Bury arrive at Valley Parade trying to halt a three-match losing run that has seen them slip from third to 12th in the table.

The Shakers made a great start under new manager Neil Warnock and were unbeaten in their first five matches, including an opening day win over Warnock's old club Huddersfield Town.

Their first defeat was at Birmingham on September 5, but, after beating Portsmouth 2-1 three days later, they rose to third.

They then beat Crystal Palace over two legs in the Worthington Cup second round to set up a dream third round tie away to their illustrious neighbours Manchester United later this month.

However, they have slipped in the league, losing three matches in eight days - 1-0 at Wolves, 4-2 at Palace and 1-0 at home to Bristol City last Saturday.

Bury's achievement in surviving in the First Division after two successive promotions was one of the best in the Football League last season.

But they lost the manager who had lifted them from the Third Division through the Second and into the First when Stan Ternent found the lure of becoming manager of his former club Burnley too difficult to resist.

However, they found a new manager on their doorstep when Neil Warnock, who had left Oldham at the end of last season, took over.

Warnock seems ideally suited to Bury. His playing methods involving hard work and a direct style of football are similar to the formula that served them so well under Ternent last season.

His track record of making shrewd signings in the transfer market with slender resources will also go down well at Bury.

Already Warnock appears to have recruited well, despite having little or no money to spend, sometimes going back for players who have played under him before or can follow his well tried methods.

Among his new signings are left back Dean Barrick from Preston, former Manchester City defender Steve Redmond from Oldham, French striker Laurent D'Jaffo from Ayr United, striker Andy Preece from Blackpool and defender Chris Billy, who had been with him at Huddersfield and Plymouth, from Notts County.

City had mixed fortunes against Bury last season, beating them 1-0 at home before losing 2-0 at Bury on Easter Monday.

But the home match - on December 13 - will be remembered less for the football and more for the brawl that took place in front of the dug-out in the dying minutes of the game. As a result City striker Edinho and Bury defender Peter Swan were sent off and the incident led to an FA inquiry.

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