RAMSBOTTOM United are to erect wrought iron gates at the Riverside as a memorial to former manager Ken Bridge.

Bridge was the most successful manager in the club's history, spending almost six years in charge at the Riverside, where he led the side to promotion from the Manchester League in to North West Counties League Division Two and then One.

He died of a suspected heart attack soon after the final whistle of the home fixture against Cheadle at the Riverside in February.

Secretary John Maher said the gates would be a fitting tribute: "With the contribution Ken made he could have stayed as manager here for as long as he had wanted to," said Maher. "We wanted to build a fitting memorial but we couldn't think at first what that should be.

"The Shankly gates at Liverpool put the seeds of thought into our minds and everyone we spoke to about it thought it was a good idea.

"More importantly, his wife thought it was a good idea; we didn't want to do anything without the backing of his family.

"The ground looks like a building site at the moment because we are having a new refreshment bar put in and a new wall built by the player's entrance as well."

The club are hoping the memorial gates will be ready for the start of the new season.

Meanwhile, United will play their annual pre-season friendly against a Burnley XI this year but the Division One promotion hopefuls won't warm-up with their usual clash against neighbours Bury.

The game could not be arranged because of repair work being done to the Riverside ground pitch and the pitch will not be ready until the end of July, too late for the Shakers whose season starts on August 11.

The Rams will play what is thought to be their first ever game against Padiham on August 4 and have set up a clash against Ken Bridge's former club Radcliffe Borough on August 13.

Secretary John Maher said the players were looking forward to their chance to play against the big boys of Turf Moor.

"Burnley brought about eight senior pros for the game last season, a pretty strong side," said Maher.

"We had a crowd in excess of 500, which is good for this level of football.

"The lads look forward to it, to see how they match up to full-time professionals. Last year there was a lot of good football played."

And Maher has promised that Stan Ternent's players will return unharmed.

"There were no crunching tackles last year because when professional clubs do clubs like ours the courtesy of putting first team players out they don't want to have them kicked up in the air.

"We appreciate that and we are looking forward to a smashing night.

"We have had some work done to the pitch and it won't be ready until the end of July which means we can't play our usual game against Bury because they start their season the following week. That is a shame."

Ramsbottom United pre-season friendlies: August 2 -- Prestwich Heys (Manchester League) (a); August 4 -- Padiham (a); August 7 -- Burnley XI (h); August 11 -- Nelson (a); August 13 -- Radcliffe Borough (h)