Bury

Rotherham sign Bury's Warrington
Rotherham have signed goalkeeper Andy Warrington from League Two rivals Bury. Warrington finished the season at Bury after joining the club from Doncaster in January and was offered a new deal at Gigg Lane. But the 30-year-old goalkeeper has instead accepted a two-year contract with the Millers and joins Mark Robins' new-look squad. Warrington has started over 300 games during his career, which also included a lengthy spell with York City.

Bury snap up Richardson & Belford
Bury boss Chris Casper swooped to sign much-travelled striker Marcus Richardson on a month-to-month contract just before the start of the season. The 29-year-old has made over 200 league appearances for 11 clubs, finishing last season at Crawley. Richardson started in Saturday's 2-1 win at Milton Keynes Dons, although he was substituted at half-time. The Shakers have also snapped up former Coventry keeper Cameron Belford, 19, on a 12-month contract.

Striker Bishop pens new Bury deal
Striker Andy Bishop has handed Bury a major boost by signing a new deal to keep him at Gigg Lane until June 2010. Boss Chris Casper told the club website: "It's great for the club and an indication of the way we want to go forward. It shows we have ambition." Bishop joined Bury from York City in May 2006 and scored 21 times in his first season with the League Two side. The 24-year-old started his career at Walsall and played on loan with Kidderminster, Rochdale and Yeovil. He then joined York where he scored 34 goals in 83 games.

Bury's Leonard nets Tamworth move
Tamworth have completed the signing of Bury midfielder Ben Leonard on a one-month loan deal. The 23-year-old will go straight into the Lambs squad for their Conference North game against Boston on Saturday. Bury boss Chris Casper told his club's website: "The loan move is an opportunity for Ben to get some experience and games under his belt. "The Conference North is a decent level and this will be good for him and his overall development."

Casper delighted by giant-killing
Bury boss Chris Casper praised his players after they overturned a deficit to triumph 2-1 at League One side Leeds in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. "We went behind early and it's down to the lads to react to it," said Casper. "They reacted unbelievably well and showed great character and resilience. "They've taken an awful lot out of the game, the atmosphere and that feeling of winning at a massive club. "It's a good night for us and we will enjoy it while we can."

Crewe target Bury striker Bishop
Bury striker Andy Bishop could be a January transfer target for Crewe. Technical director Dario Gradi admitted that Forest Green Rovers striker Stuart Fleetwood had also been considered but was not now the preferred option. "Bishop is one we'd look at again, but he would be expensive," Gradi told the Stoke Sentinel. Bishop, 25, has 29 scored goals in 18 months at Bury and is thought to have attracted a six-figure bid from Ipswich last season.

McAllister extends loan with Bury
Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Sean McAllister has extended his loan spell at Bury until January 22. The Championship outfit have agreed to McAllister staying at Gigg Lane but have insisted on a 24-hour recall clause as part of the arrangement. McAllister joined the League Two side on loan initially for a month in the latter part of November. The 20-year-old, who was an a graduate from the Owls academy, had a loan spell at Mansfield earlier this season.

Scott and Woodthorpe extend deals
Bury midfielder Paul Scott has signed a two-year contract extension - although he is set to miss the next two or three games with a knee injury. The 28-year-old joined the Shakers from Huddersfield in August 2004. Meanwhile, veteran defender Colin Woodthorpe, 38, has had his contract extended until the end of the campaign. Woodthorpe has also apologised after angrily kicking a ball into the stand after being substituted in the 1-0 defeat by Chesterfield on Boxing Day. He insisted he had not fallen out with the club or manager Chris Casper, and told Bury's website: "Off the field, the last few weeks have been very difficult. "My youngest son has had a spell in Alder Hey, my wife has also had an operation in hospital - and my contract was up at the end of the year, and that put pressure on me. "Sadly, this boiled over against Chesterfield. "Any one of them, I believe I could have handled along, but collectively they had got on top of me to the degree that I went into self-destruct mode, and for that I am truly sorry."

Ross extends loan with Rotherham
Sheffield United midfielder Ian Ross has extended his loan at Rotherham to cover the whole of January. Ross is set to join the League Two club permanently on a free transfer but with a sell-on fee. The 21-year-old, who progressed through the Bramall Lane academy, joined the Millers in November. Ross has played just two League Cup games for the Blades but had gained first-team experience from loan spells with Boston, Bury and Notts County.

Bury dismiss Casper and Alexander
Bury have sacked manager Chris Casper and director of football Keith Alexander with immediate effect. A club statement said the pair had "lost the confidence of a large majority of the fans". "The decision has come at a difficult time, but it was felt that the decision had to be taken earlier rather than later," it added. Casper had admitted that he feared for his future as boss after Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Darlington. Former Manchester United trainee Casper became one of the youngest managers in Football League history when he was appointed by the Shakers in October 2005, aged just 30, and helped them avoid relegation from League Two that season. He had retired from playing after breaking his leg in two places in December 1999, and later won an out-of-court settlement over the tackle which ended his career. Former Lincoln and Peterborough boss Alexander was appointed as director of football just after the end of last season. Bury finished in 21st place last season, two places but 14 points above the relegation zone - while Casper offered to resign after they were expelled from the FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player. Despite knocking Leeds out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in November, the Shakers are currently 19th after a run of nine games without a win. The club were also set to make an additional statement later in the day.

Bury name Brass as caretaker boss
Bury have named Chris Brass as their caretaker boss following the dismissal of Chris Casper and Keith Alexander. The ex-Bury defender had been part of Casper's coaching staff as well as well as managing the centre of excellence. Brass has managerial experience from a spell in charge of York following a long playing stint at Burnley. The 32-year-old will be in charge of the League Two side for the immediate future, starting with Tuesday's FA Cup replay against Norwich City.

Hutchings helping Brass at Bury
Bury caretaker manager Chris Brass has brought in former Wigan and Bradford City boss Chris Hutchings to help him out at Gigg Lane. Hutchings, who was sacked by Wigan in November, is working on a voluntary basis for the League Two side. Brass, who took the reigns after Chris Casper's sacking, told Bury's website: "Chris is an old friend who has come in to give me a hand with training. "It's a busy time for the club and he's here purely as a favour to me."

I'm only here to help - Hutchings
Chris Hutchings has brushed off suggestions that he wants the vacant managerial job at Bury. The former Wigan boss was brought in to Gigg Lane by Chris Brass who took over as caretaker manager after the exit of Chris Casper. Hutchings told BBC Radio Manchester his sole reason for being at the League Two club was to help Brass. "Results have been excellent and now we go to Southampton in the cup hoping for a shock," he said.

Shakers affinity key to Knill job
Alan Knill has been appointed as the new manager of Bury. Knill, a central defender, made more than 150 appearances for the Shakers between 1989 and 1993. Bury director Ian Harrop stressed Alan Knill's history with Bury was a big factor in his appointment as the new manager. "Alan has an affinity with Bury having played over 150 times for us and we hope he's the man for the rest of this season," he told BBC Radio Manchester. He added: "Alan knows the division as he's seen us play five or six times. "He's aware of our players and our strengths and weaknesses," he added. "Alan has done very well at Chesterfield and I'd like to go on record thanking them and their chairman Barry Hubbard who was very disappointed to lose Alan. "Alan was very well thought of there but they realise he is ambitious and he wants to be a number one and we've given him that opportunity. "Short term Alan's remit is clearly football league survival which is paramount for the well-being of Bury Football Club going forward." He was appointed as Chesterfield assistant manager in March 2007 shortly after being dismissed from his second spell as Rotherham manager. The first game in charge for Knill will be the derby against Stockport at Gigg Lane on Tuesday. He succeeds caretaker boss Chris Brass who will revert to his role as the centre of excellence manager at Gigg Lane. Brass took over when Chris Casper and his assistant Keith Alexander left the club.

Bury appoint Knill as new manager
League Two strugglers Bury have appointed Chesterfield assistant boss Alan Knill as their new manager. Knill, 43, made more than 150 appearances for the Shakers as a central defender between 1989 and 1993. And Bury director Ian Harrop stressed Knill's previous history at Gigg Lane was a big factor in his appointment. "Alan has an affinity with Bury having played over 150 times for us and we hope he's the man for the rest of this season," he told SSB. "Alan knows the division as he's seen us play five or six times. "He's aware of our players and our strengths and weaknesses. "Alan has done very well at Chesterfield and I'd like to go on record thanking them and their chairman Barrie Hubbard who was very disappointed to lose Alan. "Alan was very well thought of there but they realise he is ambitious and he wants to be a number one and we've given him that opportunity. "Short term Alan's remit is clearly Football League survival which is paramount for the well-being of Bury Football Club." Knill was appointed as Chesterfield assistant manager in March 2007, shortly after being dismissed from his second spell as Rotherham manager. The first game in charge for Knill will be the derby against Stockport at Gigg Lane on Tuesday. He succeeds caretaker boss Chris Brass, who will revert to his role as the Shakers' centre of excellence manager. Brass took over when Chris Casper and his assistant Keith Alexander were sacked in January.

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