BURY Football Club could have a new owner from Monday, when the sale of Hugh Eaves' shares can go ahead.

And the hope for all Shakers fans is that the buyer will provide long-term financial security for the club and that all the players will be taken off the transfer list.

A court order stating that the 90 per cent of shares owned by Eaves can be sold will come into effect on Monday 4 September.

The shares will be sold by the creditors - the group of people who Mr Eaves allegedly defrauded. They have been successful in winning the court's permission to dispose of Mr Eaves' assets.

It means that, from Monday, Bury Football Club's future will be effectively controlled by a number of businessman in London, those who worked with Mr Eaves at stockbroking firm Phillips and Drew.

Any potential sale will be nothing to do with Bury FC or chairman Terry Robinson and he admitted he was in the dark about the possibility of a deal.

Mr Robinson said: "The position is that we are looking forward to seeing what happens in September.

"Myself and the directors are hopeful that there will be someone available to keep the club moving forward. I am not selling the shares. I know as much as you and we will just have to wait and see what happens."

Mr Eaves, a millionaire who lives in Hampstead, North London, has kept Bury financially afloat since the mid 1980s but he has not been connected with the club since last year when it emerged that he was involved in allegedly losing millions in a stock market gamble which went wrong.

Without any financial support, the club has been struggling to keep its head above water ever since, putting the entire squad up for sale and selling several players such as Andy Woodward and Ian Lawson to simply make ends meet.

The Shakers desperately need a buyer to come forward and next week's court action will improve those chances.

Mr Robinson and Bury's directors held a recent meeting with the creditors' solicitors and, subsequent to that, adverts had been placed in local newspapers.

Mr Robinson said the creditors were "not in a position" to support the club until a sale was achieved and it was therefore up to everyone involved with Bury FC to ensure the club survived until the outcome was determined.

It is believed that there have been at least three different interested parties though it is not known whether there have been any firm bids or whether they are acceptable to the plaintiffs.

Shakers fans would be delighted if a buyer did come forward to take control of the club as it would give them financial security and ensure the club's long-term survival.

With the club flying high in Division Two it might also ensure that Bury will be able to hang on to their star players, such as skipper Nick Daws and central defender Chris Swailes.