FSSB Statement: Next Steps
After a testing week, including staff and board member resignations, the board wishes to reassure fans of the plans to address the immediate challenges and explain a way forward initially in this short-term period.
It is useful to heed the words of Dave McNabb and his appeal for calm ahead of last weekend’s game (available to view here). He and his team continue to do their job, and now we all as a club, board, staff and supporters need to pull together and get behind them. We all continue to work hard to create the club we wish to see and the successes we wish to have.
The abuse and threats faced by staff and volunteers is intolerable and needs to stop.
The club is operational and the CBS board remains quorate. The board will continue to meet to provide strategic direction and oversee the election process currently under way. A meeting is planned this week to discuss interim positions and the election process.
The football board, the group that runs the day-to-day operations and coordinates matchday activities, continue to meet regularly. Interim steps to re-structure this group will be reviewed during the coming week.
We are pleased to report that Football Club secretarial duties will be temporarily undertaken by Ian Coyle. Ian has previously operated in this role and has continued to assist in this regard since Neil Sears assumed the role at the start of 2024. This is a key role in supporting the manager, in providing the necessary player administration and coordination of fixture arrangement with the league and any football authorities. This will be reviewed as and when we get a more permanent solution, but we are delighted such a key position is temporarily covered in the interim.
Our staff team at the ground is now thinner given the events of the last few days. In the short term, we will look to bring in experienced cover on a temporary / short-term contract basis.
This role will manage the day-to-day operations from Gigg Lane including the current staff of Community Development Officer Casey Lynchey, Stadium Manager Stuart Wright, and his assistant Ben McConnell. They continue to work diligently in what became difficult circumstances and will be supported as necessary by the club as we move into this next stage.
Part of this will be providing further security for our staff and volunteers. As responsible employers, we cannot let staff members and volunteers attend work in the fear of physical and verbal harm.
To this end and to confirm absolutely, any sanctions imposed on individuals attending Gigg Lane will remain in place and in line with the terms provided by the club. Those involved will be contacted directly to re-emphasise that these sanctions remain in place.
Given all we have been through as supporters of this club, we have to come together to see the bigger picture which is the success of Bury Football Club.
Current difficulties aside, we have much to be proud of. The hard work and commitment of Neil Sears has been absolutely integral to the delivery of the several positive developments.
Gigg Lane has seen major refurbishment, with more to come, to make our stadium a home we can be rightly proud of.
The installation of a new, magnificent 3G pitch last summer provides a facility that benefits our players and our community work, which allows all teams from juniors to veterans to access top quality playing facilities. Casey is in the middle of the first phase of building relationships with local children within a schools programme delivered across the borough. This seeks to increase visibility of the club in the town, and add to the 23 teams representing the football club currently.
We have regular hiring out of the pitch, making it a continuous revenue stream for the football club, building relationships with local football establishments in the process.
Commercially we have seen the production of a new Partner’s Programme, with relationships built and with maintenance of these relationships paramount in the coming months and years.
Starkies has been refurbished and there are plans for the 1885 Suite to follow suit. New floodlights are about to be installed, reducing our outgoings costs and somewhat reducing our carbon footprint. Also, safety works on the Main Stand will begin in line with the staged process set out and agreed with the local council.
Neil will leave the club in a much stronger position off the field than it was in when he arrived. We thank him and wish him well in his future career.
We cannot let the progress stop as we collectively strive to build a club that we can all be proud of. We owe it to Dave and his team, to come together to create the very best atmosphere for this talented group. We do this to maximise the chance of reaching their objectives, and our aim, of promotion this season and the long-term future of the club.
Further details for the election process, any temporary positions on the CBS and football boards, and the identification of an interim General Manager, we will communicate these to keep supporters as up to date as possible.
Our attention now turns to Tuesday and a really important home game versus Charnock Richard. To remain unbeaten in the league by mid-November really is some feat. With each passing game, this will get harder and harder to maintain so it is so important to bring your positivity to the games and support those players on the pitch.
By being together in this pursuit will make this easier on us all. We are the Shakers. Let’s show it, starting from today.
UTS