The EFL has confirmed Bury will start next season with a 12-point deduction after entering a Company Voluntary Agreement.
The CVA was approved by the club’s creditors yesterday to enable the Shakers to clear some of their debts. It would allow the club to pay its football creditors in full and non-football creditors 25% of the money owed.
Although the rescue plan will allow the Shakers to move forward, it qualifies as an insolvency event under EFL rules, and the league’s governing body moved quickly to confirm the points penalty.
Bury supporters and football fans in general soon took to social media to react to the news with many criticising the EFL for its previous lack of action in helping the cash strapped club and comparing this with how quick they were to raise their heads above the parapet to impose the penalty.
Bury now join one of the founder members of the Football League and Lancashire rivals Bolton in starting the League One season on -12 points after the Trotters entered administration in May.
The EFL is not popular amongst many supporters for its perceived lack of action in preventing clubs from falling into the hands of so-called ‘rogue owners,’ and the effect this was having on historic community institutions and their fanbase.
This perpetuation of this perception continued when recent reports emerged claiming the December takeover of the club by the hugely unpopular Steve Dale was allowed to go through without full Football League approval.
Very few fans lay the blame for the Shakers current state with the club, and the EFL, rightly in our view, came in for a real battering on social media from many football fans over their handling of the situation, as this selection of responses to the statement on Twitter illustrates.
https://twitter.com/SubbuteoBlue75/status/1151927044160270336?s=20
Oh, so you do exist then?
— BobLoblaw (@1988Pete) July 18, 2019
This would have been avoided if you intervened earlier. Should have done the same with Bolton
— Daniel Jenks (@DanielJenks89) July 18, 2019
Utter disgrace. Shame you’re not so quick to enforce the fit & proper rule as you are the points deduction….. absolute joke
— Carl (@ShakerBentos) July 18, 2019
Look at the league one table and tell me you’re doing a good job…
— BwfcGoals ⚽🏴 (@BwfcGoals) July 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/DAN5HAW/status/1152090908969570305?s=20
Everything wrong with football you should have helped them sooner very quick to punish teams when some help to protect them would go a long way.
— Barney & Chris (@AmbroseBarnaby) July 18, 2019
So just correct me if I am wrong here.
The EFL who oversees its own version of the owners & directors test ratified (wrongly) the current owner of Bury’s takeover but are now penalizing the club for effectively your decision in allowing him control
— Pandamonium Fanzine (@Pandamonium1881) July 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/BarneyStuart21/status/1151897956754362371?s=20
An utter joke that on your watch you CONTINUE to allow Clubs and their fans to suffer with owners who overspend in the hope of success. You @EFL are nothing short of a disgrace and as for your Fit and Proper test its a bloody shambles.
— MJBebend2109 (@bebend2109) July 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/marrpete/status/1151898551573782528?s=20
