BURY FC's financial problems could be about to get a massive lift thanks to George Graham.

The Tottenham Hotspur boss is believed to be ready to bid £5 million for Ipswich Town's former Bury striker David Johnson, a deal that would net the Shakers around £800,000 in a sell-on clause.

Graham is known to be a big fan of the former Manchester United youngster and with a £20 million kitty at his disposal sees Johnson as the ideal partner for Norwegian Stefan Iversen.

Ipswich manager George Burley's decision to pay £2.5 million for Huddersfield town hotshot Marcus Stewart has further raised the possibility of Johnson being unloaded.

A windfall of that magnitude would be a Godsend for chairman Terry Robinson as he guides the Shakers ship through troubled financial waters.

Jamaican-born Johnson joined the Shakers on a free transfer from Manchester United in the summer of 1995 and soon became a big favourite with the Gigg Lane faithful with a string of superb displays throughout the double promotion seasons.

He eventually moved to Ipswich in November 1997 in a deal worth £1.1 million that saw central defender Chris Swailes move in the opposite direction. As player-bosses Andy Preece and Steve Redmond prepare for the long trip to Essex and Colchester United it's Swailes who's provided the biggest headache.

Suspended for the past three games the current player-of-the-season had a run-out in the reserves on Monday afternoon in readiness for a return to first team action tomorrow, however a stomach strain could keep him out of action for a further two weeks.

"After doing well in the reserves on Monday he came for training a day later and could hardly run," explained Preece.

"I can't believe the bad luck we're having with injuries but you just have to carry on.

"It isn't a major problem as Danny Swailes and Redders did well at the weekend but it would be nice to have them both available for competition.

Leading scorer Ian Lawson, who grabbed a hat-trick in a 5-2 victory in the corresponding game at Gigg Lane earlier in the season, has had another full week's training and should be 100 per cent for tomorrow's match.

The U's currently stand one place and two points above the Shakers in the Division Two table and Preece knows just what to expect from Steve Whitton's side.

"They pass the ball well, are a confident side and in Lomano Tresor Lua Lua they have an outstanding prospect who can cause problems," he said.

"However, they can be a little overconfident at times and leave space we can exploit. We'll go there with plenty of confidence and hopefully pick up our first double of the season."

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