National League round-up: Dover Athletic hit by £5,000 fine from Football Association and Notts County linked businessman looking to save Bury

The businessman, who previously owned League Two club Port Vale, was linked with a takeover at Notts County before they were eventually rescued by another bid from a Danish consortium.

According to Nottinghamshire Live, Smurthwaite lodged a late bid to rescue the League One club who are facing expulsion from the Football League should current owner Steve Dale fail to provide the relevant paperwork to the Football League by Friday.

The Shakers have already been docked 12 points and had their opening four games of the 2019-20 campaign suspended.

Dale has also knocked back Smurthwaite’s bid as the former Port Vale owner still has ‘substantial investment’ at the Stoke based club.

In order to avoid a conflict of interest, EFL rules stipulate that a party cannot have a significant involvement in more than one football club, preventing Smurthwaite from taking control at another club.

But the EFL would reportedly not stand in the businessman’s way from taking over at Gigg Lane in order to resolve the drawn out crisis.

In other news this week, Dover have been fined £5,000 by the FA after being found guilty of transfer rule breaches.

The signing of French midfielder Bedsente Gomis in July 2018 was the cause for the fine with intermediaries John Tranter and Natasha Cox both being found guilty of concealing their involvement in the transfer

Dover declared that no intermediaries were used and denied the FA charge before a personal hearing found the club guilty.