New Heed manager backs himself for battle club is facing

ALUN Armstrong has insisted he is up for the battle as he looks to guide Gateshead away from a challenging period.

- By MARK CARRUTHERS

Several key figures have left the International Stadium since the end of last season as the Heed missed out on a place in the National League play-offs following a final-day draw with Southend United.

Chairman Neil Pinkerton, club captain Greg Olley, head of recruitment Luke Clark and manager Carl Magnay are among those to have departed over the last month - and former Darlington and Blyth Spartans boss Armstrong was confirmed as successor to the latter earlier this week.

The appointment means Armstrong returns to the dugout for the first time since leaving Darlington in 2023 and marks his first managerial role in the top tier of the non-league game.

With so much off-field change and a number of major departures from within the playing squad, there are some understandable concerns that the momentum Gateshead have gained in recent years will be lost ahead of what already appeared to be a challenging season.

But Armstrong has stressed he will do all he can to rise to the challenge despite conceding there is a need to put more solid foundations in place after so much on and off-field change.

"It's something I thought long and hard about and I had to think if I really did want to come back into it," he said.