ANDY Preece has urged Bury FC fans to level their frustrations at him and not his young players.

Shakers' season finally kick started into life with a 3-2 win over Swansea on Saturday after a disappointing defeat at Oxford and a miserable home loss to Cambridge left the Gigg Lane fans disenchanted and pessimistic for the season ahead.

After months of fund raising efforts to keep the club afloat, their frustration is understandable. But Preece insists that much of the crowd's criticism is too harsh on his fledgling squad.

"If the crowd want us to play passing football then they will have to accept that sometimes it's not going to be quite right and a few passes might go astray," he said.

"I want to play entertaining football and we have proved we can do it against Oxford and Swansea but we want to be winners as well.

"On Saturday the crowd were behind us but there are always some who are waiting to jump on us. Some are saying that the players don't care, but I know they do.

"I care about this football club. We all know we owe the fans something and they deserved much better than they got against Cambridge.

"But if they are going to give anyone stick, give it to me. They should shout at me when I come off the bench. I'm old enough to handle it and we'll see who's smiling at the end."

Preece has never been one for excuses - and he should have more to call on than most managers. But he admitted the club's financial plight has also had a major impact on the team's style of play.

"People moan at me because I don't play with wingers but the fact is that I can't do that because I haven't got any and can't afford to bring any in," he said.

"So I have to play a system that suits the players I have. We played some great football and the crowd seemed to enjoy it."