A GROUP of businessmen looking to revitalise one of the region's non-league football clubs met fans yesterday to reveal their plans.

Alan Murray, Alan Courtney and Ken Houlahan met Spennymoor United fans in the Catholic Boys' Club, in the County Durham town, to show what the future will hold for the club.

The new Spennymoor AFC will start the season in the Albany Northern League Second Division, and plans are being drawn up to build a social club and come up with a sports development plan.

Mr Houlahan told fans that a priority for the club would be to find a team that would win promotion in its first season and compete in the Albany Northern League First Division.

He said: "The competition to get out of the second division is very, very intense, and it is not going to be an easy job. Our aim is to get out of the second division and into the first division in our first season."

Mr Houlahan assured the fans that the consortium was committed to taking Spennymoor forward for the fans and the community.

Mr Murray told the meeting that a lease for the Brewery Fields football ground was yet to be signed, but he said he hoped some progress would be made at a meeting with Spennymoor Town Council, which holds the lease, tomorrow.