Chester boss Anthony Johnson insists that more must be done to safeguard the future of football clubs following Bury FC's expulsion from the Football League.

A proposed takeover at the League One club fell through before the 5pm deadline on Tuesday, with the EFL confirming the decision to eject Bury later that night.

Steve Dale completed his own takeover of the debt-ridden Shakers last year, paying just £1 to take control of the Gigg Lane club from former owner Stewart Day.

Lifelong fan and Bury resident Johnson questioned the Football League's 'fit and proper persons test', which assesses the financial circumstances of any prospective owner or director.

Speaking prior to to Tuesday night's announcement, Johnson also drew parallels between Bury's plight and that the devastating financial issues that engulfed Chester City in 2010.

He said: "I suppose because of what the club I manage has gone through in the past, you buy into it a little bit more.

"How many times have we heard about clubs not paying wages? That's been going on for years.But with Bury this has hit a crescendo and you just think 'this is it, we're done'.

"I don't have much sympathy for the EFL, but I understand what they're saying. You can't keep calling games off - it gets to a point where they'll turn around and say 'enough's enough' because it's not fair on the opposition.

"But how are these people in charge passing the fit and proper ownership tests? There's no sense behind any of it.”

After Bury's fate was confirmed by an EFL statement on Tuesday night, Johnson took to social media to say he was 'heartbroken' by the news.

And the Blues joint-manager insists that the consequences of losing the club will be devastating for the north west town, whose proud footballing heritage spanning 134 years now lies in tatters.

He added: "Bury's a small town, it's not like Chester.

"We've got a population of about 70,000 people so even though there are only three or four thousand watching games at Bury - that's a big percentage of the town.

"As a club we've achieved the biggest win in an FA Cup final of all time (6–0 win over Derby County in the 1903), we're the only side to have won it without conceding. We've got a long and proud history and although it's not a giant club, it's one that's always been there.

"Notts County, the oldest club in the world, fell out of the league but they're still going and still exist.

"For a team like Bury - it's so important to the thousands who turn up every week. They work for that, it's all they've got and they live for going to the game on a Saturday.

"I honestly think it will take Bury as a town a long, long time to come back from this."