CHRIS brass has underlined the importance of learning from this season’s mistakes after avoiding a final day “travesty".

Bury’s titanic fall from an automatic promotion spot in October to an end-of-season relegation dogfight left nerves frayed around the club.

But now their League One safety is secured, Brass is able to breathe a sigh of relief.

The former Burnley and York defender has done everything asked of him by the club this year; starting as head of football operations before stepping in to the caretaker manager role following the sacking of David Flitcroft and now as first-team coach in new boss Lee Clark's set-up.

After having time to reflect on the season as a whole, Brass is delighted the club have retained their position in League One for a third straight season after earning promotion to the third tier on the final day of the 2014/15 season.

“In the end it’s mission accomplished when you look at the whole season, from top to bottom," said Brass.

“Ultimately, we were in a predicament where we just had to stay in the league.

"It feels a little bit by default but when you look at it it’s not.

“As a football club we have been on a bit of a high in recent years but in order to move forwards sometimes you have to taste a little bit of this, and understand what is needed and required to continue to move forward.

“I do think with all the hard work we have put in it would have been a travesty if we had to rebuild again from a lower division.

“It has given us an opportunity and sometimes we have to grasp it. That’s what’s going to be the catalyst for next season, it’s given us an opportunity.”

Brass took caretaker charge of the Shakers following Flitcroft’s sacking in November and steadied the ship before the arrival of ex-Huddersfield Town boss Lee Clark in February.

But the 44-year-old wanted to thank the rest of the coaching staff for pulling together in Bury’s hour of need after he moved up into an unaccustomed role as head coach.

Brass added: “We said right at the start, Bury Football Club is bigger than anybody and anything.

“It was nice that we got a reaction when we went back in. Ryan Kidd, Chris Sedgwick and Ian Wilcox, they all went that extra mile.

“I understand what my skill sets are. I do a lot of things on and off the pitch. It’s like anything, you understand what you’re good at.

“It’s a different ball game when you’re in the manager’s chair. I did enjoy it but I know where my skill sets lie and I always have done well whenever I’ve aided someone in that position.

“Whatever my role or responsibility is, I don’t do titles, I just get on with what I am, I’m Brassy, that’s it.”