SHAKERS' boss Graham Barrow has made his second new signing of the close season by adding experienced striker Allan Smart to his squad.

The 30-year-old, 6ft 2ins, 12st 7lb front man, who signed a two year deal, subject to a medical, moves to Gigg Lane from League One side MK Dons, and is the type of player Barrow has wanted for a long time.

"Hopefuly Allan can do the job we brought Graeme Jones in to do last season," he said.

"We wanted Graeme to lead the line and he did initially, but injury prevented him from doing it on a consistent basis, so now we've brought Allan in to do that job.

"He is the right age and comes highly rated. Mick Wadsworth, a respected coach and manager, has had Allan two or three times and Danny Wilson has spoken very highly of him to.

"I know what he can for us and weve never really had that type of player before, someone who can complement what we already have."

The Dons are one of a host of clubs the big Scotsman has played for during his career.

He was signed by Preston North End in 1994 for £15,000 from Scottish side Inverness Caledonian Thistle, where he was a trainee.

While with the Lillywhites he was loaned out to Carlisle and Northampton before signing for the Cumbrians in 1996.

Next stop was first division Watford in 1998 when he cost the Hornets £100,000. He spent three seasons with them and scored five goals in the club's ill-fated 1999-2000 Premiership campaign.

Further loan spells with Hibernian and Stoke City were followed by another big money move when he joined Oldham Athletic in 2001 for £225,000.

Since then he has made three, free moves to Dundee United, where he featured in the Scottish Premiership, Crewe Alexandra and the Dons, who he joined on a free transfer 12 months ago in an effort to reignite his career after several years of disappointment due to a series of injuries.

He was released by new Dons' boss, former Shaker Danny Wilson, at the end of the 04/05 season.

In total, he has completed 165 games, 61 as sub and has scored 51 goals.

The addition of Smart gives Barrow two strikers, halfway towards his target.

"In an ideal world I'd like to have four strikers to choose from," he said.

"Four worked well for us last season, because just having Jones in the squad put pressure on Newby, Porter and Dave Nugent.

"Porter and Kazim-Richards have yet to re-sign so at the moment we just have Newby and now Smart.

"Jon is half-way through a two-year contract and knowing him as I do I think he will bounce back this season and react positively to the fight for a starting place.

"I'll be speaking to Ports today and what he does determines which way we go.

"If he re-signs great, then depending on what Colin Kazim-Richards does we can take our time looking for a fourth striker, and it wouldn't matter if it was an older lad - I've touched base with a few already. But we've not given up hope on Colin staying with us.

"He's been made an offer and it is up to him. There has been interest in him but nothing concrete, so he may have to return here and start the pre-season with us, because until and unless someone comes in for him he is our player.

"Were on good terms and unless another club come in with a reasonable offer maybe he should be thinking of staying where he is."

In addition to signing Smart and trying to work out new deals with Porter and Kazim-Ricahrds - or try to find suitable replacements - Barrow is also in the hunt for an experienced goalkeeper to challenge his other new signing, Craig Dootson, for the number one jersey.

"There are not many good goalkeepers about at the moment," he said.

"We have had contact with Neil Edwrards at Rochdale and a couple of others who could do a job for us and help bring young Dootson on.

"He has the makings of a very good goalkeeper but he needs a little bit of help and time, things he would get if we brought in the right kind of experience.

"I think Edwards would relish the challenge but we have to come up with the right offer and take it from there."

"I would like to think by the end of the week we should know where we stand with regard to both the players who have yet to re-sign and another goalkeeper."