FORMER Chesterfield chairman Norton Lea's appearance at last Friday's Bury-Bristol Rovers match was his second fact-finding mission to Gigg Lane in the space of a month.

As speculation grows that the millionaire businessman may be set to make a bid for the club, Shakers chairman Terry Robinson revealed it was the second meeting he'd had with Lea and probably wouldn't be the last.

Lea, along with his accountant and advisor Neal Hook - the former Chief Executive at Notts County - sat with Robinson throughout Bury's 1-0 win.

But he had arrived much earlier in the day and had spent time talking with Robinson about the current situation at the club and the advantages of launching a takeover bid.

"My role is to give people information about the club," explained Robinson."He was asking me questions and I was answering.

"He and his advisor had an initial meeting a month ago and he was interested enough to come back for a second meeting. That happened last Friday and because we had a match that evening he stayed to watch it.

"i don't think there should be too much read into it. To my knowledge nothing is imminent. I expect him to want more information and to want another meeting before he decides to do anything because it is a big step to take.

"I can't answer a question like whether or not he'd be good for the club. My role is to give information to interested parties."

Like it or not though, Lea's appearance at Gigg Lane has made him red-hot favourite to be the man who buys the club.

That buying process though is complicated, with the club officially owned by a group of businessmen in London. Known as the plaintiffs, they are former work colleagues of Hugh Eaves, who trusted him with £20 million to invest on the stock exchange - a sum he lost on the high-risk derivatives market.

A High Court ruling transferred all Eaves' assets to the plaintiffs, including ownership of Bury FC.

That means any bid for the club - whether it's from Norton Lea or anyone else - must be approved by every plaintiff and, even if that obstacle is negotiated, there is further legal red tape to unravel.

Terry Robinson is hoping the sale won't take too long.

While the club has no owner he is facing a daily battle to keep the Shakers financially afloat.