Its certainly not a level playing field. There definately needs to be major reform of the EPL structure and its rules. At the root of it all though is the Premier League and thats not going to change anytime soon. Possibly stopping automatic promotion to it might help? Possibly two smaller Premier leagues with an invitation system rather than auto promtion from the EFL?

I have more sympathy for Bury than Bolton whose fans now complain that there is too much money in the PL. They were happy to take it when they were there and their financial mismanagement seems of epic proportions.

Football clubs seem attractive to those who give the appearance of having made money fast in the less reputable kinds of businesses and are given to taking risks. Given the institutional (or is it institutionalised?) nature of the typical football club, this is the least suitable owner that the fans need.

The governing bodies might toughen up their criteria for their financial proprierty tests, but they would be open to legal challenge no doubt if they really got tougher and money buys the best legal advice.

So there can probably be no answer.

Stopping advancement by promotion would surely kill off the game at the lower levels. Did not this eliminate the Belles?

Trotter fan in peace.

I don't blame the Premier League or Sky. The problem lies in part with the club's owners who spend too much chasing success and leave the club in a mess when it doesn't happen. I blame the EFL too for their utterly shambolic and spineless handling of way too many aspects of the game not least the 'fit and proper person test' which seems to find anything but fit and proper people. I also blame us, the fans for wanting instant success and screaming sack the manager if we don't win every game.

But mostly I think the problem in the North West is actually a more fundamental one. There are simply too many clubs in too small an area for all of them to make a profit or be competitive. Even without the Manchesters (City and United). Bolton, Wigan, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, FC United, Bury, all within twenty miles of Manchester city centre. There simply aren't enough fans with big enough wallets to fill all those stadia every week and frankly I see a time, perhaps not too long from now when some of them will have to merge to survive.

PeterPiper has some good points. Look how Donny lost potential young supporters while we spent five years in the wilderness.
While the Sheffield teams and Leeds were all ex-top tier, they were not exactly blazing it to the top at the time.
If we have had the likes of the Manchester duo within 30 miles of Belle Vue, would the Rovers be still around today?
Let us all thank John Ryan for giving us a chance - and today's board for have some fiscal sense.

I see on the BBC Sport website that the Bury North MP has requested a meeting with Debbie Jevans of the EFL to discuss his proposal for Bury FC to be reinstated to the EFL at L2 level next season.

Hound, If Bury can prove they have the financial backing to survive, I do not think I have a problem with that position.
However, it has to be substantial - remember the Ryan/Thomlison. take-over was turned down by the EFL.
OK, living about 5000 miles away I may not know what really went on at that time.

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