 |
Bury FC |
Ah Bury, there’s something about the name that just makes you think of the lower leagues… |
There certainly is but it wasn’t always so – a century ago Bury were plying their trade at the upper end of the Football League. The club was formed in 1885 and then admitted to the second division of the Football League in 1894, at the same time as Manchester City. They the beat City 4-2 in their opening game (playing then, as always, at Gigg Lane) and proceeded to win all fifteen of their home fixtures that season. They duly won the Championship and beat Liverpool - the bottom club in Division One - in a 'test match' to secure their place in the top flight. The next few years proved something of a golden era for the club as they won the FA Cup twice in 1900 and 1903 (notably before either of the Manchester clubs had managed to do so) and they stayed in Division One until 1912. They had one further spell in Division One, in the late '20s but after that it has been lower divisions all the way and since the 1960's it's more often than not been the bottom two of those. |
And since then I guess they’ve been a bit overshadowed by the big boys? |
That’s about it. Sadly, when residents of Bury get up to go to football on a Saturday it’s often as not Old Trafford or The City of Manchester Stadium that they head for. Even traditional rivals Bolton Wanderers are now firmly entrenched in the Premiership. Bury have had a few moments of success though, albeit
on a far smaller scale than those of the neighbours. In the club’s
centenary season, 1984-5, they were promoted to Division Four under
the charge of a familiar name, Martin Dobson (we must suppose that
the memories Shakers' fans have of Dobson are a little better than
our own). And then in '96 and '97 the club earned successive promotions
under Stan Ternent, including a 29 game unbeaten home run, which
saw them end up in Division One. |
| So what’s happened to them since? |
| Neil Warnock took over from Ternent and the club was relegated in 98/99 on goals scored but worse was to follow. The club had been bankrolled through its recent successes by a Bury fan ‘made good’ in the City. He was subsequently involved in a huge financial scandal (of his own making) and Bury FC was one of those to lose out, big time. They had to lay off staff (Warnock himself left with Andy Preece taking over as player-manager) but even that wasn’t enough and in 2002 they finally succumbed to administration. They survived, mainly due to the tremendous efforts of their supporters, but these days their belts are (sensibly) drawn rather tighter than previously. |
| I remember that now, didn’t one fan get an award? |
| That’s right, Gordon Sorfleet won the UEFA Fan of the Year award after his magnificent fundraising efforts for the Shakers’ cause. |
| Remind me about that ‘Shakers’ thing… |
| Apparently it stems back all the way to the late nineteenth century when club chairman, J.T. Ingham, announced at a Lancashire Senior Cup game against Everton: "We'll give them a shaking. In fact we are the Shakers." |
| Let’s hope they don’t ‘shake’ us up tomorrow? |
| Well, on paper Rovers should have a chance. Bury have only won two games since the start of December and have plummeted down the table as a result; we imagine that the sale of leading scorer David Nugent to Preston in January can’t have helped much. They did win last time out, a two one victory over Cambridge at Gigg Lane (although it took a last minute Flitcroft winner), but even so their form is less than inspiring. Having said that, Rovers’ away form is pretty terrible itself and the canny punter would probably go for a draw to help the Gas get to the magic eighteen draws! |
Drawing at Gigg Lane rings a bell (or two) |
| It should do. Over a quarter of the meetings between the clubs have been draws and there have been five nil-nils at Gigg Lane – all since 1987/88! Doubtless that’s the reason many Gasheads associate a trip to Bury with boredom, although it wasn’t always so: in 1956/57 Bury beat Rovers 7-2 at Gigg Lane on Christmas Day but revenge came at Eastville the following day when the Gas emerged 6-1 victors! |
Somehow I think a nil-nil is more likely this weekend, what else is there to do if I get too bored? |
| Well, Bury is famed as the home of the black pudding. The local delicacy is sold in Bury Market (Chadwicks is the stall to head for) which is open on Saturdays if you fancy taking some home. Not only does the town make black pudding though; it is also the home of the 'World Black Pudding Throwing Championships'. At this prestigious event (contestants come from Australia and South Africa amongst other places apparently) the idea is to throw a black pudding (wrapped in ladies tights) at a load of Yorkshire puddings balanced on a plinth high up on a pub wall. No, that is not a joke… |
| Blimey, that sounds like the sort of thing you should be locked up for! |
| Funny you should say that, Bury is also famous for being the birthplace of Robert Peel Junior – ‘father’ of the police force - who was born at Chamber Hall in 1788. His father was a cotton magnate and an MP and his some followed in his footsteps, becoming a Tory Member of Parliament at the tender age of twenty-one (we suspect their may have been some parental influence here, Peel junior became MP for the Irish seat of Cashel City, County Tipperary, a borough with only twenty-four voters) . As home secretary Peel was most famous for proposing the “Metropolitan Police Act” which was passed and is widely accepted as the establishment of the modern police force (who were then known as ‘Peelers’). Peel was also prime Minister on two occasions and during the second of these he famously repealed the Corn Laws. He died after a riding accident in 1850 and is remembered by statues in Bury and Manchester. |
| Should I be on the lookout for Peelers on Saturday then? |
| Not only them but also traffic cones. In keeping with its law enforcement links with the past, Bury claims to be the home of traffic cones. Whether this is true we have no idea but keep your eyes peeled (sorry) anyway! |
| Maybe I’d better stay in the pub – any you recommend? |
In town there's your usual Yates and other standard fare (such as a Wetherspoons called "The Robert Peel"– what else?) but if you walk towards, and then down, the Manchester Road to Gigg Lane from the station then there are quite a few boozers. The Trafalgar, The Rose and Crown and The Jolly Waggoners are all very close to each other on Manchester Old Road (just off Manchester Road to the right as you walk from the Station towards the ground) and we found the Rose and Crown the best of these. The Waterloo is on the Manchester Road and is friendly, if basic while The Packhorse and The Staff of Life are the two closest pubs to the ground (also on Manchester Road) and as a result are usually reasonably busy. The Swan and Cemetery is another Manchester Road pub but on the stretch past Gigg Lane, which runs towards the motorway (you’ll see it if you are driving). |
| Anything else I should know? |
Keep an eye out for Dave Challinor’s legendary long throws during the game. Oh, and finally, we know these are usually reserved for home guides but we can’t resist this possible tabloid headline: SHAKES SHAKES SHAKERS! |