BURY will have one eye on the success stories of the season at Leicester and Burnley as they plan their summer recruitment.

The Foxes proved what can be achieved by hard work and desire, rather than an astronomical wage budget, and Burnley did the same, in their own way, by bouncing back up to the Premier League at the first attempt.

David Flitcroft's admission that contracted players could also be sold on, adding to the seven members of the Shakers squad to be released, is in an insight into the club's mindset ahead of what could be a crucial summer of wheeling and dealing.

Peter Clarke provides the perfect template for what they should be looking for.

It doesn't matter how old or young a player is, if they have got something to prove, a positive attitude and willingness to work hard, then you can mould a team around characters like that.

Obviously, teams like Bury will be competing against clubs with bigger budgets, but as Leicester and Burnley have shown, you don't have to move heaven and earth to get the right players, you just have to look a little harder to find them.

What is key is building a team with the spirit to fight for each other, and having a sensible budget that is right for your club can actually help, rather than hinder that process.

I was delighted to see Peter Clarke get the recognition he deserved, scooping four top awards at the end-of-season dinner, including the Bury Times Player of the Season.

He has been the best player in the squad this year and I hope he is able to carry that form on into next season.

It is, of course, a shame that Ryan Lowe will not be returning for another campaign, but I accept that he is of an age where it could have been a risk to give him the kind of longer-term deal he was looking for.

He will be missed in the dressing room, and I have no doubt Ryan's knowledge and experience would have been an asset on the training ground, but if he wanted to extend his playing career then good luck to him.

I believe it was a fitting gesture to make him captain for Sunday's game against Southend and I am confident the fans will give Ryan the send-off he deserves.