TOM Pope is predicting a return to the goal trail after being impressed by the attacking talent on show at Bury.

The 29-year-old summer signing was given permission to return a few days late for pre-season training after going on a family holiday booked before he sealed his free transfer from Port Vale.

But the experienced striker says he quickly gelled with his new team-mates and is confident talented wide men like Danny Mayor, Jacob Mellis and Chris Hussey will prove to be a fruitful supply line.

“I can see the quality is there in the squad after a few training sessions,” he said.

“So I am sure the ball will be put in the right areas and I would back myself to take my chances.”

Pope blasted the Valiants to promotion from League Two in the 2012-13 season, scoring 33 goals in 51 appearances, including four in one game against Rotherham.

Since then, the Sneyd-born target man has had two injury-interrupted seasons in League One, scoring 16 in 2013-14 and 12 in the last campaign.

But he has overcome the injuries that blighted those campaigns and sees no reason why he cannot surpass his previous goalscoring exploits.

“If you have the talent around you, like I clearly do at Bury, then anything can happen in football,” he says.

“I am sure I can reach the same kind of heights I did with Port Vale in their promotion campaign.

“I was going well with 16 in my first season in League One but then picked up an ankle injury.

“I got fit over the summer and was on fire at the start of last season before I did my cruciate.

“There were no strikers at the club so I rushed back to help the side when I probably shouldn’t have done and struggled towards the end of the season.

“But I am fit again now. I did all my fitness tests with Bury before going on holiday and they went well.”

Pope will have to wait to get off the mark for Bury after tomorrow’s scheduled pre-season opener at Warrington Town was cancelled due to problems with the pitch.

The squad are now due to fly off to Tenerife for a training camp before returning for their first friendly match Macclesfield on July 22.

Pope is itching to get started and has tipped the Shakers to acquit themselves well in the third tier following last season’s promotion.

“I am not going to put any pressure on by saying we will be promoted, but from my experience of League One from the past two seasons I would say we have nothing to fear," he said.

“There are four or five clubs with big budgets, like Wigan, who you would say will have an edge, but apart those clubs the standard is pretty even in the division, so we will certainly have a chance to do something.”