Browse Sections

• Bury FC
• FC United
• Local football
• Local cricket

Payback time

Dave Lawrenson
4/ 9/2008

BURY manager Alan Knill is determined to carry on repaying the board for helping him to amass such a talented squad of players.

The board have backed Knill to the hilt this summer, providing the funds for the signings of quality players like Wayne Brown, Efe Sodje, Stephen Dawson and Andy Morrell. And the Shakers have responded by taking 10 points from their first four League Two games to go joint top of the table.

Knill last week feared his carefully constructed squad would be ruined by the departure of star striker Andy Bishop.

But no clubs came in for Bishop or any other Bury players before the transfer window slammed shut on Monday night. And a relieved Knill hopes that Bury’s board will reap the rewards in the coming months.

Knill said: "The board have been brilliant. They’ve worked with me well to bring together a good squad of players.

"We decided that the way to go was to have a smaller squad with more quality and I am happy with the results.

"We have started the season well and it would obviously be great if we could repay the board by continuing to do well out on the pitch.

"I am relieved that we didn’t lose any players before the transfer window closed. But, to be fair, the club didn’t have any difficult decisions to make in the end as nobody came in for any of our players."

Knill is still looking to strengthen his forward options by signing a young striker on loan but he has made no progress on that front this week.

And he is unlikely to make any team changes for Bury’s trip to Chester City on Saturday, September 6, kick-off 3pm.

Chester lost their first three league games of the season but their most recent fixture saw them thump Barnet 5-1.

Knill said: "I expect it to be a tough game and confidence will be high at Chester following the Barnet result. But I actually think that result was good for us. If they had lost four out of four we may have gone there thinking that we would be in for an easy game.

"But now the players know they can’t take Chester lightly. They have a decent squad and, as always in this league, we will have to be on our game."

The Shakers battled to a 1-1 derby draw at Rochdale on Saturday and Knill is delighted with the fighting spirit shown by his troops so far this season.

He said: "We are looking resilient and hard to beat and I hope that will continue. We are only four games in but the signs are looking good."