WORCESTER City have captured Darren Bullock from Nationwide League Division Two club Bury on the eve of their Dr Martens Premier Division clash with Tiverton Town.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who started his career at St George's Lane, is set to make his debut tomorrow (3pm) as City seek to claw back lost ground on leaders Havant & Waterlooville.

City boss John Barton, who described it as a tremendous signing for the club, said he was still keen to strengthen his squad further and had enquired about another player with a Nationwide Conference side.

"We're delighted to have pulled this signing off as there was a lot of competition from other clubs for Darren's signature," he said.

"But he's got a strong affinity with the club and was happy to come back and hopefully he's going to have a big impact."

Bullock, who is eligible for the FA Cup, revealed he had turned down offers from several Conference sides to join his home-town club and link up with Barton again, having played under him at Nuneaton Borough.

"I had other offers to play in the Conference but I always said to John after I left Nuneaton that when I came out of the Football League I would speak to him and fortunately he was at Worcester," he said.

"City are the only club I would have come back to have played for in the Dr Martens and I'm really happy to be here."

Bullock came through City's youth scheme, playing 43 times in two spells in the late 1980s, with a period at Redditch in between.

He later went on to Malvern and Nuneaton, where Barton sold him to Huddersfield for £60,000 in 1993, to make 127 appearances.

In 1997 he was transferred to Swindon for £400,000 where he played 57 times before moving to Bury for £200,000 in 1999, making 45 appearances with loan spells at Rushden & Diamonds and Sheffield United.

Bury are in financial trouble and Bullock has been released by manager Andy Preece, also an ex-Worcester player.

Meanwhile winger Ian Reed, who has been on the transfer list for the past month, is set to join Stafford Rangers today.

"I've had a phone call saying Ian has agreed a deal with Stafford and it is now down to contact being made at their end but we expect it to go through," said Barton.

Reed had struggled to make an impact at City since his move from Nuneaton last year.