Allan’s hoping to strike lucky with the Heed
GATESHEAD new boy Tom Allan wants to emulate last season’s exploits by the Heed strikers which saw the club score 116 goals.
Four forwards went into double figures as Mike Williamson’s men won Vanarama National League North and promotion back to the top flight.
Fifty-eight of those were supplied by top guns Macaulay Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott, 32-goal Langstaff now a Notts County player.
The Heed are in the market for three forwards and they have the first over the line in former Newcastle Under-23s’ player Allan.
At 22 and local Allan – who has signed a two-year deal – fits the Gateshead profile, though the club will look further afield after moving up into the National League.
Boston United’s Danny Elliott is another on the Heed radar, along with an attacker at another National League club – and all three have pace.
Allan comes highly-rated after impressing in the youth ranks at Newcastle, where he was restricted to just one senior appearance off the bench against Rochdale in the FA Cup.
The Ashington wideman gained further senior experience in half season loans at Accrington Stanley and over the border at Morton while at Newcastle.
He said: “A fresh start is what I need and I have that at Gateshead.
“The style of football is the main reason I have ended up here.
“The stats speak for themselves, the amount of goals the forwards scored last year. Hopefully I can replicate that.
He added: “There were conversations with other clubs not in the North East but the style of football at Gateshead suits me.
“It is the perfect fit and it is time for me to kick on, so this is the perfect opportunity.”