Sky Sports have announced they have selected Bury’s trip to Bolton Wanderers in September for live TV coverage.
The League One fixture between the troubled Lancashire clubs was originally scheduled to take place on the Saturday 7th September but has now been moved to Sunday 8th with a 12 00 pm kick off in front of the Sky cameras.
It was a selection that provoked quite a reaction from supporters bearing in mind the current precarious financial position of both clubs.
Saturday’s Daily Mail reported serious concerns over Bury’s ability to fulfil their opening fixture in August after a mass exodus of players due to unpaid wages left only a handful of players turning up for pre-season training.
Bolton have also seen players leave in the summer, which means they too would currently struggle to put out a team.
The Trotters failed to fulfil a Championship fixture with Brentford last season after the players protested at not being paid, and the proposed takeover of the club is dragging on with the squad using temporary facilities for training with offices and changing rooms at the training ground now locked due to unpaid rent.
The club will start the season on minus twelve points after going into administration and Bury could join them if they cannot find a new owner and they also go into administration.
While supporters of both clubs responded to the news on social media with much gallows humour, you have to question Sky’s motive for showing a game which could turn out to be a case of rubbernecking an unfortunate car crash.
Perhaps the TV channels money and undoubted influence on the game could be put to better use by working for solutions to the problems owners such as Steve Dale and Ken Anderson bring to football rather than seeking entertainment from the coming together of two historic institutions placed under severe threat of existence under their controversial ownership.
Here is a selection of fans reaction to the news on Twitter.
The liquidation derby 😂😂👀
— Aaron Diskin (@AaronDiskin1) July 8, 2019
El Brassico
— ScootaMart Mcr (@ScootaMart_Mcr) July 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/AshRoberts22/status/1148260038445883392?s=20
Bury fc u18’s V Bolton Wanderers u18 more like
— joshstansfield (@joshstansfield4) July 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/burymeinexile/status/1148247209542148097?s=20
We need owners and players first you spanner
— Joel….. (@Wheevers101) July 8, 2019
Bolton V Bury is this the first game ever where both teams are on negative points #buryfc #bwfc https://t.co/TdadQhGV6b
— Graham Oakley (@gmostfc) July 8, 2019
Bolton v Bury U21’s
— Terry MacDonald (@terzmacd) July 8, 2019
Putting the Bolton v Bury game on is actually appalling. 2 clubs in bad states because of owners, so you give the owners more money ? https://t.co/8FaZWqJStK
— Willl (@willthomas67) July 8, 2019
the sky money must go to each club–equally–but no new owners to gain. a draw would be a fair result.