Bury given time to finalise takeover
Bury has secured extra time to push through a takeover that could save the crisis-hit English League One club from extinction.
English Football League (EFL) reported it had granted an extension to Bury, which has yet to play a match this season.
Owner Steve Dale said that a deal with analytics company C&N Sporting Risk had been agreed for the club that was the FA Cup winner in 1900 and 1903.
The club had been given until 23:59 local time on Friday to prove it had sufficient funding to complete the season and avoid being kicked out of the league.
Bury has now been told to complete the takeover by 17:00 on Tuesday, or its membership of the league will be withdrawn.
EFL board executive chair Debbie Jevans said: "The board has considered the evidence presented and has determined, in a final effort to allow the club the opportunity to survive, to grant an extension and work exclusively with the club and C&N Sporting Risk to see if a takeover is possible.
"No one wants to see a club lose its place in the league and we will now work with the potential purchasers over the weekend and ahead of the Tuesday deadline in an attempt to find the solutions required for a sale to take place."
The EFL board also warned it would not countenance further League One fixtures involving Bury being postponed because of "the integrity of the competition" and the possible impact on other clubs.
Bury has had all of its competitive fixtures postponed since winning promotion from League Two last season, with off-the-field troubles causing significant problems.
Players and staff have had wages paid late, and a winding-up petition over an unpaid tax bill was only dismissed by the High Court in July.
Fans staged protests at Gigg Lane this week amid desperate calls for Dale to agree to a sale and end the threat to the 134-year-old club's existence.