Shakers get a boost from bumper gate

10:20am Thursday 2nd October 2008

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ALAN Knill says Saturday’s bumper Gigg Lane gate of 3,597 provided a massive boost to the in-form Shakers.

The top-of-the-table clash with Wycombe, which ended 0-0, caught the imagination of the town with around 1,000 extra Bury supporters passing through the turnstiles.

Knill, pictured, who has been nominated for manager of the month once again, said: “The crowd were incredible on Saturday and that was the best part of the day.

“It’s a great effort by the players to attract an extra 1,000 people through the gates, and it’s fantastic the people of Bury are realising what we are trying to do.

“We want to keep those fans now, and hopefully we can attract even more fans back. It certainly felt like there were more people in the ground on Saturday and that boosts me and the players.

“It has taken time, but people are slowly coming back and, even though we didn’t win, I think it was a good game and people can see we play football the right way.”

It has been a stunning start to the season for Knill’s men, who have put the pride back into the football club by storming to the top of the League Two table.

The first two months of the season have been negotiated without a league defeat, and the manager is determined to extend that fine run even further – starting with a trip to Aldershot on Saturday.

“We want to take this on as long as we can,” said Knill. “It gets harder with each game, but we have a group of players that all want the same thing.

“It’s a very tough game on Saturday because Aldershot have done well since they came up. Generally, teams that come up from the Conference do well because they still have momentum from promotion. Aldershot are especially good at home.”

The games are coming thick and fast for the Shakers, with Stockport visiting Gigg Lane on Tuesday night in the Johnstone’s Paints Trophy.

This time last year, Stockport were in the early stages of a promotion push that ended in play-off glory at Wembley in May. And Knill says the game presents a good test for his side.

“Stockport did well last season and are holding their own in League One now,” said Knill.

“The club doesn’t really make any money out of it until the Area Final, but there is a big pay day at the end of it for the two teams that get to Wembley.”

Glynn Hurst has provided Knill with a lift by returning to training following his back injury, and he will be fit to travel with a full-strength squad to Hampshire.