BURY defender Matt Barrass has reported back for pre-season training determined to banish two nightmare campaigns.

Local lad Barrass, 22, has been plagued by injuries and illness since establishing himself in the Shakers' first team two years ago.

And he reckons the time has come to put his days on Alan Raw's treatment table behind him and push on with what promises to be a marvellous career in the game.

"It's a big season for me," he said. "I've only one year left on my contract and need to get something done.

"I've grafted hard through the summer, running and doing leg weight work to build up the muscles and, like the gaffer said to me at the end of last season, it's prevention rather than cure from now on."

After a virus laid him low at the start of the last campaign a freak training injury damaged knee ligaments and that put him out of the frame for the rest of the season.

"It was a nightmare time having to have two operations on my knee," he admitted.

Improved

"I felt at my lowest after the first op when nothing seemed to be improving, but after seeing another surgeon things improved and I eventually got fit enough to figure in the final game of the season at Brentford, albeit for five minutes."

It is the sheer consistency of his performances that has had scores of scouts flocking to Gigg Lane to run the rule over him.

And, with 18-year-old Chris Armstrong on the opposite flank, the Shakers could be kicking off the new campaign with the most promising young full-back pairing in the history of the club.

"I know it won't be easy to get my place back because there's a lot of competition for the right back position with Lee Unsworth, Chris Billy, Lee Connell and the new boy Edward Tarsus all in contention."

"And it's a young defence overall with Sam Collins, Danny Swailes, Nicky Hill, Stevie Halford and Michael Nelson going for the central positions . . . not forgetting Steve Redmond!" he grinned.

"I've just got to get through the pre-season and take it from there. It's going to be a short busy season with our final game in mid-April.

"It'll be two games a week for a lot of the time and everyone will be needed throughout the year."