EFL chief Debbie Jevans insists the integrity of the Football League was the key factor behind the decision to reject Bury’s appeal for readmission.

A rescue board led by Bury North MP had put forward a proposal to the league and its clubs in a bid to see The Shakers back in League Two next season.

That was knocked back however at an EFL meeting in Milton Keynes on Thursday with supporters of the Gigg Lane club now facing up to the prospect of rebuilding the club in non-league.

The outcome prompted a strong response from Frith, the MP believing “self interest was served cold” by the EFL clubs, something Jevans rejected.

“It wasn’t that at all and that is an unfair description of what happened,” she told BBC Radio Manchester.

“There were 71 clubs in the room that had that discussion so it wasn’t at all self interest.

“It was looking at the integrity of the league, it was looking at the football pyramid which has been built on promotion and relegation for years and years.

“Clubs spoke up about what has happened in the past to other clubs whereby they’ve started again, they’ve rebuilt, they’ve come back up.

“If you look at where Luton are today, AFC Wimbledon and they did not feel that an exception should be made.

“But it was nothing about self interest, it really wasn’t, there were 71 clubs involved in this decision.”

The decision needs to be formalised at a further meeting with the EFL saying Thursday’s was primarily to determine a direction of travel.

Jevans explained there were mixed emotions in the room.

“The papers that we had received from Forever Bury and the MPs, papers that we had written, were circulated to the clubs and there was a long and detailed debate of at least an hour and a half where everybody had the chance to give a point of view,” she said.

“Bury’s case was presented and to be fair there was a huge amount of sympathy for what the fans and supporters must feel.

“Nobody takes any pleasure in having to have a discussion like this.

“There was also to be honest a degree of frustration from those clubs that felt they missed out by one or two points when Bury went up in the circumstances that it did.

“The direction of travel was very much that of a return to a league of 72 with one less team getting relegated from League Two.”