Former Newcastle United winger loving life with Hebburn Town FC

Former Newcastle United and Gateshead winger Tom Allan is making an impression on Hebburn Town FC - and it is safe to say the National League North club have already made a big impact on him too.

After joining the Hornets following his departure from step two rivals Darlington during the summer, the 26-year-old has shaken off an injury he picked up in pre-season and has appeared in all nine of Hebburn’s league fixtures during their first ever season in the second tier of the non-league game.

Goals have started to come, there is a work-rate and attacking threat that have drawn praise from Hornets boss Daniel Moore and a growing confidence there is more to come.

Speaking after Saturday’s home win against Hednesford Town, Moore said: “I think he’s enjoying his football, like all of the lads do here. We try and create an environment where they can go and express themselves and play in the final third where they want, as long as there is a bit of structure around it. They do that, they have that freedom and I am really pleased with Tom because we have seen a real difference in him in the last few weeks. He looks dangerous.”

‘I think I’ve got some of my love for the game back’

The versatile forward has fully settled into life at the Trustmark Group Stadium and after scoring two goals in his last two home appearances, he is now ready to kick on once again. By his own admission, Allan has recovered some of the love he lost for football and believes the atmosphere he had found at Hebburn can help him continue to impress at what he described as ‘a special club’.

He told The Gazette: “I think I’ve got some of my love of the game back since I’ve come in here. I’ve never really been part of a group like this, probably since I was at Gateshead when we won the FA Trophy. The togetherness here is something I’ve never been part of and we don’t have a lot of time on the training pitch like a lot of the teams in our league but that togetherness gets us through. The low expectation is all coming from the outside because in this building and changing room, we want to win every single game we play. That’s what the gaffer has drilled into us and there’s no reason why we can’t do something special because this is a special club.”

Mindset

Next up for Allan and his Hornets team-mates is an FA Cup second qualifying round tie against former Northern Premier League rivals Guiseley as Moore’s men look to take the club two within two wins of the first round proper for the first time in 15 years. Hebburn will be favourites given their higher level status - but Allan has warned they will still have to overcome a ‘real test’ if they are to secure a spot in Monday’s third qualifying round draw.

He said: “It’s a mindset thing. We have to go into the game and grab it by the scruff of the net. We want to dominate the game and you can see we are comfortable out of possession in the National League North so I think we will try and get on it more in this game which means it will be a real test for us.”

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