FRANKIE Bunn has emerged as the front-runner to become the next manager of Bury Football Club.

It is understood the former Oldham Athletic boss has been asked to step in by Shakers chairman Steve Dale to start preparations for the forthcoming League One campaign.

Bunn started in coaching at Wigan Athletic but moved on to become Manchester City’s reserve-team boss in 1998.

He then joined Coventry City, taking temporary charge of the first team in February 2008, and also worked under Steve Eyre at Rochdale before a spell at Huddersfield Town’s academy.

Former striker Bunn took charge of Oldham – a club for whom he had a distinguished spell as a player – in June 2018.

His short time at Oldham was relatively successful, winning a shade under 39 per cent of his games to take the Latics into the top 10 in League Two.

But he was sacked after the Latics were hammered 6-0 by Carlisle United on Boxing Day last year.

Bunn succeeds Ryan Lowe, who left the Shakers for Plymouth Argyle earlier this month, and will be in charge of his son, Harry, who is one of the contracted players at Gigg Lane.