The fans vote for Sammy - The Pink - Sat, 09 September 1995:
IT'S the most coveted job in the lower divisions - and there are no shortage of applicants to take over as manager of ultra ambitious Bury. The money is there thanks to millionaire majority shareholder Hugh Eaves; the players are in the main up to at least second division standard; The club does not have a lire 'em fire 'em reputation and the transformation of Gigg Lane is almost complete. Mike Walsh was in fact only the third Shakers manager in 11 years. He went on Monday after an hour long talk with chairman Terry Robinson. The announcement of the parting of the ways was by "mutual consent" but the fact is that Mr Eaves had lost patience and agreed with the fans that changes were needed to revive the season. Twenty applications for the vacancy were in within 24 hours but the man in possession care-taker Stan Ternent - Walsh's assistant with managerial experience at Chelsea. Crystal Palace, Blackpool and Hull - is the hot favourite especially if the players respond to the challenge as they did on Tuesday to beat second division Chesterfield in the Coca Cola Cup. The fans favourite is undoubtedly ex-Shaker and Manchester United star Sammy Mcllroy, the boss at top non-league club Macclesfield. But whoever gets the nod it will be a hard act to follow for although Walsh had his critics the facts are that in five seasons he got Bury to the play-offs three times and was relegated once. Ironically it was Walsh's decision to refine the style of play with slightly less emphasis on closing down space that led to him going. His stint inevitably came to an end after the 5-0 drubbing by bottom club Plymouth on Saturday - the worst home league defeat for six years. Mr Eaves who owns 80 per cent of the club said: "If Mike had any weakness it was that if the team was down he found it difficult to lift them. He has left the club in a stronger position. He was extremely co-operative and looked at the whole picture. He was concerned about the development of the ground and not just the team." Supporters of Mcllroy or any other manager with a pedigree for a different style of football will have to wait for Tement now off to a winning start will get at least a month to prove whether he should get the job on a permanent basis. The managerial changes have revived the Gigg Lane career of Trevor Matthewson who was recalled midweek even though he was about to move on loan to Northampton.