Bury AFC’s manager has told fans to "come together" following a failed proposal to merge two fan led football groups.

Andy Welsh told Bury AFC’s YouTube channel that fans had been feeling "disappointment" following the result of the vote last month, which could have seen a merger between the Shaker’s Community Society and the Bury FC Supporters’ Society (BFCSS).

Speaking after the team’s 2-0 victory against Padiham last week he said: “I think there’s a bit of disappointment from people.

READ MORE: Plans to merge Bury fans groups to bring professional football back to town fails

“I just think now’s the time for the whole town to come together and just really get together and let’s push the club forward, let’s be positive, let’s come together and show that solidarity.

“I said it last year, this is your town, your club and the only way we can move forward is together and we did that on the pitch today, we did that off the pitch and I’m sure we’ll continue to do that.”

His comments come after six benefactors of the merger, including former Bury FC director Ian Pickup, blamed a "convoluted voting system" for the merger’s failure.

READ MORE: Bury FC merger benefactors disappointed merger vote failure. 

In a joint statement, they said: “We express our great disappointment that due to a convoluted voting system a minority of Bury FC Supporters (BFCSS) have been able to veto the wishes of AFC Bury and the majority of Bury FC Supporters in merging the two groups of dedicated Shakers supporters to return football to Gigg Lane.”

The statement added that all six benefactors would continue to support the return of league football to the ground.

The vote result, revealed following a meeting last week, showed showed 62.9 per cent of the 771 BFCSS member who took part were in favour of the merger as well as 94 per cent of Shakers Community Society members.

READ MORE: JAMES FRITH: Failed Bury FC merger vote 'may yet warrant a second leg'

The result was 3.7 per cent short of the two thirds majority (66.6 per cent) needed for the amalgamation to be successful.

Had the merger gone ahead, the council would have given £450,000 in funding to a unified Bury FC with the aim of restoring elite men’s football to the town.