Shakers centre-back Ben Futcher has been charged with fostering Bury’s emerging talent as part of a new role in the club’s coaching set-up.

The 31-year-old defender will take charge of a new development squad, which is intended to act as a bridge between the academy and first team.

His job will be to help improve each player’s techincal skills and ease their route into the starting 11.

“I’m delighted to be offered the role and can’t wait to get started,” said Futcher.

“I’ve been planning for a future away from football for a number of years now and I’ve always wanted to go into coaching at some point, it has just cropped up a bit sooner than I thought it would.”

The former Lincoln City stalwart, who played 119 games in five years for the Shakers, will step back from first team duties after agreeing a season-long loan at Conference North side FC Halifax.

But he will spend most of his week at Gigg Lane, working with the club’s younger pros and youth team graduates.

“Hopefully we will get some good players through,” said Futcher.

“There will be a core of eight, nine or 10 who will work away from the first team in the afternoons to help them develop technically as players and improve their understanding of the game.

“If youth players are playing well in the youth team then they will get the opportunity to step up, that’s the aim of it. But it’s not a case of as soon as you get to 21 you stop doing afternoon sessions. Pros who want to develop and learn will be doing some extra work with us as well.”

Manager Barker hopes Futcher’s role will increase opportunities for homegrown players and ease the burden on the first team squad, especially as Football League clubs will be able to field seven substitutes this season.

“There will be a big expectation from some of the younger players because obviously Andrai (Jones) has kicked on a bit now and we are expecting a bit more from Max (Harrop) this year,” said Barker.

“Who knows, with Ben in place, maybe one or two more of the younger ones will rear their head a little bit this year.

“That’s going to have to be the case because at the minute I’m probably looking at a first team squad of something in the region of 18.

“It only takes two injuries and a suspension and we’re down to the younger pros again so they’ll have to play some part in it.

“Hopefully we can bring them on and make them the future of this football club.”