SHAKERS have moved swiftly to quash speculation that former Manchester United and Leeds winger Lee Sharpe is set to be appointed player-manager at Gigg Lane.

But Shakers' chiefs have confirmed they are in talks with "a number of parties" interested in taking control of the club.

They are furious, however, that takeover talk has sparked speculation that has unsettled current player-manager Andy Preece and possibly jeopardised a sponsorship deal with Bury Council.

Co-chairman Fred Mason said: "We are totally distraught about it.

"There was an interest shown in the club through solicitors and we sent the relevant information to the interested party.

"Having signed confidentiality documents we were amazed to hear that Radio Five or one of the other stations had put out a report saying that Lee Sharpe was going to become player manager here.

"Now the council are holding back on the £50,000 sponsorship deal they had agreed with the club because this party has gone public. The grief that statement has caused this club is unbelievable.

"Now we are waiting for the interested party to put forward their proposals. They were given a month and that runs out next week.

"Our manager Andy Preece was furious when he heard of the statement linking Lee Sharpe with the club. We have one unhappy manager on our hands but we have to investigate every possibility and we have to give them time to come up with a suitable plan."

Denying the Sharpe move on the club's official website, Bury director Roger Barlow said negotiations were taking place with a number of prospective buyers.