Euro Ruling may spell disaster - Bury Times, Friday - 22 September 1995:
SMALLER clubs such as Bury are facing a twin threat to their existence from Europe and within their own ranks,
Wednesday's news that that European Court of Justice has producing an interim ruling that the current transfer system is illegal, was followed, twenty-four hours later, by an informal meeting .of some of the bigger First Division outfits who are determined to push for a second tier of the Premier League. The threat from without is probably greater that the one from within with clubs like Bury and Rochdale likely to be the worst sufferers if the ruling is ratified next year. "If the ruling becomes law then there will have to be a total rethink at clubs such a ours," commented shakers chief Terry Robinson. "It will mean that if we are ambitious enough to go out and buy a player for £100.000 and put him on a two-year contract he will be a free agent at the end of that time and the money will be written off." "I fee! strongly that the system in place in this country. which has the full backing of the players' union, the clubs, the Football League, the Football Association, and the Premier League is the right one. It is a fair system which doesn't stop players from moving." "We rely greatly on transfer fees to stay in business. A lot of clubs will either go part time or disappear if the ruling becomes law." That point is backed up by the fact that former Bury boss Mike Walsh made the Shakers almost £1 million from transfer deals during his five years. The money helped stabilise the club? at a time when it could have gone bust. Under the Euro ruling their would be no such financial safety net. New boss Stan Ternent, meanwhile, will be hoping his side records its first league win of the season when Bar-net visit Gigg Lane tomorrow. Ryan Cross is available again after suspension but there remain question marks against injured stars Gary Kelly. John Paskin, Michael Jackson, Jimmy Mulligan, and lan Hughes. Ternent will hold a fitness parade before naming his side. He was certainly impressed on Wednesday night: "Overall I was very pleased. It was an excellent team performance. We had a go all round and I couldn't have asked for more," he said. "We've made a little bit of progress and hopefully it will roll over to tomorrow's game, which is our priority. Last Saturday we only gave the fans half a match. It takes a little bit of time to get across what I want to instil to the players, like more passing. The players all did well at Sheffield, but there's still room for improvement."