FANS of a non-league football team are being asked to drink the club out of financial trouble.

Officials from Willington AFC have managed to strike an unusual deal with a national brewery to work its way out of debt.

Last month, solicitors acting for Interbrew contacted the club demanding that it paid almost £4,000 within seven days or face legal action.

The company said the club had to pay £3,795 because it was no longer trading with Interbrew and was instead buying its products from a wholesaler.

Club chairman John Phelan said there was no way the club, which is currently struggling in the lower half of Albany Northern League division two, could afford to meet the bill.

But now the two parties have reached a compromise, which Mr Phelan says is a huge relief for a club where finances are already stretched to the limit.

For every 36 gallon keg of beer or lager that Willington AFC sells in its sports and social club, £70 will be taken from the bill.

Mr Phelan said: "This is such as relief. When the brewery was asking us to pay a lump sum, or even monthly repayments, I knew it was impossible.

"We are struggling already, on and off the pitch, and that would have been too much.

"But now we have reached this agreement there is a little less pressure on Willington and we have got extra breathing space. I am pleased the brewery were able to take another look at our situation and come up with something to suit us all.

"Now we just need more people to start visiting the club for a drink. Each barrel contains 288 pints, so we need to up business to keep the brewery happy with the deal."

Mr Phelan also praised the intervention of local MP Hilary Armstrong, who urged Interbrew to understand the club's difficulties and asked for a flexible method of repayment.

Ms Armstrong said: "I know how important the football club is to the town of Willington, so I am delighted that the brewery and club have come to this agreement. I was very pleased to help in whatever way I could."