BURY chairman Stewart Day says there are no restrictions on the club’s search for their next manager.

The Shakers paid compensation to prise former boss Lee Clark from Kilmarnock in February.

And while he lasted just eight months in the job, Day insists they have not been put off going down that route again.

Caretaker manager Ryan Lowe is the current favourite to be handed the permanent position, just ahead of ex-Preston boss Simon Grayson, who was sacked by Sunderland last week.

Next in the running is Mansfield manager Steve Evans, which would mean paying compensation, something the Bury chairman has no qualms about doing.

Day said: “Ryan’s got the caretaker manager’s role at the moment but a lot of different people have applied – people with clubs, people out of work, and both young and experienced managers.

“But in the past we’ve appointed managers who haven’t applied for the job, we’ve approached them for it. David Flitcroft didn’t apply, he’d just been sacked by Barnsley, and Lee didn’t apply. We went to get him as well.

“Maybe we can get a manager without paying compensation, but it’s not about that. It’s about getting the right person, that will lead the club forward.

“We’ve got a variety of options and we’ve got to discuss how we want to go forward.”

Day was set to meet with vice chairman Glenn Thomas and chief executive Karl Evans before last night’s Checkatrade Trophy victory over Stoke Under-21s to go through the applications.

But Lowe will remain in charge for Saturday’s crucial game at Gillingham, who are immediately above the Shakers in the League One drop zone.

Asked after Sunday’s FA Cup draw at Woking if he wanted the job permanently, Lowe replied: “I want to get the lads’ confidence high again and to get results on the board. All that other stuff will take care of itself.”

Lowe also said he hoped Nathan Cameron, Craig Jones and Jermaine Beckford would be fit to face Gillingham.