Bury update

Bury owner Steve Dale has revealed that the expelled EFL club are hoping to be placed into the National League next season.

The former League One outfit were kicked out of the division in August after failing to provide proof of funding, but are entitled to be placed into the upper reaches of the non-league setup.

Dale also admitted that he is open to stepping down from his role in order to satisfy the National League's entry criteria.

The fact that Bury are still in existence, despite the off-field chaos, means that the club could be accepted straight into tiers five and six under FA rules.

And with the prospect of National League, or National League North, football for next campaign a possibility, Dale has opened up on his plans for the Shakers.

He told The Sun: 'We have lodged an application with the FA to be placed into a league for next season.

'Due to being the chairman when the club was removed from the EFL, I might have to step down to satisfy the National League's entry criteria and I'm prepared to do that.'

The fact that Bury are still in existence, despite the off-field chaos, means that the club could be accepted straight into tiers five and six under FA rules.

And with the prospect of National League, or National League North, football for next campaign a possibility, Dale has opened up on his plans for the Shakers.

He told The Sun: 'We have lodged an application with the FA to be placed into a league for next season.

'Due to being the chairman when the club was removed from the EFL, I might have to step down to satisfy the National League's entry criteria and I'm prepared to do that.'

Bury submitted their application on the deadline, which was March 31 - but the club may have to wait to discover the outcome due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus crisis.

Dale, who took on Bury for £1 in December 2018 despite the club's mounting debts of £17million, also confirmed that he hopes to agree a new deal to prevent the club from being wound up.

He added: 'The problem we've got is we won't know the criteria of that until the FA tell us what league we can enter - but renegotiating the CVA won't be a problem.

'I just hope the FA do right by us and put us in the division our history, heritage and fans deserve.'

However, questions remain over whether Bury would be able to survive outside of the Football League due to their debts.

National League clubs receive roughly £90,000, and that figure reduces to just £13,000 in the National League North.

But Dale is confident that the club will be able to survive regardless of their situation next term, saying: 'Bury will still be a decent club in the National League. It's never been a big, high-profile club.

'The sponsors were local people. The fans are local people and we never got massive gates. The club is sustainable.

If Dale think they will be put into national league he Is deluded. Start again at 8th or 9th tier.

Bury wont get shit from the FA especially now given the state of the leagues due to the situation we are all in. punchdrunk is right 8th or 9th tiers are more likely and even that would require dale to sell up and move on.

He's one of those guys who thinks if he repeats something enough then that is what's happening, he's deluded.