EFL considers Campbell’s 11th-hour Bury bid
The English Football League was last night considering a bid to rescue Bury made by Rory Campbell and Henry Newman, the founders of the sports data company C&N Sporting Risk, amid claims from owner Steve Dale that he has now agreed to sell up.
The Daily Telegraph last night revealed that Campbell and Newman had provided proof of funds, but that they have also requested an extension to the EFL’S midnight deadline at which Bury could be excluded from the league.
It is understood that there are concerns surrounding a clause on the stadium. Newman and Campbell have been working in the professional game for a number of years, providing statistical expertise to clubs in the transfer market and in their match analysis. They released a short statement last night which confirmed that they had been in talks with Bury and the EFL over the past 10 weeks.
“It is a very complicated scenario and there remain a number of outstanding
‘It is a complicated scenario and there remain a number of legal/other issues’
legal/other issues that have to be addressed,” said Campbell and Newman. “Our background is in football and data analytics and it should therefore not be surprising we are taking a very detailed forensic look at the realities of Bury’s finances.
“A club like Bury ought to have a viable long-term future, even if short term future is clearly very challenging. To that end we have been in talks with the EFL re an extension, so we can continue to explore prospects for a purchase.”
As of 11pm last night, the EFL had not decided whether to grant an extension and no deal had been completed with Dale, who had nevertheless told BBC Radio Manchester that he was selling to a football analytics company. Campbell is the son of former Downing Street spokesman Alastair.
There were at least two other offers on the table as the midnight deadline approached for Dale to sell up or demonstrate that he has the £2.7 million needed to stop Bury being thrown out of the professional game. They included former Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite and Joe Sealey, the son of former Manchester United goalkeeper. Dale had earlier said it was “up to the fans” to rescue the club, prompting angry replies from fans.