FORMER York City boss Chris Brass will be hoping to unearth the next David Nugent after being named Bury's youth academy manager.

England international Nugent worked his way up through the Centre of Excellence ranks at Gigg Lane before making his debut at the age of 16.

He signed for Preston in 2005 and, having scored on his Three Lions debut against Andorra and netted 15 times in the Championship last season, secured a £6million move to Portsmouth last week.

Bury will receive a "significant portion" of that transfer fee as a result of a sell-on clause attached to the Liverpool-born forward's £100,000 move to Deepdale.

The Shakers' successful youth policy has also seen Simon Whaley follow Nugent to Preston for £250,000 and 16-year-old midfielder David Worrall bring £50,000 into the club after joining Championship high-fliers West Brom.

In total, four regulars in next season's Bury side will have graduated from the academy and Brass explained that is a major reason behind his decision to accept the job.

He said: "I will be overseeing the youth set-up at the club while also having some coaching input on a daily basis. I've got to make sure the youth system continues to produce players as it has done over the last few years.

"It's essential the club brings youngsters through and knowing that they will get a chance at Bury appeals to me."

Brass' appointment arose after a coaching reshuffle at Bury following Keith Alexander's arrival as director of football with former academy chief Mike Sheron now in charge of the Under-19 youth team.

Ex-Manchester United defender Chris Casper remains in charge of first-team affairs and Brass has not given up hopes of figuring in his plans for the new campaign.

A double hernia operation limited the former Burnley centre-back to 20 league starts last season but Brass, still only 31, does not want to hang up his boots just yet.

He said: "Bury are holding my registration as a player but it has not really been discussed yet whether I will be needed.

"I'd like to think I can play forever but I know you can't."

He will be able to keep his foot in after yesterday signing with Conference North club Hyde United.

Brass became the Football League's youngest manager at the age of 27 when he took charge of the Minstermen in 2003.

A more dubious claim to fame came Brass' way last year when he broke his nose scoring an own goal against Darlington. The incident has now had 1.7 million hits on internet video site YouTube.

But the Easington-born defender, who began his managerial career at City with four straight league wins before the club were relegated to the Conference at the end of his first season in charge, does not rule out a return to one of the most unforgiving vocations in the world.

Having taken his first steps back into coaching, Brass added: "I don't know if I would get back into management.

"It depends if and when an opportunity arises but it would have to be the right one.

"I would also go in lock, stock and barrel and not as a player-manager but my experiences at York did not put me off.

There were a number of circumstances on my part and the club's part that meant we were not reaping the benefits of what everybody wanted.

"It was a frustrating part of my life but it's nice to see they are going in the right direction now."