Bury FC - ridiculous punishment by Manchester FA

[Gag N Bone Man]

Statement on the Bury website:

Bury Football Club has been informed by Manchester FA that an independent committee has decided that due to the offensive comments made by two supporters during our game against West Didsbury and Chorlton in September, we should be forced to play our next two home games behind closed doors.



We reported the incident at the time, and provided video and other evidence to the police to assist their enquiries at some considerable cost to the club. We have not disputed the claims made. The individuals have not yet had their case heard by the law enforcement authorities and have been prevented from entering the stadium indefinitely whilst we await the outcome.



Our grounds for appeal are limited. We have accepted the facts of the incident, and do not believe that we acted in a way which was anything other than responsible and measured. We accept that the two individuals involved could have been removed from the stadium immediately but the stewards took a view at the time to stop any further problems and review the situation afterwards. We paid additional money to a CCTV specialist to review footage and provided this to the police. Our stewarding costs are £3-4,000 per game, it is not something we take lightly.



The basis of our appeal is that the punishment is excessive. We have seen multiple incidents over recent years of groups of supporters collectively issuing racist, misogynistic and homophobic abuse, as well as tragedy chanting. These have gone unpunished or have been dealt with by fines. We acted on the day. We are unable to completely control the words of two people in a crowd of 3,838 on that particular occasion.



We accept there should be a punishment, but excluding every well-behaved football supporter from a stadium which has already excluded those who perpetrated the offences, does nothing to promote inclusion.



The loss of revenue is extremely damaging and our belief is that it would be far better to use that revenue to fund a campaign intended to positively promote diversity and inclusion. Football needs to change, this would help make that change.



A stadium closure throws this opportunity away and is likely to ignite a more divisive and polarised debate on these important issues.



We have taken huge strides to actively promote diversity and inclusion since forming the club and have raised money and awareness throughout the borough through the hard work of our volunteers, many of whom will be deeply dismayed by this judgement as it punishes them despite their efforts.



For this reason we intend to appeal. It is not because we are in any way dismissive of the issues involved. The appeal process will take a number of weeks and we will continue to play in front of supporters during this period, and we will keep supporters updated as to any progress made as it happens.



We are also concerned that this specific judgment has been published publicly whilst matters are still being considered by the relevant law enforcement authorities.

Fkn ridiculous. 

[westislandterrier]

What a pity The Manchester FA wouldn’t take a wee spell overlooking Strictly Liability Laws in Scottish Football...

Celtic and Rangers would utterly shit themselves -

But my goodness what a shame for Bury FC - They ain’t getting many breaks with all these people that are trying to Bury them !

[htafcokay]

Fuck them. Bunch of entitled wankers.

Had the misfortune of having to deal with their club on several occasions a couple of years ago.

I used to feel for them when all the shite was going down with Steve Dale and liquidation etc. But having dealt with them after that, when they reformed, and I saw how much they tried to bully other clubs and thought they had a God-given right to do what they wanted, I changed my opinion.

Horrible club and horrible entitled fans.

It's funny, as I always remember them being a pathetic little club.

[andyeastleake]

I think I'll probably always think football is potentially the greatest sport in the world.

However the actions of administrators of the game and owners & officials of clubs (including our own if I'm still allowed to call it that) have increasingly turned me off the sport over the last 30 years or so.

This is I'm afraid another example. Punish thousands for the actions of two.

[Baby Ate My Eight Ball]

If the Manchester FA are anything like the Huddersfield district FA was when i was managing in the district league about 10 years ago, I'd imagine it's full of jobsworth dinosaurs that like the pomp of ceremony and are tediously bureaucratic.

[28901]

Jan 12, 2024 14:37:13 GMT 1 htafcokay said:

Fuck them. Bunch of entitled wankers.

Had the misfortune of having to deal with their club on several occasions a couple of years ago.

I used to feel for them when all the shite was going down with Steve Dale and liquidation etc. But having dealt with them after that, when they reformed, and I saw how much they tried to bully other clubs and thought they had a God-given right to do what they wanted, I changed my opinion.

Horrible club and horrible entitled fans.

It's funny, as I always remember them being a pathetic little club.

I'm sure you're right and I hate following the knee jerk reaction of the mob, but whatever the actions of their board and some fans, surely this is still an over the top response?

[htafcokay]

Jan 12, 2024 14:54:40 GMT 1 28901 said:

Jan 12, 2024 14:37:13 GMT 1 htafcokay said:

Fuck them. Bunch of entitled wankers.

Had the misfortune of having to deal with their club on several occasions a couple of years ago.

I used to feel for them when all the shite was going down with Steve Dale and liquidation etc. But having dealt with them after that, when they reformed, and I saw how much they tried to bully other clubs and thought they had a God-given right to do what they wanted, I changed my opinion.

Horrible club and horrible entitled fans.

It's funny, as I always remember them being a pathetic little club.

I'm sure you're right and I hate following the knee jerk reaction of the mob, but whatever the actions of their board and some fans, surely this is still an over the top response?

It isn't.

I've been there twice, and both times trouble occurred due to their fans throwing beer all over opposition fans when they scored.

Couldn't happen to a nicer club.

[morleyterrier]

Jan 12, 2024 14:29:38 GMT 1 Gag N Bone Man said:

Statement on the Bury website:

Bury Football Club has been informed by Manchester FA that an independent committee has decided that due to the offensive comments made by two supporters during our game against West Didsbury and Chorlton in September, we should be forced to play our next two home games behind closed doors.



We reported the incident at the time, and provided video and other evidence to the police to assist their enquiries at some considerable cost to the club. We have not disputed the claims made. The individuals have not yet had their case heard by the law enforcement authorities and have been prevented from entering the stadium indefinitely whilst we await the outcome.



Our grounds for appeal are limited. We have accepted the facts of the incident, and do not believe that we acted in a way which was anything other than responsible and measured. We accept that the two individuals involved could have been removed from the stadium immediately but the stewards took a view at the time to stop any further problems and review the situation afterwards. We paid additional money to a CCTV specialist to review footage and provided this to the police. Our stewarding costs are £3-4,000 per game, it is not something we take lightly.



The basis of our appeal is that the punishment is excessive. We have seen multiple incidents over recent years of groups of supporters collectively issuing racist, misogynistic and homophobic abuse, as well as tragedy chanting. These have gone unpunished or have been dealt with by fines. We acted on the day. We are unable to completely control the words of two people in a crowd of 3,838 on that particular occasion.



We accept there should be a punishment, but excluding every well-behaved football supporter from a stadium which has already excluded those who perpetrated the offences, does nothing to promote inclusion.



The loss of revenue is extremely damaging and our belief is that it would be far better to use that revenue to fund a campaign intended to positively promote diversity and inclusion. Football needs to change, this would help make that change.



A stadium closure throws this opportunity away and is likely to ignite a more divisive and polarised debate on these important issues.



We have taken huge strides to actively promote diversity and inclusion since forming the club and have raised money and awareness throughout the borough through the hard work of our volunteers, many of whom will be deeply dismayed by this judgement as it punishes them despite their efforts.



For this reason we intend to appeal. It is not because we are in any way dismissive of the issues involved. The appeal process will take a number of weeks and we will continue to play in front of supporters during this period, and we will keep supporters updated as to any progress made as it happens.



We are also concerned that this specific judgment has been published publicly whilst matters are still being considered by the relevant law enforcement authorities.

Fkn ridiculous. 

Agreed, poor form this.

A club that was completely shafted by the footballing authorities it would appear are still up against it.

Give them a break!.

[softboy]

Bet they wish they had breached FFP over 100 times and then their punishment would be decided in 10 years time! As for their fans I have to agree inside the ground they were hostile but in the local pubs I have always found a decent welcome. Unlike Manchester on Saturday where young city fans were out and about looking for a fight. Yes some town lads behaved like idiots but around Picadilly Station didn’t feel particularly safe.

[Captainslapper]

Its absurd.
Can you imagine if two people in an Asda starting hurling offensive abuse at each other while they were shopping...so the local trading standards authority shut the Asda down for two days as way of a punishment??
Wouldn't happen in a million years so why are football clubs expected to be accountable for the actions of their customers when no other business is??

All a club can do is react to a fan shouting something...issue bans, etc...they cant be expected to stop it happening!
How unjust it is to punish 99.9% of the fans for the actions of 2.

[Oblong of Dreams]

I'm now wondering what the Manchester FA Committee's stance on collective punishment is in any other context... I'm sure they're consistent 🙄

[rockwall]

Good job the admins don't close the forum down when posters go at it....

[brighousebandbred]

Jan 12, 2024 14:47:05 GMT 1 andyeastleake said:

I think I'll probably always think football is potentially the greatest sport in the world.

However the actions of administrators of the game and owners & officials of clubs (including our own if I'm still allowed to call it that) have increasingly turned me off the sport over the last 30 years or so.

This is I'm afraid another example. Punish thousands for the actions of two.

Spot on, local football is often run by power crazy folk who get off on the little bit of power they have too often to the detriment of why they are there in the first place.
Give people power some can’t help being arses.

[sabailand]

Jan 12, 2024 14:47:05 GMT 1 andyeastleake said:

I think i'll always probably think football is potentially the greatest sport in the world.

However the actions of administrators of the game and owners & officials of clubs (including our own if I'm still allowed to call it that) have increasingly turned me off the sport over the last 30 years or so.

This is I'm afraid another example. Punish thousands for the actions of two.

It is, played in basically every country worldwide with many having full time pro leagues, no other sport can boast that on such a scale, i agree though the games administrators both high and low level continue to make decisions that bewilder us all.