BURY have completed the signing of former Preston and Motherwell midfielder Chris Humphrey on a free transfer.

The wide man, who can play as a right winger or wing-back, has signed a one-year deal at Gigg Lane with the option to extend for a further 12 months, becoming Lee Clark’s ninth signing of the summer.

Humphrey started his career at Shrewsbury before moving north of the border to Motherwell, where he racked up 163 appearances.

The 33-year-old then moved to Preston where he totalled 133 appearances, missing only two matches as the Lilywhites were promoted from League One in the 2014/15 season.

He moved on loan to Hibernian in January and was released by Preston after his contract finished at the end of the season.

Lee Clark said: “We feel that is a different wide type of player to what we already have.

"Like Zeli Ismail, Chris has great pace and is very direct.

"He will create a lot of chances for the attacking players that we have within the squad. I want attacking players to be makers of goals and scorers of goals.

“Chris can do this for us, he has a great work ethic and I am really delighted to have him on board with us.

"He also knows Jermaine Beckford from his Preston North End days and he is another player that has been promoted from this league, so that’s another tick in the box for me.”

Humphrey will link up with fellow new arrivals – Joe Murphy, Eoghan O’Connell, Phil Edwards, Joe Skarz, Adam Thompson, Stephen Dawson, Callum Reilly, Jermaine Beckford and Jay O’Shea – on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, Hopwood Primary School has congratulated former pupil Will Ferry on Twitter ahead of the 16-year-old Bury midfielder's move to Southampton.

@HopwoodPrimary: “Ex pupil, Will Ferry, came to see us today. He's 16 and been signed to Southampton FC. Well done Will, we are proud of you! @Willferry10”

Ferry has agreed personal terms with the Premier League club and is awaiting the results of a medical before the deal, understood to be for a six-figure sum, can by confirmed.