FANS' favourite Phil Stant is set to make his first start of the season tomorrow, October 26.

A disappointed onlooker for most of this campaign, Stant gets his chance to take out his frustration on Bristol Rovers because of David Johnson's one-match ban and a hamstring injury to Ronnie Jepson.

Stant scored in a 1-0 friendly win over a Manchester United eleven in midweek and a similar bold showing will make him hard to displace.

Despite his striker being a target for Rochdale and Torquay recently, Bury boss Stan Ternent has always insisted that he wants Stant to stay.

"This is exactly the situation a manager has to plan for when he is assembling a squad that he thinks can challenge for promotion," explained Ternent.

"You have to have depth, and depth in quality, and Phil is likely to get his chance. He's had to be patient but the other strikers have been doing well."

In addition to Jepson, Ternent will be without two other hamstring injury victims in Gordon Armstrong and Shaun Reid. Andy Woodward is also struggling with a knee knock.

Bury this morning (October 25) signed John O'Kane on loan from Manchester United. The 21-year-old, left sided defender will stay at Gigg Lane for a month and goes straight into the squad for tomorrow's visit of Bristol Rovers

Bury will face Darlington at home in the Auto Windscreens Shield on December 10 (7.45pm).

Ternent says he would love to bring back former Gigg Lane favourite David Lee - but he can't afford it!

Instead he is looking at Dutch midfielder Patrick Hiemens, who is on trial with the club.

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