NICK Pope has not ruled out the possibility he may follow in the footsteps of players like Danny Mayor and Hallam Hope by turning his loan stay at Bury into a permanent move.

Manager David Flitcroft believes his 22-year-old goalkeeper is destined for the very top and is content in having the Charlton man for just a brief stop on his journey to the Premier League.

But Pope remains open minded about his long-term future, especially after former boss Bob Peeters was sacked from his post at The Valley just days after agreeing to his season-long loan.

“I want to come here and do well in the games that I play and then at the end of the season we will see,” he said.

“I have never met the Charlton manager, he may say ‘I don’t want you’.

“That is football. You have just got to prepare for everything and go game by game really.”

It seems unlikely, after Pope helped Bury claim a point against League Two leaders Wycombe in what was an impressive debut on Saturday, that new Addicks boss Guy Luzon would be happy to let his young keeper leave The Valley, especially after the Championship side lost their opening match of his tenure 5-0 at Watford.

Flitcroft confirmed however that, under the terms of his contract, Pope could not be recalled early and the young keeper says he is looking forward to the prospect of an extended run in the first-team.

“The manager was sacked after I signed and some people questioned if I was getting recalled and stuff but I just wanted to come here and play,” he said.

“I really wanted to stay and was relieved to get my first game under my belt.

“Now I want to stay here for the rest of the season and keep playing games.

“I am in with the lads, and settled. I have moved all my stuff up here, more or less, so I am happy to stay and want to stay.”

Pope showed in his debut for Bury that he is more than capable of stepping down from the Championship to rough it in League Two.

In treacherous wintry conditions on a boggy pitch, the youngster demonstrated real maturity and no shortage of skill to help the Shakers to a 1-1 draw, producing two fine late saves to secure the point.

He picked up where he left off last season, when Pope kept 16 clean sheets in 24 appearances while on loan at York – a run that saw the Minstermen pip Bury to a place in the play-offs.

The keeper can see similarities between the two sides, if not in style of play then the spirit that propelled York into the end of season lottery.

And he is eager to help the Shakers go one step further than his former club by earning promotion.

“There are 21 games left, so obviously a long way to go,” he said, after Bury dropped to 10th place on Saturday, three points outside the play-off places.

“The promotion places are where we want to be. As long as we keep picking up points then that will get us there.

“Everyone in the dressing room wants the same thing, we are all pulling in the same direction so promotion is definitely what we are aiming towards.”