Andy Burnham has made a 'commitment' to try and secure the future of Bury FC's iconic stadium Gigg Lane.
Earlier today (May 11) it was reported the club's administrator had put the 136-year-old ground up for sale.
During a press conference, the Mayor of Greater Manchester said that discussions are underway to try and preserve its use as a football venue.
He said: "I think this is an opportunity to move quickly and see if we can secure Gigg Lane for the Bury community as a place where a Bury football club in a reborn condition can play football.
"That's what we all want to achieve.
"I've had meetings with the leader of Bury Council, the chief executive of Bury Council, local MPs, this is being done on a cross-party basis. I know contact has been made with the government.
"I think now we need to quickly get our heads together to see what we can do to move to secure Gigg Lane for that football use."
Referencing the government's proposals to reform planning processes, Burnham added: "Planning changes may weaken the ability of Bury Council to protect Gigg Lane so that's why we'll have to look at the detail of those planning changes.
"The commitment I'll give today is that I've been in touch with the leader of Bury Council today, we're prepared to move quickly to see if we can help.
"I definitely want to help colleagues in Bury.
"This is a piece of football heritage that matters to many more people in Greater Manchester to see if we can secure it so that the club can rebuild and start to play football again at Gigg Lane.
"It could be a risk but let's see if we can turn it into an opportunity."
'Unconditional offers' are being sought for the entire 6.4-acre stadium site, which also includes the ticket office and club shop.
Bury FC's administrator, Steven Wiseglass, of Inquesta Corporate Recovery and Insolvency, said: "As part of the administration process, I have been liaising with the secured charge-holder over the stadium and have now appointed Fleurets to actively market the stadium for sale.
“My role is to secure the best possible outcome for all stakeholders of The Bury Football Club Company Ltd.
“Bury FC is a club with a rich history and a loyal and enthusiastic fan base, and I do hope that a suitable buyer will be forthcoming to secure the future of football at Gigg Lane.
“All expressions of interest should be submitted directly to Fleurets.”
