BURY manager Lee Clark wants to partner new signing Jermaine Beckford with the club's leading goal scorer James Vaughan in what he hopes will be a fearsome strike force next season.

Beckford was today named as The Shakers' first arrival of the summer after putting pen to paper on a two-year deal following his release from Championship side Preston.

Vaughan and Beckford played together up front at Huddersfield and Clark is confident they can resume a successful partnership at Gigg Lane.

"For us to get Jermaine over the line and make him our first summer signing shows our intent and what we are trying to do," said the Bury boss, who made it clear after guiding them to League One safety that he expected them to be challenging for promotion next season.

"I’m absolutely delighted to get him in and it’s a credit to the chairman who has got us over the line in getting this deal done so early in the summer.

"A lot of people will be thinking that Jermaine has been brought in to replace James Vaughan. He’s not, we have brought Jermaine to Bury so he can play alongside James.

"They have played alongside each other before and I want them to rekindle that partnership in a Bury shirt.”

A product of the Leeds United Academy, Jermaine went on to make over 150 appearances while with the Elland Road based club.

He joined Premiership side Everton on a free transfer in March 2010, ironically to replace a departing Vaughan, before securing a £3m pound move to Leicester City.

Beckford had spells with the Terriers and Bolton Wanderers before moving to Preston in November 2014.

He joins the Shakers on a free transfer having been released from Deepdale earlier this month.

Beckford said: "I'm just so excited about being given the chance to play football and the vision that has been shown to me by the manager and the chairman just blew my mind.

"I am excited about getting involved and helping this club get to the next level.

"The motivation for me to come to Bury is the overall project that the chairman and manager have explained to me.

"I'm excited to be a part of it and just want to get going as soon as we can."