SOCCER: Former Burnley striker Paul Barnes has joined non-League Nuneaton Borough from Bury on a free transfer and midfielder Darren Bullock has followed former manager Neil Warnock to Sheffield United in a loan deal to the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Bury face a long distance trip to Dean Court, Bournemouth aiming to make amends for a bizarre 5-2 defeat at Gigg Lane earlier in the season.

Bury have now attained the magical 50 point safety mark, and manager Andy Preece may well feel inclined to give some of his promising young youth team players some experience in view of the fact that some 8 players will be leaving the club when their contracts expire in the summer.

However, Shakers fans are greatly buoyed at the prospect of Newby and Cramb with much of the home grown talent coming through for next season, and season ticket sales are already showing an upward trend, a corner seems to have been turned !