BURY FC (Gigg Lane)

SATURDAY 8th JULY 2023, PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY, BURY FC 0-6 BRADFORD CITY, ATTENDANCE: 2,135

There was only one place to be this afternoon and that was at Gigg Lane as The Shakers made their return home for the first time since May 2019.

1,526 days if you are counting.

Appropriately, before kick off James' 'Come Home' and Thin Lizzy's 'The Boys Are Back In Town' boomed out from the PA system.

The trials and tribulations of Bury FC are well documented but back in May the two separate supporter-led groups, set up after the club’s expulsion from the Football League in 2019, agreed to merge.

97% of Bury AFC supporters (the club who had represented the town in non-league since 2019 and played at Stainton Park, home of Radcliffe FC) and 90.1% Bury FC supporters (the original club which continued to exist as a fan-led business entity and completed a purchase from the administrator last year but, until now, they had not had a team to play at the ground) voted to come together as one, under the name Bury FC, a decision ratified by the FA in June. Another tune played today - The Beloved 'Sweet Harmony' 

Hopefully with this coming together the wounds can be healed and, going forward, the club can regain it's position in the 92.

Not that the result matters in these games, they are all about fitness and trialling new players, but Bradford, currently managed by ex-Everton and Southampton striker Mark Hughes, ran out comfortable winners thanks to goals from Alex Pattison (7) Andy Cook (12) Emmanuel Osadebe (27) and Liam Ridehalgh (28) then, after completely changing their team at half time, further goals from Matt Derbyshire (53) and Jamie Walker (88).

Highlights of the match can be seen by clicking here