TOP goalscorer Andy Bishop has signed a two-year deal with League Two club Bury.

The 23-year-old hitman inked a contract with the Shakers yesterday after weeks of behind the scenes negotiations leaving York City manager Billy McEwan too shocked to comment when The Press broke the news to him.

City club secretary Nick Bassett said Bishop was still a City player until the end of June, when his contract expires.

But Bury press officer Gordon Sorfleet confirmed that the deal had been done just days after the Shakers avoided dropping into the Conference after a dramatic climax to League Two on Saturday.

In a statement on the official Bury website, manager Chris Casper said: "We've had this one lined up for a little while now, and I've got to say, I'm delighted with it.

"With the position we were in, we couldn't offer Andy something until we were safe. But now that we are, we've jumped on it straight away and it's a reflection on what I am trying to do next season."

And it may be that City have lost out twice.

A contract offer from the Minstermen was on the table and awaiting a response. But if the terms were not identical - or better than - his current two-year deal, Bishop will be free to move under the Bosman ruling for nothing just months after a cash transfer offer was accepted by McEwan but turned down by Bishop at the personal terms stage.

Reports from Gigg Lane at that time suggested the fee in question was in the region of £20,000 with an 18-month deal at £700 a week offered.

Just weeks after turning down that move, Bishop criticised York for failing to get contract talks under way although at that stage City did not know if they would be in the Conference or League Two.

His future role at the Shakers will reunite him with former Minstermen player/boss Chris Brass, who brought him to the Bootham Crescent club in 2004.

Interest in the former Walsall trainee has been high all season in an eye-catching campaign that included reaping the Conference golden boot with his 23 goals - along with a host of other accolades.

But McEwan said only last week that he hoped his young side would stay together - because they wouldn't be able to hack it at a higher club.

He said: "I've told all the players I can get them the right clubs at the right time but, at the minute, they are not ready to go into the League.

"They might think they are but they are not and I know because I have been a League manager.

"I can guarantee that they would not be first team regulars."

Other highpoints of Bishop's season at City include several end-of-season awards, plus games and goals in the England non-League XI set-up - an international sideline that will now come to an end. It may, however, open the door for former strike-partner Clayton Donaldson to make the final 18-man squad for the upcoming Four Nations Tournament.

Andy Bishop factfile:

Born: 19/10/1982

Signed: From Walsall on 17/07/2004 for free

Appearances: 83 in all competitions for City, including 73 starts and 6 sub appearances in the league

Goals: 34

Updated: 10:05 Tuesday, May 09, 2006