Bury v West Didsbury & Chorlton

• Saturday 2nd September 2023 
• 3:00pm kickoff
• NWCFL Premier Division, Matchday 8
• Gigg Lane, Bury, BL9 9HR
• Adults £10, 16–18 £5, Under 16 £3, Under 5 Free
• West fans are advised to buy South Stand tickets in advance HERE
• Away fans are encouraged to occupy the "SH" section of the South Stand
• Fans are also able to pay on the day, cash or card, but will likely be directed to the Cemetery End instead
• We have been advised that transferring between the stands will not be possible
• Live commentary on Westlive
• Live text updates via West on Twitter 

Preview

West head to Bury and a notable trip to Gigg Lane on the back of a disappointing loss on Bank Holiday Monday, though overall holding a true position in the league based on form.

Chadderton have now inflicted 3-1 home defeats on both West and Bury to sit atop the playoff pack, all admiring Kendal Town's blistering start which has left them half a dozen points clear already.

The two sides most recently met in February, the last time either was involved in a goalless draw, but it would be chance for this Saturday's clash to be a low-scoring affair. Bury have scored and conceded in every game so far this season while West's three away trips have produced fourteen goals.

Fourteen is also the number of goals Bury have conceded in the NWCFL Premier Division to date, unmatched amongst the top-half of the early league table, while only Kendal Town have outscored their twenty.

Both sides will be focusing on league form, for a period at least, having already been dumped from the FA Cup while also benefitting from delayed starts in the FA Vase, thanks to advancing deep into last season's edition.

With West looking to continue improvement away from home and Bury eager to restore consistent home form after consecutive defeats, a win could lift either side into second.

Andrew Jones, West's #1, suffered a serious ankle injury in the game against Chadderton and will be unavailable for some time. New signing Elliot Wynne comes straight into the squad.

History

Originally formed in 1885, an agreement struck to merge the Bury Wesleyan and the Bury Unitarian clubs  to become Bury FC. Later that year an agreement to play on Mr. Barlow’s field, Gigg Lane, was also agreed.

Joining the Football League in 1894, the Shakers have a long and rich history including FA Cup wins in 1900 and 1903, the latter a 6-0 win that remains the joint highest score in a final. Much of the first 100 years of the club’s history was spent in the top two divisions of English football.

In 2005, the club became the first to score 1,000 goals in each of the four Football League divisions. 

A promotion in 2019 came against a backdrop of turbulance and just three months later, the club was expelled from The Football League. Only five clubs had played more Football League matches than Bury's 4,852. 

The following April saw a new club formed, Bury AFC. A fan-run phoenix club, the new entity was quickly accepted into the North West Counties League Division One North and, with Gigg Lane unavailable amidst the fallout of the original club's descent into administration, a ground sharing agreement was made with neighbours Radcliffe FC. Following the curtailment of their inaugural season due to the global pandemic, the club’s first full season ended in promotion as league champions, with a newly-formed women’s team mirroring the men's team's achievement.

In 2022, members of Bury FC Supporters Society, working closely with the Government, acquired Gigg Lane and the original club’s history from administrators. Fast-forward to May 2023 and BAFC and BFCSS agreed to merge, an ironic echo of how the original club came about some 138 years ago.

Embarking on an epic 60-game season in 2022/23, Bury reached the FA Vase quarter-finals and FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round, navigating three replays en route. For most of the season sitting in behind the leaders but with large volumes of games in hand, a 24-match unbeaten (W18 D6) from mid-October to the start of March looked to have put the Shakers within striking distance.

However, the run-in produced only six wins from the final sixteen games as the fixture backlog, caused by the cup runs and numerous other postponements, switched momentum the other way. Such was the concern to complete the schedule on time that Bury finished their home games as temporary tenants at Mossley's Seel Park. By now their destiny was no longer in their own hands as Vauxhall Motors took 28 points from the last 30 available.

With Avro also picking up enough points to make Bury's efforts to salvage the playoff spot futile, a fourth-placed finish was all that was left to show for a mammoth season.

Form Guide

Bury
Overall position: 3rd
Form position: 15th
Last six overall: DWLLWL
Last six home: WLLWWL

West
Overall position: 8th
Form position: 7th
Last six overall: LWWLDW
Last six away: WDLLDL

Last Meeting

February 21st 2023, NWCFL Premier Division
Bury 0 West 0
Attendance: 1,352

Quick Info: Bury

Travelling distance: 17 miles (2023/24 West away total = 97 miles)
Pitch: Grass
Last season's position: NWCFL Premier Division, 4th
Last season's average attendance: 1,233
Home colours: White / blue / blue
Change colours: Purple / purple / green

Facilities

There are kiosks in every stand that sell food and drinks. There is also an excellent bar in the main stand which will be open on matchdays. 

Directions

By car:
Leave the M66 at Junction 3. Take the left-hand exit at the junction and follow this road until you come to the junction with the A56 Manchester Road. At this T-junction there are traffic lights, turn right towards Bury. You will pass the Swan & Cemetery pub on your left and then some playing fields. At the end of the playing fields just before the traffic lights and a couple of pubs, turn right into Gigg Lane for the ground. However please note that Gigg Lane is normally closed on match days and the ground itself is not easily seen from the A56. Alternative directions from Junction 2 of the M66, from where the ground is signposted; Take the A58 towards Bury and at the second set of traffic lights, turn left onto Heywood Street (B6219). Go straight over a mini roundabout and at the next roundabout, turn right onto Wellington Road (still the B6219). Follow this road to the end, where you will come to a T-junction. Turn left onto the A56 (signposted Manchester). After passing through a set of traffic lights, turn left into Gigg Lane for the ground. Postcode for sat nav: BL9 9HR

There is a car park outside the ground that, due to our fan zone, will be for players officials, sponsors and disabled supporters only. Around the stadium there is street parking available. Please check road signs as some of the streets are residents only and need a permit. Please park respectfully so we maintain great relations with our local residents who we share our community with. Here is a list of car parks in the local area. These are all independent of the club, and charges will apply. Trinity Street Car Park, Trinity Street Bury, BL9 0BT. What3Words ///vibrate.full.lately. Distance 0.8m Q Park Knowsley Place, Knowsley Street, Bury, BL9 0EJ. What3Words ///small.soup.export. Distance 0.8m Bury Market Car Park, The Market, Bury, BL9 0RN. What3Words ///united.hooks.pints. Distance 1.3m

By public transport:
Metrolink: Bury interchange is a 15 to 20 minute walk from Gigg Lane and is served by trams every 12 minutes.

Bus:
The 90, 92, 135 and 137 services run every ten minutes from Bury interchange down Manchester Road past the end of Gigg Lane.

Weekend fixtures
Saturday 2nd September 2023
Premier Division
Wythenshawe Town v FC Isle of Man (2pm)
Burscough v Irlam
Bury v West Didsbury & Chorlton
Chadderton v Colne
Cheadle Town v Kendal Town
Longridge Town v Skelmersdale United
Lower Breck v Ramsbottom United
Padiham v Pilkington
Squires Gate v AFC Liverpool
Wythenshawe v Glossop North End
The Emirates FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Charnock Richard v Runcorn Linnets
FC United of Manchester v Barnoldswick Town
Workington v Prestwich Heys

Pictures by Chris Michell & Simon Cooke