WEARY Bury arrived back at Gigg Lane on Saturday night wondering when their season of disaster is going to change for the better.

The Shakers bravely averted defeat at multi-millionaires Reading and given the latest misfortune to befall them en route, it was a superb 1-1 draw.

The team arrived at the Madejski Stadium just 30 minutes before kick-off after their Jones Executive coach suffered a broken clutch and ground to a halt on the M6.

They were stranded on the hard shoulder north of Wolverhampton for 90 minutes until replacement transport could be found.

But instead of a new coach, the squad, manager Andy Preece and chairman Terry Robinson had to squeeze into a 20-seater minibus for the remaining 120 miles to Berkshire.

Fortunately, coach Andy Feeley and director John Smith went on by car to hand in the teamsheet and ensure Bury didn't pick-up a fine.

Contrast that to neighbours Bolton, who a week earlier had flown down to London and stayed overnight for their Premiership game at Arsenal.

And due to an eagle-eyed Stoke City fan, Bury's brown 'Hallmark' coach became the focus of a nationwide bus watch.

The Potters supporter, travelling north up the M6, rang in to John Motson's Saturday morning chat show on Radio Five to tell of Bury's plight.

'Motty' gave out regular updates on the team's progress while manager Preece reported live from the M40 to Mark Pougatch's popular Sport on Five afternoon programme.

''It sounds like a Sunday pub team going to a game,'' Pougatch commented.

Driver Tony Gannon from Leigh said: ''I wondered why everyone was waving at us and sounding their horns.

''I knew there was something wrong when smoke started coming out from underneath the coach. I phoned my boss and he made enquiries about getting another coach out to us.

''The minibus was all that was available and we had to wait while it came from Birmingham. We set-off at about 12.35pm and thankfully there weren't any hold-ups and we made good time.

''I don't normally drive the Bury team, I'm only a relief driver.''

This latest mishap is part of a catalogue of problems for the club this season:

• Their home game with Wycombe earlier this month was postponed when the Gigg Lane floodlights failed.

• At Bournemouth, the team was woken in the early hours at their hotel by an alarm going off.

• Against Stoke City last weekend club mascot Robbie the Bobby was ejected by stewards for 'mooning' at the visiting fans.

• And against Oldham, Preece admitted right-hand man Feeley had erroneously substituted crowd favourite Jon Newby instead of Harpal Singh.

''I just thought here we go again,'' smiled Preece after his side's draw. ''But maybe after getting a point we should use the minibus again for the trip to Cambridge.''

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