Fagan earns Brownie points from Phil (From Bury Times)

Fagan earns Brownie points from Phil

9:30am Thursday 21st February 2013 in Shakers Updates By Marc Iles

PHIL Brown believes new Shakers signing Craig Fagan has the credentials to fire Kevin Blackwell's side out of trouble this season.

The former Hull City boss admits he is surprised to see the 30-year-old striker in League One, having witnessed what he can do at close quarters in the Premier League.

Fagan – who came on as a late substitute in Saturday's defeat against Coventry City – has already earned brownie points with Bury fans, having scored against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok in his top-flight days. That strike, admits Brown, saved Hull’s top-flight status that season, and the former Preston and Derby chief has backed Fagan to do a similar job at Gigg Lane.

“That goal saved us that season,” Brown told The Bury Times. “He will believe he can play at a higher level and on his day he can.

“He can win games because he is an absolute nuisance. He is an instinctive kind of player.

“He had pace to burn, he had energy and he brought us alive at times.

“He scored a few important goals for us, none more so than that equalising goal at the Reebok.

Fagan has been training with his former club Hull this season to keep his fitness up but has struggled to find a new club until Blackwell brought him on board at the end of last week.

Brown believes his versatility could also help out in a small Shakers squad.

“He was very good for me because you could play him in two or three positions,” he said.

“From an ability point of view he should be playing at a higher level.

“So to get him for a season is good business in my eyes. He will have a point to prove to everyone now.”