Bury FC expelled from English Football League

LONDON - English Football League club Bury have been expelled from the competition over financial issues.

The League One club (third division) from the northwest of England, which was founded in 1885 and won the FA Cup on two occasions, had been unable to fulfil their first five games of the season and are the first team to be expelled from the competition since Maidstone United in 1992.

The news happened after C&N Sporting Risk pulled out of a deal to buy the club from owner Steve Dale 90 minutes before Tuesday's revised 5 pm deadline.

The Football League (EFL) issued a statement to confirm their decision which read: "The EFL Board met earlier this evening and, after a long and detailed discussion, determined that Bury FC's membership of the English Football League be withdrawn after the deadline passed at 5 pm today [Tuesday, August 27] without a successful resolution."

"At its meeting on August 24, 2019, the board agreed a short extension to 5 pm today to enable Mr Dale and the club to explore the possibility of a proposed sale with C&N Sporting Risk Limited, with Mr Dale having accepted their offer. Following due diligence, C&N Sporting Risk Limited opted not to pursue its interest."

"Therefore, having fully considered all available options, including a number of late expressions of interest provided to the EFL, the EFL Board has unanimously determined with enormous regret that Bury's membership be withdrawn."

League One will now contain 23 rather than 24 teams for the 2019-20 season.

The EFL have given another League One club, Bolton Wanderers (one of the founding members of the Football League in 1888), 14 days to find a buyer or face a similar fate.