A FIRST win in Division One was about the only good news coming out of Gigg Lane this week as boss Stan Ternent got to grips with a potentially crippling injury list and the chairman, Terry Robinson, battled financial problems caused by low gates.

Latest casualty is 24-year-old full back Dean West who must have an operation on a hernia and will be out of action for around six weeks.

"He has been trying his best to soldier on with the problem but it got to the stage where we had to do something," confirmed Ternent. "He will see the specialist today but we expect he'll recommend surgery."

"It is a big blow because Westy has done so well since coming here and because it means we are basically down to 13 or 14 fully fit players."

Ternent is almost certain to stick by the side which defeated Crewe when Tranmere visit this Sunday (Sept 7).

Rob Matthews and David Pugh are both ruled out and Tony Rigby has only just recovered from a bad bout of food poisoning that kept him off training for a week. Ronnie Jepson, who may start on the bench, has a slight calf strain.

"We'll have a roll call on Sunday morning and see who is fit and who isn't," sighed the manager.

Ideally, Ternent would like to plunge into the transfer or loan market but funds are non-existent. It is no secret that the Shakers are struggling financially and if average gates don't pick up soon the logical conclusion is that Ternent will be forced to sell a big name player.

Crowds of around 4,500 - minus season ticket holders - mean a paying gate of fewer than 2,000 and that spells nothing but long term trouble.

Bury had hoped for a sell-out attendance at next Friday's televised derby with Manchester City but they still have 700 seats available.

Tranmere have no such money worries having netted around £4 million from player sales in the past year and this week signed 24-year-old German midfielder Dirk Hebel on a free transfer from Turkish club Bursaspor.

He agreed a two-year contract and played for Rovers' reserves at Everton on Wednesday night.

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