ANDY Bishop is ready to give his best years to Bury after signing a new three-and-a-half-year deal this week.

Bishop has been the Shakers' top scorer since signing from York in 2006 and was one of the most sought-after lower league strikers during the transfer window.

But the 26-year-old hitman has committed his future to promotion-chasing Bury by finally putting pen to paper on the deal the club tabled earlier this month.

"I was out of contract at the end of the season so different clubs could talk to me," he said.

"I had a few offers from different clubs at different levels of the game and it has weighed on my mind a bit.

"The last month I've had a few chances and not put them away, it's been a strange month, but I'm glad I made the decision to stay.

"Every player's got to have an ambition to play at a higher level but I can see us going there with this club and that's a massive factor in why I stayed.

"I think the quality of the players we've got here I'll get more chances and score more goals."

Bishop, who hails from Stone in Staffordshire, is now aiming to set up home in the area having so far commuted from York.

"I had some offers from down south so it has been a family decision," he said. "This is my third season here and I'm enjoying it so I'm finally going to move over here now I've signed this contract - I think the house-hunting starts tomorrow!"

Bishop has been unable to add to his 11-goal tally since Boxing Day but put in a selfless performance against Bradford on Tuesday, when Andy Morrell's late winner kept the Shakers in the top three.

"I think it showed our promotion credentials," Bishop added. "I think we've got the right mentality in the squad. We know where we want to be and that's what we're going for."

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