AFTER watching my beloved Shakers for 30 years, I thought I had heard every lame excuse given by many a Bury manager for a sub-standard performance.

But surely Andy Preece's offering after the recent Carlisle game was the all-time great.

Apparently, the reason for our garbage display was that "the pitch wasn't wet enough"! What sort of excuse is that?

In a season when Andy Preece has gone public on alleged racist abuse, the club's boo-boys, the financial burdens, poor attendances, and now the pitch, to excuse his team's poor performances, it appears our manager will pass the buck onto anyone and anything to hide his limited tactical knowledge. He should be told to apologise to the fans -- who raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to save the club and his job.

If the Shakers manage to gain promotion this season it will be in spite of Andy Preece and not because of him.

25 YEARS LOYAL