The blame for Bury's relegation from Division One should not be laid at the feet of manager Neil Warnock, according to midfield hero Nick Daws:
The ever present has jumped to the defence of his under fire boss, dismissing talk that wholesale changes to the playing staff were the reason for the club's demise. He believes the disruption of unsettled players played a big part in wobbling the Shakers' ship and admits it was inevitable sweeping changes would be made. "There was no point in the manager coming in and throwing Stan Ternent's last 11 out on the pitch when he can't work with some of the players and some of them can't work with him" he said. "If somebody is not creating the right kind of envoirment, not getting on with certain people or is making it plain he doesn't want to be around, then it is impossible. It doesn't just affect the player and the manager but those around them too. He has to get rid of them, whatever the cost. It has taken a long time to do that. There have been players here over the past 12 months that didn't want to play for the manager or the club. Sometimes he has had to dig a hole for himself and play them. Mark Patterson is an obvious example. He caused problems for the club and he knows that himself. It probably cost the chairman a lot of money to sort it out. The only thing the manager has not been able to do is make those changes quick enough. If he had done it in August it might have been a different story. You can't point the finger as the gaffer when players have decided they don't want to play for him."
Supporters anger at sweeping changes has been compounded by Warnock's decision to bring in players who have often been referred to on the terraces as "Old Mates". Daws slams that viewpoint. "Yes, the gaffer has brought in players he has worked with before, but when you have got no money where else do you look? I'd do it," he added. "Put yourself in that position. If you have got no money then you have to look close to home at players who have done it before. If they don't perform when they arrive then it is very difficult. He has had no money and that is tough in the First Division - you can get away with it in the Third Division. He has seen it all before under former boss Mike Walsh. There are four or five players still here from Walshie's days and he got slaughtered too, although they won't have a go at him now for bringing me or Chris Lucketti in."
Daws, aged 29, admits that the disappointment of relegation was almost matched by that of personnel attacks on players from certain sections of the crowd. "I don't like to see my team-mates getting stick from the fans," he said, "That has spoiled the year for me. I watched Manchester City for a long time and was as guilty as anyone, but until you have played the game and experienced it you don't realise how difficult it is. The togetherness we try to breed at the club has helped lads like Chris Billy and Andy Preece who have been the prime targets. No player goes out there not to try. There may be varying degrees of care for the club or loyalty but that is difficult to appreciate. It takes time. I remember David Johnson got grief from the stands at first and look where he is now. It's taken Chris Swailes 12 months but he has been fantastic this season. The fans were never going to give the lads enough time to get it together."
Whilst defending his boss, Daws made no secret of his amazement at the release of Rob Matthews last November when the striker was sold to Stockport County for £120,000. "The biggest shock for me this season was Rob going," he said, "Not just because he is a friend, but I think he started the season as well as he had played at any other stage in his career. To offload him for the money they got wasn't the right thing to do. Ady Littlejohn came in and was hit by injuries and we didn't see the best of him until the last couple of matches." Daws received a standing ovation at the Bury Supporters Association prize giving night when he picked up a special award for playing in every match throughout the last three seasons - an unprecedented record. He said, "I am proud of what I have done and achieved. At the start of every season I aim to play in every game and that's what I have done. Dean Kiely will be upset he was called up for the Republic of Ireland as he would have played in every game this year; so too Chris Lucketti who only missed one game through suspension."
Speculation still surrounds Daws' future at Gigg Lane. Despite having two years remaining on his contract, there is wide belief he will follow Lucketti and Kiely out of Gigg Lane in the summer. As he pondered over the offer of a huge pay increase and the captaincy next season, he added: "I've been speaking with the chairman over the last six months about staying here and getting an improved deal, not necessarily extending my contract, and we have come to an agreement at the moment. "But with Rob and Lennie leaving, and it looks like Chris and Deano too, then I have to look at the big picture. I am ambitious to bounce back up. I can guarantee one thing, if I am around then I will be leading the side and giving 100 percent."