FORWARD Dean Crowe has left Gigg Lane a month early and gone back to Stoke City.

Crowe, who is suffering a knee injury, was on a three-month loan spell at Gigg with a view to a permanent transfer but because of a knee injury and the form of Bury's other strikers he has struggled to make an impression.

Meanwhile, Preece has allowed two players to go to non-league clubs on loan to get match experience. Ryan Souter has joined Newport County and Ryan Crossley's gone to Henley, near Huddersfield.

Young striker Lee Buggie is back at Gigg Lane after completing a month's loan at Rochdale.