Bury owner Steve Dale posts explosive open letter to supporters and slams EFL chief Debbie Jevans

Steve Dale has unleashed on EFL executive chair Debbie Jevans in an open letter to Bury fans – and claims “All realise Bury FC is still here”.

Dale published the strongly-worded letter on Bury’s official website and hinted that he plots a return to the EFL for Bury next season.

He claims that the club have only been excluded from the competition for this season, suggesting that an effort will be made to restore them to the League next year.

And that could come under a new owner, as he wrote: “I can confirm I have an offer from an individual, however, the NDA prevents me from disclosing and if the Fans want me out I will sell to him.”

But Dale risked further damaging his relationship with EFL executives as he responded to the “the ill truths/spin put out by Debbie Jevans” later in the letter.

Dale claims that despite suggestions from the EFL that they are ‘there to help’ that he has never received any assistance from EFL chiefs.

He also called into question the conduct of EFL staff and how they communicated with Bury FC.

Steve Dale’s open letter to supporters

To All,

Firstly apologies that my efforts to save Bury from the decimation that I inherited from the previous owners have not been enough to date, after the CVA I thought we had a great future little did I realise the governing body allegedly there to help our Clubs would be our greatest threat but rest assured that issue is not over by a long shot

POSITIVES

I know it hurts but let’s be a glass half full here and start the fight from that point;

1. All realise Bury FC is still here it’s been removed from the league for  this season only  as per the Solicitors letter I received yesterday after asking them was anybody going to write to me formally to advise that they had removed us from the league, one would have thought that would have been done immediately if they were indeed a professional body?
2. I am in talks with the Bridging Loan Company who have a charge on our Stadium that the previous owner took out, whilst it’s a huge amount the Company is working with me to allow a 2 year holiday on capital repayment and we are agreeing on a sensible interest rate, I thank them for working with us, so Gigg will be safe.
3. CVA, the removal from the league and its financial implications has a huge effect on this however if you want me to stay I will do all I can in whatever way I can because if this gets finalised we have no threats to our Club and were safe to fight another day.
4. The EFL monies held over £600k should be paid to our football creditors reducing our CVA but who knows with the EFL’s agenda.
5. There are some good people and some former Directors who left because of the previous owners who have understood what I had to do was needed and have offered help, if I stay I will be definitely calling on them

NEGATIVES

1. We need to address the ill truths/spin put out by Debbie Jevans as we can prove 100% that her words to media and statements put out portrayed a totally different picture to reality, they work on spin/miss direction, try to discredit the owner to take the passionate fans and heat away from them the real culprits, with little care how these ill truths affect the owners and their families.
2. I keep hearing Mrs. Jevans saying how they are there to help, the only help I ever had from the EFL was Shaun Harvey who advised on the CVA and got a payment sent to us, the last we ever had from them, as for help and support non-existent, threats plenty, help Nil
3. We have our academy monies monthly but for some reason in closed season they do not pay out but give 3 payments at the end of August, we have managed to pay the Academy people previously but due to this devastation by the EFL we were reliant on today’s payment to pay Staff and guess what the EPPP have withheld payment even though it was for previous months prior removal from the league, makes you wonder as I’m advised they occupy the same offices as the EFL? Common theme don’t you think in screwing Bury we will be passing to our Lawyers.
4. I am hopeful that the Serious Fraud investigation will see the perpetrators brought to justice soon and disclosures can be made, this will allow fans to see what really was going on behind the scenes that seriously added to our current situation.
5. The investigation uncovered Reporters and Media outlets who through certain individuals at the club were receiving private and confidential information about the club, very News of the World, but they too will be exposed.
6. We need to clear out and start again, time and events have shown we have a handful of trustworthy Staff who care for Bury but the rest need to go it’s time for a change, new blood.
7. Buyers:  James Frith brought  Sporting Risk  to the table I was hopeful that they could buy Bury but they would never provide proof of funds to me, just kept requesting more information one of the first I gave them was on the Stadium loan so it came as a shock they pulled out at the last minute for a debt they had known about for months. Another bid came in and, once again I have never seen proof of funds or heard from them since. We also had a handful of timewasters but nothing concrete

I can confirm I have an offer from an individual, however, the NDA prevents me from disclosing and if the Fans want me out I will sell to him.

EFL

Well, there’s a story to tell but as we’re coming up to page 3 so we will save the full story for another day, but ask yourselves this.

The biggest even in the league’s recent history was decided by a couple of people who have shown there dislike for Bury by;

1. Withholding all monies due to the Club since early this year starving it for cash on the back of we owe Clubs what they don’t take into account/say is that Clubs owed us a similar amount.
2. I went to the EFL once I found out the level of problems in the Club when I first came, Shaun Harvey said to try to keep it going Steve as we have Bolton and Blackpool, I said I felt the only possibility was a CVA but that would cost me a fortune and we would get points. I was advised whilst we would initially get points we could appeal under a clause “Force majeure” as the actions of the previous owner meant this was a slam dunk. We sent our appeal in and got no initial reply then got a, under the circumstances you’re not applicable email, how would they know without the evidence, then a few days later got an aggressive Lawyers letter saying your out of time and you had to pay £5000 to appeal, which I was not aware of, but contrary to what they say we appealed in time and we have a 100% watertight case.
3. At a meeting with Craig and Jevans he boasted that nobody has ever won an appeal as this was some badge of honour, I thought it was about truth.
4. When we were on a conference call early after the CVA we explained you never know we could go up other Clubs have, the reply “not when we give you 12 points” again a common theme.
5. Embargo on players signing, when we asked could that be lifted before the transfer window shut, Mrs Jevans replied “when is that” and latterly “can’t you play your youth”

There are others but you get my point.

As stated the biggest event in the recent league history was decided by the biased few, Jevans keeps saying we act for 72 Clubs, so given the magnitude of their actions would you not think a sealed private ballot would be taken from all the Clubs so there could be no retribution from the league, something I was warned of when I came, the Chairmen I have spoken to would not have backed removal as tomorrow it could be them given the shambles the league and its Clubs are in.

I request an independent report is carried out and a ballot taken to reintroduce Bury to the league

Yours sincerely

Steven D Dale
Chairman Bury FC