By DAVID COULTER

Published at 09:07, Monday, 09 July 2012

A FORMER Premier League player has been recruited to help transform the fortunes of a Northern Alliance outfit facing an uncertain future.

Former Sheffield United defender Chris Armstrong has joined the management team at Ponteland United to help the club who won the Alliance outright just two seasons ago to battle back from the disappointment of relegation to Division One.

While playing for the Blades, Armstrong made 24 top flight appearances during the 2006-07 season.

He has a wealth of experience playing professionally, making close to 100 appearances for United, while also representing Reading, Oldham and Bury. His career was cut short by illness.

Ponteland first team manager Michael Havelock and his assistant Colin Bell have drafted in the expertise of Armstrong, who lives locally, to try get the club through a sticky situation.

Following the club’s title winning season in 2010-2011, the team’s best players moved on to pastures new to look for a higher standard of football as United were unable to step up due to their pitch at the town’s leisure centre failing to meet Northern League criteria.

It forced them to promote their teenagers through to senior football well in advance of what they would have hoped to, and they struggled throughout last year as they finished second bottom in the Premier Division.

Despite accepting an invitation into the pre-season Clayton Charity Cup and Armstrong jumping on board, what the club does next term is still up in the air.

Both Ponteland and their reserves have started pre-season training, and new players are encouraged to attend.

Anyone interested in finding out more can contact Alan Birkinshaw on (07774) 523762 or Michael Havelock on (07813) 108956.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk