BURY midfield ace George Clegg is set to make his long-awaited first team comeback next week.

The former Manchester United ace is one of Bury's most influential playmakers, providing a vital link between the engine room and the attack, while posing a serious goal threat himself.

But Bury have been forced to cope without his services for the past seven weeks, with Clegg suffering knee ligament damage during the Worthington Cup win over Bolton.

Now manager Andy Preece says he is confident Clegg, who ran out for the second reserve fixture of his comeback against Huddersfield in midweek, will feature in the LDV Vans Trophy clash with Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.

"Cleggy's doing well and, although I don't think he will be ready in time for this week, he will probably be fit for the Tranmere game," he said.

"To be honest, we aren't doing that badly for injuries at the moment. Gareth Seddon is still on his way back from a blood disorder but he's been doing well in training and also played in the reserves yesterday. "Lee Connell has picked up a little problem in his back as well so it's just a case of clearing up the niggling injuries now."

And these frustrations have not been spared the boss himself, with Preece admitting he is struggling to shake off tendinitis in his groin.

The in-form striker has spearheaded Bury's latest rise up the Division Three table with his own personal resurgence in the goalscoring charts.

But the injuries which have plagued his last two seasons are beginning to resurface, restricting his appearances in the first team.

"Everything was going great for the first two or three games but I've just had a problem with my groin recently and had to rest up for a couple of games," he said.

"It's a nightmare. This is what has happened to me for the past few years. Just when I start getting involved again and think I'm doing a good job for the team, I pick up an injury.

"It must be an age thing because I was lucky enough to never have any injury problems throughout my career.

"I'm all right when there's only one game a week but when it's game after game, after game I just can't do it."