Strikers spurn pro deals for promotion push

Newcastle Town strikers Jordan Cole and Josh Gordon have turned down the opportunity to join Scottish outfit Alloa Athletic to push on for promotion in the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League.

Both played in a behind closed doors practice game at the Scottish Championship club on Tuesday with Cole, who has found the net 22 times in league and cup games already this season, quickly making his mark with a goal after only 22 seconds.

The forward, pictured, continued to contribute with a fine performance in his side's 2-0 win while Gordon had a hand in the second goal and hit the woodwork late on.

In a statement released by officials at the Aspire Stadium, the First Division South club said Alloa's management had approached their youth team graduates after the game with contracts and had wanted to sign both 20-year-olds on Thursday in time for their fixture against Raith Rovers on Saturday.

But the clubs could not reach an agreement on a fee and sell-on clauses and when both players said that they couldn't agree personal terms either and wished to stay where they were, the deal was shelved.

Second-placed Castle host Tividale on Saturday and a club spokesman admitted that they were delighted that the the talented teenagers would still be available to manager Ivan Lodge over the second half of the camapaign.

He said: "Newcastle as a club were more than happy with the outcome as they did not want to stand in the players' way and stop the progress into the professional game, but also it solved the problem of having to find replacements to help Newcastle to push on with bid for promotion which is the ultimate aim for this season."

Follow us: @evostikleague on Twitter | The NPL group on Facebook by clicking here: www.facebook.com/groups/TheNPL/