BURY won't need any motivating when the whistle goes for kick-off to the 2000-2001 campaign!

For their opening game they travel to Cambridge United's Abbey Stadium and will be hell-bent on revenge after a traumatic 3-0 defeat there last season.

In a disastrous first half the Shakers had two men sent off and were three goals behind at the interval after being out-muscled by the belligerant U's and on the receiving end of some decidedly dodgy decisions from referee Graham Laws.

It was a bad-tempered night that everyone connected to the club will want to forget but what better way to start the season than with a revenge mission.

"It's a difficult game for us and they are a good home side and I don't suppose anyone will expect us to go there and win," said Shakers boss Andy Preece.

"But we'll be well up for it because we owe them one."

That opening fixture on Saturday, August 12 is followed by the visit of Wrexham a week later, an early meeting with Marvin Bryan and newly-promoted Rotherham United at Millmoor the week after that followed by a home clash against another of the quintet up from Division Three, Northampton Town.

"It's an interesting bag of fixtures to start with," added Preece. "We'd be expected to pick up points from our home games and though it isn't easy it should give us an opportunity to get away to a good start."

Highlights of the season are a Boxing Day trip to Stoke City while the home derby clashes against Oldham Athletic and Wigan Athletic are scheduled for December 16 and April 16 respectively.

The campaign winds up with the long trip to Brentford on May 5.

Preece has made his first capture of the summer with the signing of Welsh goalkeeper Glynn Garner. The 23-year-old custodian arrives via League of Wales outfit Llanelli and spent a trial period at Gigg at the end of last season.

Garner has been an ever-present in the Welsh club's side for the past three seasons and has previously turned down professional forms to concentrate on a degree course at University.

He will provide cover for Paddy Kenny and will be looking to emulate the Shakers number one who also arrived at the club from a non-league club, Bradford Park Avenue.

"I'll be looking for Glynn to put some pressure on Paddy," said Preece. "He has a lot of potential and is a confident lad."

"Everyone is looking for good young keepers and there aren't many around," he added.

"We've had a look at around ten different players but he's the best we've seen.

"We had him down on trial last season and he trained with us towards the end of the season, we're expecting big things from him."

Preece has one or two irons in the fire and expects to run the rule over a number of trialists when pre-season training begins on Monday, July 3.