The pain of a last-gasp cup defeat, the horror of relegation, the injustice of a refereeing decision costing a side promotion; these are feelings that all fans have at one point or another.

We walk away from our home ground often dejected, saddened and feeling inconsolable, but we know that the next week or the following season will offer us some respite. We know it all starts again, it all goes in a full circle and one day, our time will come.

Sadly, for fans of Bury, that is no longer the case. All of those negative feelings we get as fans mean nothing compared to the utter devastation last night’s decision to expel them from the Football League will cause.

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There are no words of comfort to be offered, nothing that can be said that will soften the blow of losing a football club. Instead, all the supporters can do is look back on the memories and relive the good times they once enjoyed.

Here, to help ease a tiny bit of the agonizing pain those fans are suffering today, are six great Bury moments from the last twenty-odd years.

1996/97 – Winning promotion to the second tier

The summer of 1997 might fall just outside our 20-year remit, but it's well worth a mention.

It saw the Shakers lift a coveted piece of silverware; the Division Two title. That’s now League One and it led to Stan Ternant’s side having two seasons one division below the Premier League.

They amassed 84 points as they held off the challenge of Luton Town and Stockport. Their home form was the key to success, they were unbeaten at Gigg Lane and conceded just seven goals at home all season.

With Ronnie Jepson and Mark Carter leading the way, few would realise this would be the last trophy the club would win during their Football league tenure.

2001/02 – Supporters keep the club afloat

2001/02 saw the ITV Digital crisis kick in, with a number of clubs threatened with liquidation. Bury were one of those clubs and it might be argued this was a blow from which they never recovered.

The Shakers were saved by the hard work of supporters, with press officer Gordon Sorfleet receiving a UEFA award for his hard work.

They were relegated at the end of the season, but the togetherness they gained from their troubling time spurred them on to a seventh-placed finish in League Two the following season.

2002/03 – Bolton giant-killing

Coming out of administration was one thing, but stealing a cup victory against a Premier League side was quite another.

It wasn’t just any Premier League side either; this was local rivals Bolton, boasting Ivan Campo, Bernard Mendy and Kevin Nolan. Mendy was the villain of the hour for the Trotters, his own goal set up a third round clash with Fulham for the Shakers.

Bury fans will still remember going 1-0 up and holding out for a famous victory against their illustrious opponents.

2010/11 - Promotion to League Two

After seven seasons in the basement division, the Shakers finally earned promotion after finishing third in 2010/11.

Ryan Lowe bagged 27 goals in all competitions as they swept aside much of the competition, regularly scoring three, four and even five away from home.

2014/15 – Record points total in League Two

They might have only finished third in 2014/15, but they amassed their points record under the three points for a win system, getting 85, which was one more than their title-winning achievement of 1997.

Former Manchester United wonder kid Daniel Nardiello was the hero, weighing in with 14 goals in all competitions as the Shakers earned a promotion, just two seasons after relegation from League One.

2018/19 – A thrilling final season

Whilst last season was ultimately their last, it certainly brought excitement to Gigg Lane. Ryan Lowe created a side capable of playing a slick passing game, with title aspirations until the last few months of the season.

The impending financial meltdown overshadowed what was a fine season, finishing second to Lincoln City and making the EFL Trophy semi-finals, only to go out to eventual winners Portsmouth.