Bury FC and Bolton

[The Daddy 2,113]

So it's not just in RL where greater Manchester sports clubs are struggling. Given some of our clubs in the region are lacking somewhere to play and the deadline for saving Bury and Bolton has passed there are now two decent stadia with no sports teams and now lying empty. 

Can RL benefit from this in anyway? A merged Manchester team playing at a decent Gigg Lane stadium perhaps? 

I'm from South London and know very little about the history and geography of greater Manchester and there's 0% chance of any of this happening but worth the discussion. 

 

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,805]

I don’t think it’s specifically a geographical thing. 

[The Daddy 2,113]

Only 10 miles from Bury to Manchester city centre, surely it's a decent location for a new merged or otherwise Manchester club.

[RL does what Sky says 2,293]

There has been news of the two club on BBC Radio Manchester all day and it was actually mentioned at one stage about too many teams being in the area and the chances of clubs merging. Not one supporter they interviewed of Bolton or Bury wanted it.

Edit ... Actually, partly wrong in what I said. One Bolton fan said it might be OK ... as long as the team played at Bolton ! 

Edited August 27, 2019 by RL does what Sky says

[Just Browny 6,921]

Depressingly, I think it tells us quite a lot about the future of town clubs in any sport if they fail to capture a billionnaire owner and/or footprint beyond their traditional or obvious borders.

[The Daddy 2,113]

1 minute ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

I don’t think it’s specifically a geographical thing. 

Yr right and I'm sure they'll be new Bury and Bolton clubs rising from the ashes looking to play at those grounds

[Mr Plow 958]

Wonder what will happen to Bolton Stadium if they go bust. Be interesting to see if the CC semi finals are there in 2020, the RFL had Valley Parade lined up this year as back up

[The Daddy 2,113]

Historic sports clubs in Greater Manchester outside of Man Utd and Man City are struggling generally. 

[RL does what Sky says 2,293]

Another item mentioned on the local radio was that Bolton were previously owned by a man in the Isle of Man who gave up his ownership in 2018 and wrote off the club's debts to him ... of £117 million !

So, if clubs can have such money and just waste it then why should they, or any business, be allowed to coninue ?

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,805]

12 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Yr right and I'm sure they'll be new Bury and Bolton clubs rising from the ashes looking to play at those grounds

I’m not sure what your point is. If Bolton and Bury do go bust this evening, both will have clubs re-formed by fans by close of play this week. 

[Manxmanc 813]

In some ways, this acts as a warning to to other sporting clubs, and it's particularly dispiriting being mindful of the strong RL prescence in Greater Manchester. 

It's all very sad for these clubs which are only about 6 miles apart. These are strong community clubs and this is potentially disastrous.

On a personal note, I've watched home matches at both clubs. In the case of Bury, that was my first ever professional football game, and I might not get the chance to see another game at Gigg Lane.

[The Daddy 2,113]

3 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

I’m not sure what your point is. If Bolton and Bury do go bust this evening, both will have clubs re-formed by fans by close of play this week. 

That's exactly what I'm saying. But it doesn't mean they'll have the funds to buy the grounds.

Edited August 27, 2019 by The Daddy

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,805]

6 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

That's exactly what I'm saying. But it doesn't mean they'll have the funds to buy the grounds.

I still don’t get what your point is. 

The reason why they’ve got into trouble isn’t because of their geographic location though.

[The Daddy 2,113]

12 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

I still don’t get what your point is. 

The reason why they’ve got into trouble isn’t because of their geographic location though.

In actual fact I have no idea what yr going on about. I'm just gonna put you on ignore, you have a habit of derailing threads. 

Edited August 27, 2019 by The Daddy

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,805]

Just now, The Daddy said:

In actual fact I have no idea what yr going on about. I'm just gonna put you on ignore

See you. 

 

[DEANO 1,178]

Trouble is my own club included in the past, spend more money than they take in. No other business operates like this

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,805]

I think it’s a stark warning to sporting teams across the country. I know we, as a game of Rugby League, have lost some clubs through money issues (though some have resurfaced) in the past but to see two Football Clubs go in this day and age of Sky and it’s resources, I think there will be some worried sport clubs around this evening. 

Geography has little to nothing to do with why these two football teams have (possibly) gone. 

I don’t believe The RFL have the money to buy any stadium, let alone Bolton’s. 

[Death to the Rah Rah's 195]

36 minutes ago, RL does what Sky says said:

Another item mentioned on the local radio was that Bolton were previously owned by a man in the Isle of Man who gave up his ownership in 2018 and wrote off the club's debts to him ... of £117 million !

So, if clubs can have such money and just waste it then why should they, or any business, be allowed to coninue ?

Eddie Davies was from Bolton, he made his money making kettle elements. From what I've read a lot of the money owed to him was 'interest' at quite high interest rates on money he had injected into the club in the form of loans. There's no doubt he wrote off a lot of money but whether it was 117 million 'cash' or anywhere near it is anyone's guess

[The 4 of Us 1,071]

33 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

That's exactly what I'm saying. But it doesn't mean they'll have the funds to buy the grounds.

The absolute worst publicity a start RL club could have is to buy a ground from under a defunct Bury/Bolton club. You’d have rugby balls and effigies dressed in new club colours being burst outside the main entrance. Ignoring the fact of course there’s not 1 current or wannabe club with close to enough funds to do so! 

[GUBRATS 3,818]

Be interesting to see how anybody could put a value on the ' Reebok ' ? , A football stadium , in fact a genuine ' state of the art , Iconic stadium ' , no argument about that ? , But one that isn't or doesn't have a sustainable football club to play in it ? 

Wigan perhaps ? , Although that would be interesting as the RFL refused to allow Leigh to move there 20 years ago 

 

[Dave T 16,174]

29 minutes ago, DEANO said:

Trouble is my own club included in the past, spend more money than they take in. No other business operates like this

Yes they do

[Eddie 2,273]

It’s the same in Liverpool, there are two huge teams and everyone else in any sport struggles. 

[GUBRATS 3,818]

It does make you wonder at the logic of a native of Bury with strong links to the club , putting money and media profile into a non league club in Salford 

Why not Bury FC ?

[RL does what Sky says 2,293]

17 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

Eddie Davies was from Bolton, he made his money making kettle elements. From what I've read a lot of the money owed to him was 'interest' at quite high interest rates on money he had injected into the club in the form of loans. There's no doubt he wrote off a lot of money but whether it was 117 million 'cash' or anywhere near it is anyone's guess

I can understand that but, even if the vast majority was interest, the club had obviously agreed to that amount of interest and still owed it.Therefore they should have made provision for it with their balance of income/expenditure.

For some reason many people think that sports clubs shouldn't follow the normal rules of business and then moan when the club might have to fold, even though the club had spent far money money than they earned.

Yes, other businesses operate in a similar way but, in the end, if they eventually couldn't afford to continue they would also have to pack in.

[Davo5 3,669]

53 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

As I said before. The RFL and SL should buy Bolton's stadium. It's a good size for some of the 2nd tier showpiece games and would give us a base to create new events. 

With what,free club Wembley tickets for the next 10 Challenge Cup Finals