XI questions with | Bury

And across the country, supporters are preparing for the new campaign with renewed hope and ambition for the season ahead.

Ahead of the 2026/27 campaign getting underway on Saturday 8 August, we sat down with supporters from the NPL clubs at Step 3 to hear their thoughts on how things are shaping up.

Up next is Bury fan Tom Pickup.

It's back-to-back promotions now for Bury after winning the NPL West Division last season. How confident are you of making it three in a row?

We’re very very confident going into the new season. 

We have grown massively in the few years since coming back. Obviously with Anthony Johnson at the helm, I think there’s that little bit of nous. We’ve had great managers in the past, the likes of Dave McNabb and Tim Lees as interim. You’ve got to remember the clubs Johnson has been at, the clubs he’s got promoted. It’s probably the best at this level. 

Along with the squad staying largely similar, I think we’re extremely confident. 

Because the play-offs have expanded slightly, it’d be a massive underachievement if we don’t make it at least that far.

Anthony Johnson came in midway through last season, winning 11 of 13 league games. How happy are you with his leadership?

He’s fantastic. I'm very impressed with him, and I’ve been able to have long chats with him. 

He gives you lots of confidence. Also being a Bury fan and the same age as me, he remembers all the same games, understands the fan base. He understands what the club needs. 

It’s a winning formula having him here. He's loved by all the fans, which is rare at this level.

The likes of Bebeto Gomes have moved on, as have several others. How important is recruitment this summer, especially with playing at a higher level?

It’s very important. At this level, you need a wider range of knowledge about the players. 

You can’t just switch your TV on and everyone knows everyone. We’ve got a really extensive scouting network. Johnson has brought players he knows in, which was a ready-made plan he hatched. 

With Bebeto Gomes, I’m disappointed with that one. He just wasn’t featuring as much since Johnson came in, so sometimes it’s a case of players not fitting the system. 

That being said, we’ve got George Glendon who has huge experience. Anthony Dudley is coming back after all these years, too, so it feels like a settled squad.

Who are you most excited to see play for the Shakers next season?

Leo Graham is just an unbelievable signing. 

When we first got him on loan from Wigan last season, he was a relative unknown and it took him a few games to get going. I remember some fans being doubtful about him, and then his class showed. 

Everyone couldn’t believe someone of his calibre and quality was playing in the NPL West. It was quite incredible really. 

Leo is obviously very loved here. 

Do you have any concerns going into the new season? Bury is a club with huge expectations, given the history.

You never want to get too carried away thinking we’ll win every game. We’ve got to be realistic. 

There are other very good teams in this division, clubs we haven’t faced at this level yet. We can’t take anything for granted. 

Some fans are concerned about the new sponsorship rights on the stadium [Salford Van Hire Gigg Lane], especially with another team’s name on it, but I think it’s a positive. It will be a very good commercial deal for the club, and we need more money to compete as we go through the leagues.

Quite a few new teams are entering the division. Are there any grounds you’re particularly looking forward to visiting as a fan?

There’s Whitby, which is a lovely part of the world on the East Coast. Workington are quite a big club at this level. It’s not the nicest trip, but you can go to the Lake District on the way! 

Lancaster as well, that will be a nice trip up the M6. 

There are lots of grounds to tick off my list!

Who do you think is the most important asset in your squad?

I think James Neild was a masterstroke signing - he can play anywhere. 

Goals are the ones we need, so I expect the likes of Kai Evans, Djavan Pedro and Rustam Stepans to step up. If DJ Pedro can play 30+ games this season, he can be the one to make a difference. He’s got a bit of edge. 

Which lesser-known Bury player are you expecting to have a breakout season?

We’ve actually got two brilliant left-backs. 

There’s Connor Pye - he's been outstanding but got injured last season - and another young lad called Bailey Sloane, who even scored a hat-trick from defence last season. 

I’d single those two out, because I really think they can both go far. 

Sometimes you watch these players and wonder how they’re not playing at a higher level. The standard is terrific, especially when we can play football on our 3G pitch. 

How important will Gigg Lane’s atmosphere be for generating positive results?

When we managed to get the club back, the ground was such a huge part of it. 

We’ve had it since the late 1800’s and it’s been our stadium ever since. In terms of regular attendance, we’re getting more fans than I’ve ever seen. The atmosphere is superb, and there are lots more younger people coming to watch with their families. 

Who do you consider to be the league’s dark horses for 2026/27?

Don’t count Avro out, they were very consistent last year. I think they’ll make the play-offs. There’s always one that does really well who you don’t expect to. 

If you had some time with the players before the opening game, what would be your final message to them?

Just to continue to do the club proud, put in as much effort as possible, and not be worried about messing up. 

If you put in the hard yards for Bury, you’ll be really loved by the fans.