Brett Ormerod column: Blackpool continue to impress but Bury’s situation casts a shadow over football

I’ve always said football clubs should be treated like a listed building, not just a business. There has to be certain aspects that cannot change.

I’m thinking when the owner at Hull tried to change their name to Hull Tigers; stuff like that can’t be allowed to happen.

Some people come in and decide they want to run a football club when they don’t have a clue what they’re doing.

Andy Holt at Accrington Stanley speaks a lot of sense and he tries to do things right, he runs his club superbly.

But to see what has happened at Bury is heartbreaking. I feel for every Bury fan.

I listened to a few interviews and there’s a lot of people saying they’re surprised more clubs haven’t gone to the wall. That’s a sad place to be in.

This has to be a wake-up call. There have been big clubs into trouble before but getting away with it when new owners come in at the last minute and bail them out.

But to actually lose a club with such history, well I just don’t know what to say.

You just feel for every Bury fan, it’s just ridiculous what has happened because it should have never got to this stage.

Unfortunately it has done though and all we can do now is hope the football world takes notice and has a look at things to make sure no-one else ends up the same way as Bury because it’s just a tragedy.

With clubs at a lower level there has to be a balance of ambition and what you want your team to do, levelled with what your budget is going to be.

Of course you want to do well and do this and that, but you’ve got to cut your cloth accordingly.

You just have to look at Bury’s owner and what has happened to some of his other previous companies. That should have set off alarm bells straight away within the EFL.

It’s not just him though, there have been countless other unscrupulous owners. It’s just a ridiculous situation and the people who suffer are the community and the fans. That’s their football club.

It’s the heartbeat of the town ripped out, a club that got promoted last year. They should have been celebrating their return to League One and hopefully having a go at competing in the third tier. But it’s now no more.

What about the players and the staff? You’ve always got people in the background who are the heart and soul of the club. I feel for them, I really do.

As for Blackpool, I was at Rochdale last week covering the game for BBC Radio Lancashire and I thought it was a very good performance.

I thought they dominated the game and created most, if not all, of the chances.

They controlled the game as much as you can do away from home, so they’ll probably be a bit disappointed they didn’t win.

But going away from home and keeping a clean sheet is always a good thing.

Rochdale came into the game on the back of being beaten by Sunderland but by all accounts they had played really well. They’ve had a decent start to the season as well.

I’ve played there with Blackpool a few times and it’s always a tough place to go.

One thing that was unusual was the pitch; I know it’s early but it was absolutely immaculate. It’s not often I’ve been to Spotland and the pitch looks like that.

But for a fantastic save from Armand Gnanduillet’s header in the first half, and the one that hit the post and was cleared off the line right at the death, it could have been all three points.

I was in the main stand and it was great to look across and see a sea of tangerine on the other side.

It was great support and it’s great to see the fans getting so involved again.

Blackpool now move on to another tough test this weekend against a big club at this level in Portsmouth.

They’ve got quality in their team but they probably haven’t had the start they would have wished for after how well they did last season.

Fans-wise, you’re probably looking at them and Sunderland as the two big boys in this league.

They obviously played each other in the EFL Trophy final last season and filled Wembley, which was impressive.

You’ve got to think those two clubs are going to be up there at the end of the season, so it will be a big test for Blackpool.

We’re now entering the final few days of the transfer window and I’m not sure what Simon Grayson will do.

They’ve brought Ben Heneghan back from Sheffield United and he’s a very good centre-half.

I’m sure if Grayson feels as though he can add to the squad and strengthen and make his squad better for the season ahead then I’m sure he’ll do that.

But sometimes it can be difficult to bring players in who are available and are going to better your squad.