BURY boss Andy Preece is being linked with an unlikely move for former team-mate Lee Todd writes Chris Hall

The 30-year-old left back, recently released by Rochdale, is reportedly in Shakers' sights as they desperately search for experienced players to boost their fledgling squad.

Sam Collins, Paul Reid and Phil Charnock are among nine first team players to be shown the door in recent cost-cutting measures, leaving a worryingly green line-up to lead Bury's Division Three promotion bid next season.

But, with the club's administrators still unable to guarantee Bury's safety from liquidation, Preece has little or no cash at his disposal to fund an addition to the wage bill.

Former Hartlepool star Todd spent the best part of three seasons with Preece in a Stockport County side which regularly challenged for promotion from Division Two in the early '90s.

Preece left to join Crystal Palace but Todd bode his time before finally moving to join Premiership outfit Southampton. The journeyman also has spells at Bradford and Walsall under his belt and has more than 300 league appearances to his name.

A free-kick specialist with an eye for goal, Todd would certainly add steel to the Bury defence but question marks remain over his fitness.

He has spent the last 12 months dogged by knee ligament problems and, despite going under the knife last summer, only managed 11 first team appearances last season as his injury torment flared up repeatedly.

Todd was a popular figure at Spotland but became one of the first casualties of the ITV Digital crisis when Rochdale could not afford to offer him a new contract.

Bury's fundraising efforts have been boosted this week by a further two 'experience' auctions surrounding the Shakers' pre-season friendly with Premiership giants Manchester City.

The first gives the winning bidder the chance to sample the life of a football manager.

You can sit alongside Preece in the Bury dugout and watch the game from the manager's perspective and even gain entry to the dressing room and witness the manager's pre-match team talk.

The second auction is for a day as Bury FC reporter in the hallowed Gigg Lane press box.

Winners will get to watch the game from the best view in the ground, listen in on Kevin Keegan and Preece's post-match press conferences and write a full match report for the official website.

Both prizes are expected to raise thousands for the Save Our Shakers appeal and can be bid for in the auction section of www.buryfc.co.uk.

The 'Live the Dream' auction is also going from strength to strength and surpassing all expectations, with the top bid already rising to £4,700 today with over 50 days to go.

Winning bidders will become a registered member of Bury's first team squad, join Andy Preece and the players for training and autograph sessions, as well as on the official team photograph for the forthcoming season.

The prize winner will be unveiled at a full press conference, feature in the squad list of every match day programme and have regular feature interviews on the club's website.

To add to the experience, he will be transfer listed at the end of the season.