TWENTY-FOUR hours after seeing their heroes clinch a place in Division One, Bury fans experienced first hand knowledge of the price of success.

Stan Ternent, the manager who has led the Shakers to successive promotions in the space of just 19 months, was touted in a Sunday tabloid as a target for Stoke, who are searching for a successor to Lou Macari.

The Gigg Lane boss has also been tipped for a return to Crystal Palace, where he was previously on the coaching staff and where his former manager Steve Coppell was this season re-united with the Eagles.

With such an astonishing record, it is no surprise to see Ternent's name linked with managerial jobs at the so-called bigger clubs.

But the man himself appears content with life at Gigg and is relishing next season's challenge.

"It will be hard," he admits. "I've had experience in all four divisions and I know the biggest gulf in class comes between Division One and the Premiership. The next biggest gap is between Division Two and Division One. "But we'll give it a go. We're going to have some terrific fixtures to look forward to and I'm just delighted for people like the chairman Terry Robison, who has worked so hard, and Hugh Eaves, who has put his money where his mouth is.

"And I'm delighted, of course, for the players. They're good pros and they deserve their success."

In fact, Ternent will sing just about everyone's praises but his own.

Yet it's his leadership that has been the feature of Bury's meteoric rise from the Third Division basement in September 1996 to where they stand today on the threshold of Division One.

Despite the high returns, he remains low profile and explains: "I'm not a member of the clap-trappers union. I never have been and I won't change now.

"You never hear the best managers in the country crowing about how good they are. People like Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalglish just get on with their jobs in their own way.

"As far as I am concerned, I've got a good, young squad of players and we're looking forward to the test next season."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.