Make your bid today at www.buryfc.co.uk

BURY Football Club are offering a direct route into league football to the highest bidder.

The struggling Shakers are auctioning off a place in their first team squad as part of a desperate fund raising drive to keep them afloat in Division Three next season.

The winning bidder will be registered with both the club and the Football League and given squad number 40 when the league kicks-off in August - then placed on the transfer list at the end of the campaign!

He will join Andy Preece and company in pre-season training, autograph sessions and on the official team photograph for 2002-03.

His name will feature in the squad lists in every matchday programme and on the club website, where a full feature interview will be posted.

The lucky winner will also enjoy the benefits of player sponsorship, get free entry to every Bury match, have their name and number embossed on the team's home and away jerseys and could even find himself getting a game.

Bury manager Preece, who will unveil the new signing at a press conference on July 1, said: "I look forward to making this new signing. You never know, if we have as many injuries as we did last season, we may even use him!

"It's a great opportunity for supporters to get involved and hopefully it will raise even more money to keep the club going."

The 'Live The Dream' auction was launched on www.buryfc.co.uk at 5pm yesterday evening and is only open to men, as no women are allowed to register with the Football League.

Press officer Gordon Sorfleet, who devised the scheme, claimed the amazing prize could go for as little as £1,000.

"Preston and Colchester are running similar auctions but we will be the first team to put the winning bidder on the transfer list at the end of the season," he said.

"It's hard to predict these things but if we get £1,000, I will be delighted. It's a great prize and that's why we are opening the auction to the whole country."

This latest offer is part of an ongoing football memorabilia auction held on the website, which has already raised thousands for the Save Our Shakers appeal.

A fresh supply of auctions will be launched today but prizes are running out and Bury is inviting donations of memorabilia to be sold on-line.

Anyone with old programmes, jerseys, goalkeeping gloves, pictures, newspapers or anything of value should contact Gordon Sorfleet on 0161 764 4881.