Sport

Kevin Blackwell insists no plans in place for Bury’s League Two future until financial investment at Gigg Lane

By Mark Shales

Bury FC cannot  plan for their League Two future until their finances are sorted, insists manager Kevin Blackwell ahead of Tuesday’s dead rubber clash with Scunthorpe United.

The Shakers have won just seven of their 43 league games, sealing relegation with Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to fellow-strugglers Oldham Athletic.

And with the club announcing a need for £1million to stay afloat just three days before, Blackwell admits the timing was painfully fitting.

“We really are at a point where something drastic and quick has got to happen,” he told BBC Radio Manchester.

“We’ve known this has probably been coming for weeks.

“I suppose it’s quite apt that it’s come in a week when the whole thing has imploded at the football club.

“But until the club is saved, there are no discussions to be had. If the directors are right and there are some interested parties, we need them in sooner rather than later.”

Scunthorpe could end up following the Shakers out the League One backdoor, with the Iron sitting two points from safety with just two games remaining after their Gigg Lane trip.

Bury, currently under a second transfer embargo, have failed to fill a substitutes’ bench for a while but Blackwell’s squad will be further depleted. 

Andy Bishop and Jonson Clarke-Harris both picked up injuries at the weekend to add to the growing list of absentees.

And despite having youngsters available to him, the Bury boss insisted it could be detrimental to their development to throw them in at the deep end.

“We had three people on the bench on Saturday and one of them was young Tom Pratt,” he added.

“You can’t just throw a kid in – if it’s physically too demanding for them, they’ll get injured.

“I’ve seen that before and I’ll not ruin anyone’s career early on.”

Image courtesy of ESPN, via YouTube, with thanks

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