League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Here you can chat about everything and anything related to ITFC and other football issues. This forum also hosts the now Internationally famous TB.com ITFC match previews which contain insightful pre-match thoughts, previous highlights, news links relating to Town, form guides and other bits and pieces. Feel free to discuss meet ups/travel plans in here as well.

Moderators: marko69, Bluemike, Charnwood

Post Reply
User avatar
Bluemike
Global Moderator
Posts: 29564
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 5:26 pm
Location: Ipswich

League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by Bluemike » Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:17 am

There is the real threat that League One could be reduced to just 23 clubs today as Bury face expulsion from the EFL.

The Gigg Lane club have yet to play a competitive game this season, with their first six suspended while the EFL wait for owner Steve Dale to provide assurances he has a financial plan for the club going forward or to sell the club.

Dale has missed several deadlines to provide those assurances this summer although the Bury owner, who bought the club for £1 in December, insists he has submitted all the relevant evidence to the EFL.

Bury have already been given a 12-point deduction and have been placed under a transfer embargo, preventing them signing any more players following a summer which has seen an exodus from the squad which won promotion from League Two just a few weeks ago.

Club staff and players say they have not been paid.

Much of the club's financial trouble is as a result of over-spending under previous owner Stewart Day, who spent big and brought in players from higher divisions in a bid to move up the leagues.

There has been talk of a possible take over which has yet to come to fruition and a short stay of execution could be granted today in order for a deal to be completed.

However, unless the EFL are satisfied with the club's financial plan by midnight, they face the real threat of being thrown out of the Football League after 125 years of membership.

If that was to happen League One would be reduced to 23 clubs with the number of relegation places reduced from four to three. Four teams would still be promoted from League Two, meaning a full compliment of 24 clubs in the third tier next season.

An EFL statement reads: "The EFL Board continues to be frustrated at the lack of significant progress that has been made by Mr Dale in providing the information required. However, we will continue to work with the current ownership in an attempt to achieve a resolution ahead of the Notice of Withdrawal deadline of Friday 23 August.

"It remains in regular communication with Mr Dale but if a solution is not found by the deadline, the Board will authorise the necessary share transfer on behalf of Bury FC which shall be legally binding on all parties and result, regretfully, in the Club no longer being a member of the League.


"Should this happen, Bury's record from the 2019/20 season would be expunged with League One consisting of 23 Clubs for the remainder of the campaign and the number of relegation places reduced to three at the conclusion of 2019/20 season. Four promotion places would remain from League Two ensuring a full complement of 24 teams in League One in 2020/21.

"Bury would then be free to make an application to the Football Association to re-join league competition further down the English football pyramid from season 2020/21."

Ipswich are due to host Bury on November 2 and travel to Gigg Lane on March 28.

Such a shame but there in itself is what overspending beyond your means can do, be careful what you wish for.

User avatar
marko69
Global Moderator
Posts: 24186
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Somewhere between here and there.

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by marko69 » Fri Aug 23, 2019 12:01 pm

Yes, heard this on Radio 2 earlier. They had a lifelong Bury fan on. Devastating stuff.

They’ve still got 12 hours though. I wouldn’t put money on them going to the wall just yet. Last minute hero might still step in.

User avatar
marko69
Global Moderator
Posts: 24186
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Somewhere between here and there.

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by marko69 » Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:55 pm

Decided to google search Bury FC latest news....., a 5 Live interview came on with a twitter comments page. Wow! I think every one on that twitter feed would be banned on TB.com within an hour. 😳 Either that or they’re just very very upset with Mr Steve “Fit & Proper” Dale.

Cue the “how would you like it?” ....., posts. Back in 89 ——> hated it. Can feel their pain.

User avatar
Frosty
Forum Owner
Posts: 4081
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:46 am

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by Frosty » Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:19 pm

Accordinging to the current owner Day on the radio (or wireless), Bury have been sold.

User avatar
marko69
Global Moderator
Posts: 24186
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Somewhere between here and there.

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by marko69 » Sat Aug 24, 2019 11:22 am

Yep. and the bookies lost a few quid on that one. Was a tad obvious that there’d be a buyer at the 11th hour.

User avatar
BLUEBLOOD
Posts: 2801
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:43 pm

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by BLUEBLOOD » Sat Aug 24, 2019 1:22 pm

I bet dale made a few quid betting

User avatar
lucy
Posts: 6471
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:19 am

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by lucy » Mon Aug 26, 2019 9:03 pm


User avatar
Quasar
Posts: 3545
Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 4:22 am
Location: The Good Old Fenland
Contact:

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by Quasar » Tue Aug 27, 2019 4:43 pm

A post has just gone up on Bury Town FC webpage - saying that CCTV has been installed and NOONE is allowed entry to the ground and all crime/theft will be reported, Sounds like thats it for them then !

User avatar
marko69
Global Moderator
Posts: 24186
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Somewhere between here and there.

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by marko69 » Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:24 pm

Quasar wrote:
Tue Aug 27, 2019 4:43 pm
.......CCTV has been installed.....
Who the F paid for that? Thats no cheap.

Dazzz67
Posts: 1646
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 1:36 pm
Location: Swindon

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by Dazzz67 » Tue Aug 27, 2019 11:45 pm

They have indeed just gone, sad day for football and all associated with Bury FC.

User avatar
marko69
Global Moderator
Posts: 24186
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Somewhere between here and there.

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by marko69 » Wed Aug 28, 2019 12:11 am

Dazzz67 wrote:
Tue Aug 27, 2019 11:45 pm
They have indeed just gone, sad day for football and all associated with Bury FC.
Yes it is indeed a sad day for football. Watched a few breaking news videos on the news there after your post, Dazzz. Tugs on the heart strings listening to those lifelong fans speaking about feeling lost. Can't comprehend what that'd be like.

User avatar
arana peligrosa
Posts: 10483
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:41 pm

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by arana peligrosa » Wed Aug 28, 2019 12:20 am

Doesn't mean they're extinct though ? Just expeled from the Football League and no longer a professional club ? It's not as if they've gone the way of dinosaurs and should return in some capacity in the time ahead.

Yes it's unfortunate, I do sympathize, it's hard not to, but they must have had chances to address the situation or avert this scenario. I don't ever recall them in the top league, maybe they never were, but know they featured in the biggest score in an FA Cup Final back in the 1900's although can't remember who the opposition were or if they won or lost on that occasion.

User avatar
marko69
Global Moderator
Posts: 24186
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Somewhere between here and there.

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by marko69 » Wed Aug 28, 2019 12:42 am

Ah right. I thought they were "no more". So they're still a club, just booted out the EFL? Ah well, thats not as bad as it seems.

1903 Cup Final by the way, 6-0 v Derby County. Held that record for yonks, Citeh equalled it last year.

User avatar
BLUEBLOOD
Posts: 2801
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:43 pm

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by BLUEBLOOD » Wed Aug 28, 2019 7:26 am

Just read this about Bury for Next Season.
Bury would then be free to make an application to the Football Association to re-join league competition further down the English football pyramid from season 2020/21.
I think this is what Rangers had to do in 2012.

User avatar
nicscreamer
Posts: 2137
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2003 6:53 pm
Location: In front of my computer
Contact:

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by nicscreamer » Wed Aug 28, 2019 9:04 am

I have no doubt Bury will be liquidated over the winter and a new club formed. So as such, they will be dead and re born further down the leagues.

User avatar
marko69
Global Moderator
Posts: 24186
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Somewhere between here and there.

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by marko69 » Wed Aug 28, 2019 9:12 am

BLUEBLOOD wrote:
Wed Aug 28, 2019 7:26 am
Just read this about Bury for Next Season.
Bury would then be free to make an application to the Football Association to re-join league competition further down the English football pyramid from season 2020/21.
I think this is what The Sevco Rangers had to do in 2012 as a completely new organisation.
Fixed that, buddy.

User avatar
trimleyblue
Global Moderator
Posts: 972
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:29 am
Location: Trimley St Martin
Contact:

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by trimleyblue » Wed Aug 28, 2019 9:36 pm

Does that mean we get a refund on our season ticket?

User avatar
Charnwood
Global Moderator
Posts: 18860
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:25 pm
Location: Moraira, Spain.

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by Charnwood » Wed Aug 28, 2019 10:31 pm

At least Bolton have managed to survive, a club more akin to our own ITFC, but what this has shown is just how fragile football club finances are once you fall below Premiership & Championship levels.

Our priority has to be to bounce back ASAP, as the longer we remain below this level the greater our risk of going under unless finances are strictly controlled which is something fans never like.

User avatar
Bluemike
Global Moderator
Posts: 29564
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 5:26 pm
Location: Ipswich

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by Bluemike » Wed Aug 28, 2019 10:40 pm

Some fans

Ando
Posts: 1317
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 8:03 am
Location: Out and about

Re: League One Reduced To Twenty Three teams ???

Post by Ando » Wed Aug 28, 2019 11:00 pm

trimleyblue wrote:
Wed Aug 28, 2019 9:36 pm
Does that mean we get a refund on our season ticket?
Your point highlights the fact that all remaining clubs will loose Matchday revenue probably 100-150 k for us

Post Reply