(Reuters) - The English Football League (EFL) has given League One (third-tier) side Bury until Aug. 23 to meet all outstanding financial requirements or risk having its membership withdrawn, the league body said on Thursday.
Bury, who had their first two league fixtures against Milton Keynes Dons and Accrington Stanley suspended, will now not be allowed to play their League Cup game at Championship (second-tier) side Sheffield Wednesday on Aug. 13 either.
The club, who were served a notice of withdrawal of membership last month, had a Wednesday deadline to provide a viable plan to settle their debts but the EFL said the additional information provided by the club lacked clarity.
"The EFL Board is of the strong opinion that it cannot continue to suspend fixtures indefinitely," it said in a statement https://www.efl.com/news/2019/august/efl-statement-bury-fc-update2.
"After Wednesday's deadline for information was passed without a successful resolution, it will now lift the suspension on the notice of withdrawal of membership of the EFL.
"As per the League's Articles of Association, this will now give the club 14 days (until Aug. 23, 2019) to meet all outstanding requirements of the League's insolvency policy or its membership of the EFL will be withdrawn."
Last week, Bury chairman Steven Dale said the club, who last season won promotion from League Two, had been "dealt a grave injustice" when their second league fixture was suspended.
However, EFL Executive Chair Debbie Jevans said they were "left with no choice" but to threaten the club with expulsion because the evidence provided was unsatisfactory.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)