EFL set to meet to discuss Bury’s plight

Bury were expelled from the Football League in August

Football League clubs will meet on Thursday, with Bury’s possible reinstatement to League Two top of the agenda.

The 71 members will convene and it is expected there will be a vote on how the EFL will look for the 2020-21 season.

One of the options available is to readmit Bury, who were expelled from the league last month after the collapse of a takeover bid.

Sky Sports News reporter Alan Myers explains what could come out of the meeting and what it might mean for Bury.

Why is the meeting happening?

The meeting is a regular club meeting which was always due to take place during September, however, this will be the first opportunity that the EFL has had to discuss the circumstances around Bury since its expulsion from the league last month.

Bury were expelled from the Football League on August 27 following the failure by owner Steve Dale to convince the league it had the financial ability to run in a viable way for this season and beyond or find a buyer. As a result, Bury had their Football League membership revoked and the fight to have them reinstated by fan groups and politicians alike started.

Steve Dale believes Bury’s treatment has been unjust

It is important to note this meeting is not purely to make a decision on whether Bury will be allowed to be reinstated to the league but more so to discuss and find a way forward with regards to the ramifications of the club’s expulsion.

Dale pleaded with the 71 clubs this week and asked they support Bury’s fight to return to the league they were a member of for 125 years. Dale wrote: “If our fellow clubs are in doubt, give us time to allow us to put the facts forward as they unfold. Believe us when we say it would leave little doubt to reinstatement”.

What will be discussed?

A number of issues will be discussed at the meeting, but most importantly what the remaining 71 clubs would like to see with regards to the direction of travel the league should take regarding the 72nd league membership place

What options will be open to the clubs?

There will be a number of options for the clubs to discuss, however, the rules are already in place and the decision made with regards to relegation from League One this season. This is that only three clubs will be relegated to League Two (instead of four) and four clubs will be promoted from League Two for season 2020/21, thus returning League One to the original 24 teams

The main question of the day will be ‘how the EFL returns to 72 member clubs’ (should that be the desired option).

For this, there will be a number of options.

Firstly, members could decide whether only one club should be relegated from League Two this season and the normal two clubs promoted from the National League (which would result in 72 league clubs for 2020/21 season)

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General manager Scott Johnson says the offer to buy Bury is dependent on what league the club are placed in as EFL agrees to discuss a proposal to see them put into League Two next season

General manager Scott Johnson says the offer to buy Bury is dependent on what league the club are placed in as EFL agrees to discuss a proposal to see them put into League Two next season

Or clubs could decide to favour a ‘new member club’ being allowed to join the Football League. This is already within the power of the EFL board under its current regulations.

This could be any team, from any league. However, this is the only way, should clubs decide this is what they want, that Bury could be reinstated to the Football League

Option two would present the bigger challenge as it is likely that there will be a variety of views.

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Sky Sports News reporter Becky Williams brings details of the EFL’s decision to agree to discuss Bury’s potential re-entry to the Football League

Sky Sports News reporter Becky Williams brings details of the EFL’s decision to agree to discuss Bury’s potential re-entry to the Football League

It’s understood many League Two clubs were and still are unhappy at how Bury gained promotion from the league last season and that their actions contributed to its downfall.

However, it is also believed many clubs are sympathetic to Bury’s plight and are uncomfortable with a scenario which has seen a club with such a rich history and a passionate fan base having to fold due to mismanagement by its owners.

What happens next?

The 71 representatives from the football league clubs will be asked to indicate their desire for the direction of travel they want the EFL board to go in and the board will take that information and decide, at a date yet to be determined, of how to proceed.

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