Bury FC (H) – Match Preview

Welcome back to league action! We welcome Bury FC to Green Lane on Saturday in our first ever Step 3 fixture, and if last season is anything to go by, then it will be a good one

Been a while since I wrote one of these, so let’s start with the basics.

Andrei Ardelean, Luke Spalding, Connor Smith, Lewis Hawkins, Ciaran Banks, Glen Butterworth, and McCartney Woodhouse have all been added to our squad for this season.

They’ve almost all had minutes in our pre-season friendlies (Glen being the exception), with Andrei and Luke both bagging goals in the process, too.

Our last opening day defeat came against Crook Town back in the 2020-21 season, when we were still a Northern Football League Div 2 side.

Since then, we have had 3 promotions, and the UK has had a pandemic and 5 prime ministers.

After the Bury match, we will have a trip to Workington, followed by another trek to Quorn on the Saturday.

Lancaster City, Emley, and United of Manchester will all be welcomed to our ground throughout this month, with a trip to Warrington Rylands splitting those three, and an away match to Stockton Town rounding out our month.

We will have cup matches thrown into the schedule at some stage too, which will add a bit more excitement to what is already feeling like an exciting set of weeks/months for us.

Obviously, there aren’t any stats to cover yet, but if Adam Boyes, or any of our players, starts a run of form that stands out, then I will be sure to mention it in these previews.

Onto Bury FC, and I will address the obvious point: I will not be talking about the old entity that sat in the EFL for many years. This will just be dedicated to the phoenix club.

The fan-owned Bury AFC started life in step 6 in the 2020-21 campaign. COVID then hit; that season was abandoned, and they proceeded to win the league title the following season

They were allowed to use the Bury FC name for the following season, now in step 5, though it took them a few attempts to make it out of there, with a 4-0 win on the final day of the 2024-25 season seeing them gain promotion.

They spent just one season in step 4 (just like us), with a 3-0 win on the final day against Atherton Collieries seeing them pip Avro FC to the title, even with Avro beating Darlaston 13-0.

No, that isn’t a typo. Thirteen. Nil.

Pre-season wins against Radcliffe, Wigan, Chorley, and other lower-level sides have meant that the Shakers do look very promising, with their only defeat so far coming against Accrington Stanley.

As with us, there aren’t many…or any stats to cover in terms of league results, so it will be a short match preview.

As in, ending here pretty much.

By the time the reverse fixture rolls around, things will more than likely be in a much more organised place, with facts and stats to bring you, along with more information, predictions, and some form of understanding about how this league will end up.

Hopefully we are near the top, but that is a factor where all you can do is wait and see.

See you all on Saturday, take care, and, as usual

Up the Steelmen!