Bury Football Club was founded on 24th April 1885 following a public meeting which was held at the White Horse Hotel in the town center. A committee was immediately elected and the club became sub-tenants of a field on Gigg Lane, which belonged to the Earl of Derby.

Bury Football Club was founded on 24th April 1885 following a public meeting which was held at the White Horse Hotel in the town center. A committee was immediately elected and the club became sub-tenants of a field on Gigg Lane, which belonged to the Earl of Derby. The same field has remained the club's home following 112 years. It took over four months for a team to be assembled and it was not until 5th September 1885 that Bury played their first game - a friendly fixture which was drawn 2-2 away against Little Lever, who were a local Bolton side. The following week Gigg Lane made it's bow as Bury beat Wigan 4-3 although receipts totalled just £1-16s-7d.

For four years Bury competed only in friendly matches until, in 1889, the club was instrumental in fanning the Lancashire League. The Shakers - the nickname was bestowed upon the team by club Chairman JT Ingham when he announced at the stare of a Lancashire Senior Cup game against Everton, "We'll give 'em a shaking. In fact, we are the Shakers!" - fared well in the new League Championship. In May 1894 Bury applied for the first time for membership of the Football League and, along with Manchester City, Leicester Fosse and Burton, was successful in being elected to Division Two. Bury's first ever game in the Football League ended in a 4-2 home win against Manchester City on 1st September 1894 and the Shakers went onto win all fifteen of their home games as they clinched the Division Two Championship at the first time of trying. The Championship didn't automatically mean promotion to Division One though and Bury had to overcome Liverpool (the bottom club in Division One) 1-0 in a test match played at neutral Blackburn before they earned their place in the top flight. The Shakers even had to contend with having keeper Archie Montgomery sent off in that test Match too!

Bury remained in Division One for eleven years, finishing in fifth position in 1900/01 season but finally suffering relegation at the end of 1911/12 season. In both 1900 and 1903 the club gained perhaps its greatest achievement when the Shakers won the FA Cup twice within the space of three years. In 1900 Southampton were beaten 4-0 at the old Crystal Palace ground whilst in 1903 Bury created a little bit of football history in recording what still remains the biggest FA Cup Final winning margin, 6-0 against Derby County and they also lifted the trophy Without conceding a single goal throughout the competition. From 1912 to 1924 the Shakers remained In Division Two but were to experience a final taste of Division One soccer for five seasons between 1924 and 1929. In 1925/6 season Bury finished in a club Record final placing of fourth in Division One whilst England center forward Norman Bullock created a club record of 31 league goals. This record stood up until 1981/82 season when Craig Madden eclipsed this total, scoring 35 goals.

Bury were relegated to Division Two in 1929 and remained there until 1957, when for the first time in the club's history. Bury were demoted into the lower leagues, playing a solitary season in Division Three North during 1957/58 season before the formation of Divisions Three and Four the following year. In 1960/61 season, under manager Dave Russell and Captain Bob Stokoe, Bury Clinched the Division Three championship, scoring 108 goals in the process. The 1960's brought a further seven seasons in the old Second Division which finally came to an end in 1969, but by 1971 the club had sunk down to Division Four and had hit on extremely hard times. Promotion from Division Four and under manager Bob Smith followed in 1973/74 season and the Shakers remained in Division Three throughout of the decade.

Relegated to Division Four once again in 1980, Bury bounced back under the leadership of Manager Martin Dobson in 1984/85 season, clinching promotion in the club's Centenary year despite possessing a very small playing staff - only 16 players were utilised and having scrapped the reserve team as an economy measure.

Relegation loomed once again at the end of 1991/92 season with Bury having had to contend with a financial crisis, which had meant the sale of several first team regulars. Gradually, under the leadership of managing-director Terry Robinson and major shareholder Hugh Eaves, the club was once again turned around. The dilapidated wooden Gigg Lane stadium was re-built on three sides and progress was also made on the field. Manager Mike Walsh took Bury to the Division Three Wembley play-off final in 1995 but the Shakers lost 2-0 against Chesterfield. The following year, a dismal start saw the departure of Walsh but successor Stan Ternent inspired his players to climb from 23rd in Division Three in October to claim promotion to Division Two in the final game at home to Cardiff City. In 1996/97 season, Bury's progress exceeded many people's expectations as they defied the odds to claim the Division Two Championship - only the third in the club's history - to claim back-to-back promotion. The Shakers home defeat at the end of September against West Bromwich Albion ended a run of twenty-nine unbeaten League games at Gigg Lane. A run, which encompassed Divisions Three, Two and One.

After Stan Ternent moved onto Burnley in the summer of 1998, Bury appointed Neil Warnock as manager, but a combination of the enforced sales of players such as Paul Butler to Sunderland and a cash crisis at the club saw Bury suffer relegation from Division One in May 1999-but only on 'goals scored'. If Bury had scored one more goal, they would have survived at the expense of Port Vale.

Warnock departed in November 1999 for Sheffield United as the cash problems at the club worsened, and the club remained up for sale. Players Andy Preece and Steve Redmond took over as manager and assistant and gamely guided the Shakers to safety and a final placing of 15th. In the circumstances, it was a fine achievement. Bury is one of the smallest towns in the Football League and have always had to battle against adversity throughout their history but Bury's record and past achievements are comparable with many clubs much bigger than the Shakers.

The 2000/01 season saw the Shakers in financial difficulties once again as the High Courts put the club up for sale.No money was made available to the manager, nor would it be for the entire season.Only the free transfer of Liverpool striker Jon Newby saved the shakers from certain relegation as they ended a sixteen game streak of defeats against Peterborough United.The new Cemetery End stand marked the completion of the re-development of Gigg Lane into today's 11,500 all seater stadium. The recent few years have also proved that there is still a little more shaking still to be done.

The 2001/02 season was one of the most traumatic seasons seen at Gigg Lane.In March 2002, the club was placed in administration after a much talked about takeover failed to materialize.With crippling debts and a lack of revenue from decreased gates, the only option to go forward was administration.The club was saved from extinction by a tremendous effort from the supporters.Relegation the Division Three followed.But the fact that the club started the new season is a testament to the efforts put it. Bury Football Club is still alive and kicking.The clubs press officer, Gordon Sorfleet, is awarded the UEFA Supporter of the year award for 2002 at a glittering gala in Monaco.

The shakers finished the 2002/03 season with a play off semi final at Bournemouth, a bad performance saw Bury crash out and the prospects of a new season in the third division finally sank in.Michael Nelson, Jon Newby, Chris Billy, Jamie Stuart and Colin Cramb were all released.Before the 2002/03 season began, the Shakers announced a new chairman to the club.Mr Albert Doweck came into take over the Gigg Lane hotseat, however, just six months later Mr Doweck resigned and left the club.Directors continue to run the club without a chairman

The 2004/05 season brought records of the unwanted kind for the Shakers when they finished in their lowest ever league position, financial problems again surfaced during the season with several members of the club back room staff being made redundant

After just nine games into the 2005/06 season, Graham Barrow paid the price for a horrendous start to the new season and was sacked on 19 September with just one win.Chris Casper was appointed caretaker manager whilst the club welcomed all applications for the position of manager.  Chris Casper was eventually given the managers role on a full time basis