CLIVE Platt has agreed to extend his contract at Bury as the first-team management put the finishing touches to the squad.

The experienced 36-year-old striker, who joined on a short-term contract in January, was offered an extra year at the end of last season.

And assistant manager Chris Brass confirmed that he had now agreed terms, joining a strike-force that also includes fellow thirty-somethings Ryan Lowe and Danny Nardiello.

“Clive has not been a problem,” said Brass, after the former Northampton and Rochdale striker took the summer to consider his options.

“He was always aware of what was going to happen at the club and he is at an age now where he has got to be managed correctly – he knows what part he has got to play in the squad.

“So we were happy for Clive to continue. The easiest thing for him to do would have been to look at other avenues, but he was excited and understands what role he will have to play in the squad and so do we, so we are looking forward to working with him again.”

Bury’s squad of 21 first-team players also includes transfer-listed striker Ashley Grimes and 18-year-old former youth-team forward Regan Walker, neither of whom are expected to play a significant role in the coming League Two season.

While Brass says he and manager David Flitcroft are now happy with the make-up of the squad, he accepts there is always room for improvement, and admitted there could be room for a couple of loan signings as the season progresses.

“We are always looking – you have got to continue to be ahead of the game,” he said.

“There will be times in the season when we will have to play the loan market.

“There are still good players out there who are holding out and just waiting to see what happens, but we are more than happy where we are up to.

“There might be one or two more to come in, but that might be later, but right now we are happy with the squad we have got.”

Barnsley striker Danny Rose, aged 20, who scored three goals in six games during a successful spell at the JD Stadium at the end of last season, has been hotly-tipped for a return on a season-long loan.

But with Tykes boss Danny Wilson off-loading his big earners after relegation to League One, he may be pushed up the pecking order at Oakwell.

Bury last night kicked off their pre-season campaign with the traditional curtain-raiser at neighbours Radcliffe Borough, when Brass was looking forward to the opportunity to run the rule over the handful of triallists still remaining at the club.

But he added: “We haven’t had a great number of triallists in because we are happy with the squad we have got.

“So anybody who is here, there is a strong possibility we have opened talks with them already.”