Bury FC forced to replay match due to player suspension: details of the scandal.

Incident involving player discovered at Bury

According to The Sun: The Bury team received unexpected news last week: during the FA Trophy match, a player who was not eligible to participate was used. This became known only before the game started.

The Shakers confidently defeated Wythenshawe Town 3-1 at the beginning of the month as part of the FA Trophy.

However, on Friday it was revealed that an ineligible player had taken part in the match.

The club's management submitted the relevant documents to the FA, hoping for a reduction in punishment.

But on Monday it became known that Bury would have to replay the game against Wythenshawe.

In a statement, the club clarified the reason for the punishment: even players and coaching staff were unaware that forward Gavin Messi was not allowed to play.

Messi unknowingly received a suspension at the end of the last AFC Fylde match last season.

This led to his ban from participating in the FA Trophy, of which he was not informed.

“We want to provide an update following the news at the end of last week regarding the FA's allegations against the club for using an ineligible player.”

“When the Shakers were leading 3-1 in the FA Trophy match against Wythenshawe Town, Gavin Messi was introduced into the game in the 66th minute. Later, the player and the club became aware that Messi had been sent off in the last AFC Fylde match of the previous season against Barnet.”

“After the final whistle of that match, the referee showed a red card to a group of players and staff from AFC Fylde in the locker room.”

“Messi left AFC Fylde in the summer and signed with the Shakers on September 1.”

“However, the FA portal allows clubs to see player registration data only after their first appearance on the field, while disciplinary data on the portal showed one suspension for a player, namely Aiden Walker after a sending-off in a match against Stalybridge Celtic in the FA Cup.”

“After taking the field against Wythenshawe Town, Messi's record became available to the club and showed that he should have been banned from playing in the FA Trophy.”

“This evening, a hearing took place with the FA regarding the allegations against both the Bury Football Club and Gavin Messi.”

“After providing the FA with all mitigating evidence, the commission decided that Gavin Messi would now receive a one-game ban.”

“A second hearing regarding the football club determined that the FA Trophy match against Wythenshawe Town would be replayed.”

“The replay will take place at Ericstan Park tomorrow evening, Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 7:45 PM.”

“Bury Football Club wants to emphasize that in this case there were no problems with player registration, and that standard procedures were followed by our administrative team in preparation for the FA Trophy match.”

The FA Trophy replay will now take place on Tuesday.

Bury is currently competing in the Northern Premier League West, after the club was expelled from the EFL in 2019 due to a financial crisis. A group of fans then created a new club, which eventually merged with the original club two years ago.