Bury FC: Gigg Lane prepared for first matches since 2019

Volunteers have been working tirelessly at the ground to ensure the ground is ready for the first matches its men’s team have played there since the club was expelled from the English Football League in 2019 following financial problems.

Last weekend, the club made its first outing, which ended in a 3-0 friendly victory away at Thackey AFC.

And on Tuesday night, Bury drew 2-2 away at Hyde United.

They come ahead of a bumper weekend of football at Gigg Lane this weekend when they continue their pre-season campaign.

On Saturday, Bury will take on League Two side Bradford City FC, who they last faced in February 2018, in a friendly.

This will be followed by a match against Championship side Preston North End on Sunday.

Gigg Lane has been undergone preparations for the club's first men's matches ahead of the NWCL 2023/2024 season (Image: NQ)

The matches will act as warm-up for the 2023/24 season in the North West Counties Football League (NWCL) Premier Division, which kicks off on July 29, with Bury's crash against Glossop North End.

These fixtures will be first for the men’s team at Gigg Lane since a successful second referendum in May saw it merge with Bury AFC. In June, the FA gave the club the go ahead to use the playing name "Bury Football Club".

Ian Harrop, a former director who now volunteers to support the club’s commercial activities said these matches will be “very emotional for a lot of people" many of whom “never thought it would happen".

Ian, a trustee for the ground, has been involved with ongoing efforts to clean up Gigg Lane since it was bought back from the administrators by the fans.

Volunteers help to clean up Gigg Lane ahead of a fundraising match for the Lee Rigby Foundation in June 2023 (Image: Bury Football Club (Facebook))

He said: “It’s been an ongoing process, not just for the past eight weeks but probably for the past two years.

“We’ve had a very hardcore group of volunteers whose services they’ve given to the club and the time they’ve given to the club has been frankly unbelievable.

“We took control of the ground probably about 18 months ago and other than the odd charity match or hiring the pitch, there was very little income coming to the club, everything was done very much hand to mouth.”

Ian says work to clean-up Gigg Lane has been meticulous, with every seat in the almost 12,000 capacity stadium being individually cleaned.

Volunteers have also facilitated a full refurbishment of Starkies, an area overlooking the pitch, which will be used as a match-day bar.

Volunteers have helped refurbish Starkies, for use as a match-day bar (Image: Twitter@Buryfcofficial)

Ian added: “I think people who have not come to the ground for four years will come in and be very pleased to see how the ground looks.

“The pitch is looking immaculate, the groundsmen have done a tremendous job.

“I know in my time of probably over 40 years involved with Bury Football Club I can honestly say the ground has never looked in better condition.”