub, Joseph Rawlinson said: “The town has been dead since it happened. Now there’s no football, it’s quiet. Gigg Lane is Bury FC.
“It always has been.”
Bury’s loyal supporters have become accustomed to false dawns.
Yet after a painful two years, they are allowing themselves to dream about watching their team again.