THEY should be relishing the chance to get stuck into a League One campaign following their promotion last season.

But Bury winger Nicky Adams says the worrying times are far from over at Gigg Lane, with the the court adjourning a winding-up order at a High Court hearing yesterday.

The popular Shakers star revealed how, far from derailing their promotion bid, the financial issues at the club helped to instil a fighting spirit among the squad.

“It was tough, but when we had our own private meetings we said we had a chance to make history,” he told the Bury Times. “We did not want to let that pass us by.

“It galvanised us. We had a bad week where we lost three on the bounce, and people were writing us off.

“We arranged a meeting and you could see the passion. I stood up and said ‘lads, we keep going to the end so we can look each other in the eye’.

“That is all we could do. It is easy to sulk and chuck the towel in, but we did not want to do that because the first thing people would say is that we bottled it. I am not a bottler and neither are my teammates.

“It was an unbelievable set of players. I will always call them friends for life after what we have gone through.

“We got promoted and rightly so because we were one of the best teams in the league. It is a memory I will never forget.”

Looking to the future, manager Ryan Lowe is believed to be a target for Plymouth Argyle, and Adams believes a number of the playing staff are bound to be courted by other clubs following their memorable promotion back to the third tier.

As for his own future, the 32-year-old has ambitions to stay with the Shakers, in spite of the off-field issues permeating the feel-good factor he helped bring back to Bury.

“We have a lot of talented players and there is only so long people can go without getting paid before they move elsewhere,” he added. “There is probably going to be interest in a lot of players. Over the next few weeks, people have decisions to make.

“We should be going into League One bouncing because that is the minimum the fans deserve, but it is a worrying time.

“I want to stay and I hope things can get back on track. We need someone to buy the club.

“I signed a new deal before this all happened. I did not even hesitate because of the staff and players we have here.

“In my opinion, this is one of the best teams Bury have ever had.

“When things like this happen off the field, it brings you closer together. It was the same thing at Northampton where we did not get paid and all we had was each other. From a personal point of view, I had a bad injury last year and people doubted me. I wanted to prove to everyone that I could come back and I think I have done that.

“To captain the side on the day we went up will always be a great memory.”