EFL has said they may consider a 24/48 hour extension because possible buyers have emerged. Their credibility is diminishing. Any future basket case club can have five matches deferred and then sail right past an expulsion deadline.

Any buyer must do due diligence. And that could take weeks. So what happens if after due diligence a preferred buyer walks away? Have they got any players to fulfil fixtures over that period?

If it was us...

Apparently 1 has Dales backing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49438243

Surely Mr Dale will need to select his preferred buyer tomorrow not take an extention and say "I'll pick one of the four next week". What's the chance that any one of them will be financially sound?

There's a message on Rochdale's forum, from someone who frequents a Bury closed forum, that "a deal to sell has been done", but no details yet.

Seemingly now confirmed as "with the EFL".

Though of course the EFL might have other ideas.

NearlyDead wrote:There's a message on Rochdale's forum, from someone who frequents a Bury closed forum, that "a deal to sell has been done", but no details yet.

So that's the one they will take to the EFL tomorrow? Just buys more time and another two or three postponements. The EFL will want financial guarantees pretty soon.

Edit: Come to think of it, if they lift the expulsion order, even temporarily, shouldn't they insist that Bury fulfil next Saturday's fixture (31st August). That would be interesting!

What happens in FA Cup this season will one side get a bye I round one

excessbee wrote:

NearlyDead wrote:There's a message on Rochdale's forum, from someone who frequents a Bury closed forum, that "a deal to sell has been done", but no details yet.

So that's the one they will take to the EFL tomorrow? Just buys more time and another two or three postponements. The EFL will want financial guarantees pretty soon.

Edit: Come to think of it, if they lift the expulsion order, even temporarily, shouldn't they insist that Bury fulfil next Saturday's fixture (31st August). That would be interesting!

You'd think they should start playing at the first opportunity, if they have any players.

Anyway, seems the thread about this on the Bury forum has now been deleted, possibly as it had SD2's phone number in it or possibly rumour is either the deal is off, or

He's [SD2] now saying if they give an extension till next Thursday he thinks they can get the deal done.....

It would be kinder to finish it tomorrow!

This extension is, as I understand it, dependent on Dale reopening negotiations with Norman Smurthwaite.

Norman prides himself on having never lost out on a deal. Assuming he gains control at Bury (ominously one thing in his way is that he still owns Port Vale's ground) then Bury fans should buckle up. They're going to get shafted.

JonD wrote:This extension is, as I understand it, dependent on Dale reopening negotiations with Norman Smurthwaite.

Norman prides himself on having never lost out on a deal. Assuming he gains control at Bury (ominously one thing in his way is that he still owns Port Vale's ground) then Bury fans should buckle up. They're going to get shafted.

Going to get shafted?

That makes it sound as ominous for Port Vale as it does for Bury. Could he sell Vale's ground out from under them, invest heavily in Bury and thumb his nose at a now homeless Vale?

Would be all the more reason for the League to get shot of Bury as soon as possible.

As a supporter, one would think that, when deciding between the frying pan and the fire that the arriving petrol can might look inviting in the short term, especially when the new kid on the block is already a fit and proper person in the eyes of the EFL and who, according to Wikipedia, has no interest now in PV's ground or board, having sold both to the Shanahans in May 2019.

I wonder if Smurthwaite has come back to Dale with exactly the same offer he made earlier in the week, knowing that with only 24 hours to go, Dale is on even thinner ice.

excessbee wrote:I wonder if Smurthwaite has come back to Dale with exactly the same offer he made earlier in the week, knowing that with only 24 hours to go, Dale is on even thinner ice.

Perhaps the same deal plus the pound he invested might get the deal over the line.