The club have struggled on the pitch this season and a 2-0 defeat against Leyton Orient at the weekend has left them third from bottom and in a fight for survival.

Off the field, Bury have been forced to negotiate a short-term loan with the Professional Footballers' Association and will be unable to trade players until it is repaid.

The embargo meant free agent and ex-Leeds defender Ben Parker, who had agreed to join the club last week, was unable to play for the Gigg Lane outfit.

"We are, like a large number of other football clubs, experiencing cash flow issues, and to that end the club have negotiated with the PFA a temporary short term loan which is to be repaid in mid-January 2013," a statement on the club's official website read.

"Until the loan has been repaid the club has been imposed with an embargo in registering new players.

"As we speak we cannot register any new players until the 1st January 2013 under league rules, the embargo will extend that block on signing new players until this loan is fully repaid to the PFA.

"The board would like to assure all supporters that this is only a temporary issue."

Bury current have six players on loan, but they won't be forced back to their parents clubs immediately and will be allowed to play for Bury until their deals expire.