Bury AFC

Konrad_the_Barbarian

Konrad_the_Barbarian

Well-known member
I just watched the BBC documentary showing the sad and disgraceful demise of Bury FC and how some of their fans tried to re-launch a new club Bury AFC. I was quite surprise at how anti some of the Bury fans were towards this. They just would not accept Bury AFC and would only support Bury FC even though Bury FC, in reality, exist in name only owned by the despised Steve Dale who also owns the ground. They have no team, management, staff or league status.

Why wouldn't Bury fans get behind AFC as being the new Bury FC ? Is it because they're not playing at Gig Lane or because they can't be called Bury FC ?

It left me wondering what exactly defines a football club. What would Boro fans do in that situation ? Dig your heals in and continue to support and extinct club whose name and ground are in the possession of a much hated "chairman" or support a fans backed Phoenix club - Middlebrough AFC ?
 
Bury FC still exist.
They're trying to rejoin the pyramid.

I don't see the point in a phoenix club until the original club has actually gone.

If Bury successfully rejoin the pyramid next season, then there's now two clubs in a town both vying for supporters and players.
 
Konrad_the_Barbarian said:
I just watched the BBC documentary showing the sad and disgraceful demise of Bury FC and how some of their fans tried to re-launch a new club Bury AFC. I was quite surprise at how anti some of the Bury fans were towards this. They just would not accept Bury AFC and would only support Bury FC even though Bury FC, in reality, exist in name only owned by the despised Steve Dale who also owns the ground. They have no team, management, staff or league status.

Why wouldn't Bury fans get behind AFC as being the new Bury FC ? Is it because they're not playing at Gig Lane or because they can't be called Bury FC ?

It left me wondering what exactly defines a football club. What would Boro fans do in that situation ? Dig your heals in and continue to support and extinct club whose name and ground are in the possession of a much hated "chairman" or support a fans backed Phoenix club - Middlebrough AFC ?
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Colin Henderson said we were preparing for life outside the football league in 86, our ground was padlocked we owed money, yes we had a consortium who were fighting the previous clubs debts but it was looking unlikely they would be successful, it would be interesting how fans would react if the worst actually happened

Would this life have involved Ayresome Park, who knows, but we were so close at one point, I was convincing myself that we'll return as a league club & we'll bounce back but probably more bravado than been realistic, no ground, no club, yes I'd have been bitter if all taken away something that was my life
 
BoroBen92 said:
Bury FC still exist.
They're trying to rejoin the pyramid.

I don't see the point in a phoenix club until the original club has actually gone.

If Bury successfully rejoin the pyramid next season, then there's now two clubs in a town both vying for supporters and players.
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You can see the similarities with MK Dons and Wimbledon. This one is harder to call because its the same town still. I think if Bury FC came back to life, Dale left and things were on an even keel, then AFC would fold.

If however, Dale digs his heels in, does nothing and gives time for AFC to establish themselves and they 'do a Salford City' as it were, I think it would be very hard to entice them back to the old team.
 
Erimus74 said:
Colin Henderson said we were preparing for life outside the football league in 86, our ground was padlocked we owed money, yes we had a consortium who were fighting the previous clubs debts but it was looking unlikely they would be successful, it would be interesting how fans would react if the worst actually happened

Would this life have involved Ayresome Park, who knows, but we were so close at one point, I was convincing myself that we'll return as a league club & we'll bounce back but probably more bravado than been realistic, no ground, no club, yes I'd have been bitter if all taken away something that was my life
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Agreed.
We very nearly didnt have a football league team and we didnt have to imagine what it felt like did we?
I recall some bitterness towards a certain Charles Amer during the time of decline and the noose round our neck of that sports centre.
Rightly or wrongly - fans start off by trusting owners to do the right thing, but cant be blamed for feeling wronged if something which is part of the living and breathing culture of the area is taken away: especially with owners whose main priority is themselves.
 
Middlesbrough has always been Middlesbrough athletic & Football Club the only change was a 1986 at the end of it.
I don't think I would follow a fan led club, perhaps only if Gibbo sold ours over to the fans.
There was a lad posting on here wanting to be the rep for the fans meeting Gibson etc..... Gerroutofit.
 
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Erimus74 said:
Colin Henderson said we were preparing for life outside the football league in 86, our ground was padlocked we owed money, yes we had a consortium who were fighting the previous clubs debts but it was looking unlikely they would be successful, it would be interesting how fans would react if the worst actually happened

Would this life have involved Ayresome Park, who knows, but we were so close at one point, I was convincing myself that we'll return as a league club & we'll bounce back but probably more bravado than been realistic, no ground, no club, yes I'd have been bitter if all taken away something that was my life
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Blimey Erimus and look at what we were 10 years later . It’s mind blowing
 
I know some Darlo fans get touchy when you call them Darlington 1883. Although they were given permission in 2017 to be called Darlington FC again 😉
 
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We were registered as owned by Blackplay ? 85 to August 86 ? Sporting Club Middlesbrough, in Aug 86 to Oct 86.

Then our current name Middlesbrough Football and Athletic Company 1986

Middlesbrough AFC.
 
Imagine a phoenix club starting at the bottom of the pyramid had we not been saved in 86. Id imagine we'd of played somewhere like Clairville Stadium (Ayresome would have become a housing estate much sooner) and slowly worked our way up the leagues. Whether we'd of ground to a halt at some point like Darlington, Scarborough and FCUM we'll never know.

The likes of Maidstone and Chester have never made it back to the EFL
 
Davey_C said:
Imagine a phoenix club starting at the bottom of the pyramid had we not been saved in 86. Id imagine we'd of played somewhere like Clairville Stadium (Ayresome would have become a housing estate much sooner) and slowly worked our way up the leagues. Whether we'd of ground to a halt at some point like Darlington, Scarborough and FCUM we'll never know.

The likes of Maidstone and Chester have never made it back to the EFL
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Yep, very nearly happened
 
I remember when it was getting near crunch time I couldn’t listen to any news reports. I feared the worst and didn’t really want to hear about what could have been our ultimate demise. Thankfully it all worked out in the end
 
Davey_C said:
Imagine a phoenix club starting at the bottom of the pyramid had we not been saved in 86. Id imagine we'd of played somewhere like Clairville Stadium (Ayresome would have become a housing estate much sooner) and slowly worked our way up the leagues. Whether we'd of ground to a halt at some point like Darlington, Scarborough and FCUM we'll never know.

The likes of Maidstone and Chester have never made it back to the EFL
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Maidstone is a funny one in that they spent their money and sold their stadium in order to get into the league and never played a league match anywhere near Maidstone. It was no surprise that they went bust. Chester is an odd one in that they were relegated to the Conference then were promoted back again. Only after a further relegation did they go bust, and there was considerable mismanagement to put them in that position. Newport County and Wimbledon are much more hopeful examples to follow.
 
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