TRAINEE Shakers from Bury FC were shown the yellow card - a library card - when they visited the town centre branch to sign up.

The club is keen that its young players do not miss out on their education while training, so trainees follow a programme of NVQs.

Some of the players were unaware of the modern facilities now available at the library, including free computer access, free-read magazine and newspaper service and CD, video and DVD hire, as well as traditional book borrowing.

Councillor Siobhan Costello, executive member for community services, said: "Initiatives like these help to explode some myths: footballers are often unfairly portrayed as uneducated and uninterested in intellectual pursuits, while libraries are wrongly thought of as full of stern, unapproachable staff providing old-fashioned services."

Bury's library service was recently given a top "four star" rating by independent inspectors, who complimented the new sports library at Castle Leisure Centre.

The council is the football club's main sponsor.

New signings - the trainees collect their library cards, joined by first-teamers Glyn Garner and Matt Barrass.