CHAIRMAN Stewart Day believes Adam Thompson and Zeli Ismail feel like new signings for relegation-threatened Bury.

Speaking hours before yesterday’s transfer deadline, Day said any last-minute deals were unlikely, having done most of his business earlier in the window.

Winger Ismail returned from a loan spell at Walsall and this week manager Ryan Lowe was given a further boost as defender Adam Thompson was also brought back into the fold.

The 25-year-old centre-half joined Bury on a three-year deal from Southend last summer but played just three games before Lee Clark sent him on loan to Bradford until the end of the season.

There was no call-back clause as part of the deal but, having only made four league starts for the Bantams, they agreed to let Thompson make an early return.

“Both of them hadn’t been at the club for a while so it’s like having two new signings in the building,” said Day. “They want to be part of it and they want to fight to keep us in the division.

“We’ve also brought in Peter Clarke, James Hanson, Connor Ripley and George Miller so we’ve a lot of people trying to get us where we want to be.

“We’ve had a few go out as well but if you look at the squad now, we won at Oxford last week and look at the firepower we have. Hanson, Miller, Bunn, Maguire, Mayor, Ismail – most League One teams would probably want to take those players so Ryan feels he’s got enough in the squad.”

Although the Shakers had a free weekend, meaning they’re now 13 points from safety, Lowe took his squad on a three-day training camp at Carden Park near Chester to prepare for two crucial home games – against Blackpool on Saturday and then AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Day added: “After winning at Oxford we wanted to keep that togetherness in the group and Lowey’s done a lot of work on that. It’s important for us to get out of the situation we’re in. “

n Bury’s FA Youth Cup fifth-round tie at home to Birmingham City has been arranged for Friday, February 16 (7pm kick-off).