BURY'S preparations for the new campaign have received a major blow with the news that Dean West will be out for the first two months of the season.

The highly-rated right back went into hospital on Friday for an operation to remedy a pelvic problem connected to the injury that kept him out of action the majority of last season.

It's a sickening blow for the popular West who completed only four matches at the start of last season before a recurrent groin problem wrecked the rest of his campaign.

He featured in the Shakers first full-scale practice games at Radcliffe Boro and in the Lancashire Marsden Cup clash at Wigan but felt a reaction afterwards.

"I was okay in pre-season training but after finishing matches I was aching all over," he explained.

"I can get through a game but only at 80 per cent fitness and that's no good to me.

"This will be my fourth operation in twelve months so I'm due a change of luck.

"I'm still waiting to make my mark in the First Division and it just looks like I'll have to wait that bit longer," said West. Boss Neil Warnock has nothing but sympathy for the unlucky Yorkshireman but reckons he'll soon be in the thick of the action again.

"While his groin operation has been a success and that's okay he still has a pelvic problem that is troubling him," he said.

"We're all disappointed for Dean but at least we know what it is now and it isn't a major operation so he should be back in action in around six to eight weeks," he added.

The Shakers chief is delighted with the progress his players are making with only one week to the big kick-off and expects another good tough encounter when he takes his side to one of his old clubs, Rotherham United, on Saturday (August 1, kick-off 3pm).

The Millers drew 1-1 against Bradford City at Millmoor on Wednesday night and Warnock hopes another injured full-back named Dean, new signing Dean Barrick will figure in the match at some stage.

"We've missed a natural left footed player like Dean in our practice games so far and I think we'd have caused Oldham a few more problems on Tuesday night if we'd have had that balance," he said.

"Hopefully he can play half a game in one of our final two matches after missing the last two weeks."

Goalkeeper Dean Kiely is likely to be back action after missing Tuesday's match against Oldham and the game will be another chance to see newly-signed French striker Laurent D'Jaffo in action.

Warnock confirmed that D'Jaffo's signing means he won't be pursuing Leyton Orient's Jason Harris who had been on trial for the past few weeks.

Warnock has recruited experienced former Scarborough, Torquay and Plymouth custodian Kevin Blackwell as goalkeeping coach for a month.

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