A SWITCH of backroom roles at Gigg Lane has seen Cliff Roberts confirmed as the club's chief scout, the position he had when he first joined the club.

His place in charge of the Pontin's League side has been taken over by Wally Downes while former Leeds United number two Mick Hennigan is helping to look after the club's younger players, with special responsibility for the A team in the Lancashire League.

Roberts,whose intimate knowledge of the non-league scene moved then manager Mike Walsh to bring him to Gigg Lane five years ago, has a brief to cover the whole of the British Isles in attempt to attract the best talent to Bury .

He won't, however, have to unearth a new goalkeeper just yet after the Shakers learned on Tuesday that they must pay York City £125,000 for Dean Kiely. A tribunal in Blackpool decided that Bury must also hand over 20% of any future profit they may make on the 25-year-old former England youth international.

It was a price that didn't altogether surprise chairman Terry Robinson who had been quoted in the region of £400,000 by the selling club.

"The fee may be a little bit on the top heavy side but in the end we are glad the issue has been settled," he insisted. "Tribunals are there to set fees and we are happy to abide by the decision. It is just a shame it couldn't have been settled back in August when we went to the original hearing."

Ironically, Kiely will face his old teammates at Gigg Lane tomorrow as the Shakers bid to extend a ten match unbeaten home league run. Another ex-Minsterman, Rob Matthews, is also bidding to be in the starting line up but is rated only a 50-50 chance because of an injured groin.

Four other regulars are also fighting the clock to be ready. Dean West is the most likely to pull through but boss Stan Ternent must keep his fingers firmly crossed for Lenny Johnrose (groin) and hamstring victims Gordon Armstrong and Ronnie Jepson.

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