SAVE Our Shakers fundraising chairman Neville Neville has hit back at fans who are criticising his involvement in the club writes Phil Thorp

The former commercial boss at Gigg Lane has been the target of a number of letters in the Bury Times regarding his motives in helping set up the Save Our Shakers Trust.

Supporters have questioned his reasons for setting up the Trust, which is taking over former director Hugh Eaves shareholding, and have also raised doubts that the Forever Bury Supporters' Trust will give fans a worthwhile say in the running of the club at boardroom level.

"I'm absolutely appalled at the letters campaign that is being aimed at the Save Our Shakers Appeal Fund," he said.

"In attacking me these people are also discrediting the committee and 30 or 40 people who have spent weeks trying to save the club.

"To even suggest that supporters money has been used for individual purposes is an insult to the fans who have helped keep the club going.

"Every cheque that was sent in for the buy-a-seat campaign, every donation that was made and every bucket that was shaken all over the country has SOS Appeal Fund on it.

"That appeal was formed to save Bury FC and that's just what it has done."

At the time the club came out of administration two weeks ago the SOS Fund had raised around £267,000.

The administrators received £225,000 of it to put in club coffers and help keep it going from March through to June.

A car was purchased for £12,000 which will be raffled at the official launch of Forever Bury next Thursday while £6,000 has been spent in legal fees.

That leaves around £23,000 which will be handed over to the club when the SOS Appeal Trust is closed and amalgamates with Forever Bury in a few weeks time.

"In relation to the rescue package itself it was put together by myself in conjunction with around 80 private individuals and companies," added Neville.

"These people pledged hundreds and thousands of pounds to enable the club to pay off the outstanding mortgage, the Eaves loan and release the shares from the High Court.

"I am pleased to say that the shares were released on Friday and once all the legal aspects have been sorted those shares will be handed over to the club.

"The sole beneficiary of the SOS Appeal Fund isn't any individual or individuals but Bury Football Club and that is how it should be.

"As for the SOS Fund appointing directors, that is the job of the club's shareholders and that will be done once a meeting of them is called once all the legal ramifications have been cleared up."

While Neville has stood down from the fundraising position after the successful acquisition of Hugh Eaves shareholding he is still in negotiations with possible investor Brian Kennedy multimillionaire owner of Sale Sharks Rugby Union Club regarding a groundshare deal.