MICHAEL Nelson may have been dotting the i's and crossing the t's on a contract with Hartlepool United yesterday but there were words of hope for Bury fans from chairman John Smith.

The Shakers boss claims the shock departure of the club's popular skipper will, thankfully, be the last of the summer.

Nelson joined the Gigg Lane exodus this week with a return to his native north east in a £70,000 move to the Second Division newcomers.

The sale is another blow to manager Andy Preece who has already been forced to release the likes of Chris Billy, Steve Redmond, Colin Cramb, Nicky Hill and David Borley due to the vice-like constraints which still haunt the club.

"It's a big blow for us to lose Michael, but he wanted to go," he said.

"His wife didn't want to come back down here and we needed the money to keep us afloat.

"But I don't think there will be any more bad news for Andy (Preece). This will be the last one to leave. It's actually the only offer we've had for a player in the close season.

"Now we will be looking to bring in one or two players on free transfers. We have to or there will be no-one left!"

That could be good news for the injury-plagued Matt Barrass and Gareth Seddon, whose Gigg Lane future looked bleak at the end of last season, while transfer-listed Ian Lawson has also been given a lifeline.

"The door has certainly not been shut on Ian," said Smith.

"We did offer him the chance to leave, but he's reluctant to take it, so it looks like we will keep him for another year.

"He's still only 24, and there's a lot of football in him. It's up to him to prove himself, but keeping him fit is a problem too.

"Matt Barrass and Gareth Seddon will both given the chance to prove their fitness. If they do, then we'll keep them.

All three have made an early return to pre-season training in a bid to get in shape for the new campaign.

Meanwhile as Nelson departs another player is set to arrive in the shape of Preston North End's Joe O'Neill.

The six-foot Blackburn-born striker is set to join up with the Shakers on Tuesday at the start of a season-long loan spell at Gigg Lane.

He recently signed a two-year deal with the Deepdale outfit and forced himself into the first team reckoning midway through the season with some steady scoring in the reserves.

Everyone connected with the club will be hoping O'Neill will be as big a success as his teammate Pawel Abbott was when he made the loan move from Preston to Gigg last season.

BURY head for the Wirral next month in the opening stage of the newly-named Carling League Cup.

The Shakers have drawn Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park in the first round of the 2003-2004 competition to be played week commencing Monday, August 11.

They'll be looking for the kind of result they picked up in the LDV Vans Trophy last season when the Merseysiders were put to the sword in a 2-0 triumph at Gigg Lane, courtesy of goals from Jon Newby and Dave Nugent.

While the tie is hardly the money-spinning one the club would have hoped for, there's no reason why they can't progress if they show the kind of battling qualities that accounted for a number of higher division opponents last term.