Former Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda signs for non-league club Washington FC… in the NINTH tier of English football
Ex-Sunderland full-back will now turn out for the Northern League Division One side in the North-East of England
FORMER Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda has signed for non-league club Washington FC... in the NINTH tier of English football.
The ex-Spurs and Sunderland full-back, 38, will now turn out for the Northern League Division One side in the North-East of England.
Former France international Chimbonda - who also turned out for Wigan, Blackburn and QPR during his career - has something of an affinity for the area.
As well as a stint at Sunderland for the 2008-09 season, the full-back also played for Carlisle United in 2013-14
On his move to Washington FC, in Tyne and Wear, Chimbonda said: "I’m very happy to be here and I’m just looking forward to playing.
"I spoke with the manager and we had a good chat and we started from there.
"I think the team need more character, like when you’re winning one-nil and there’s three or four minutes of extra time you have to be solid and don’t concede a goal.
"I think the more you play games the more confidence is coming and the players are more focused on the football pitch."
Meanwhile, Washington boss James Clark called the move a "statement of intent", saying: "It came about through a third-party contact.
"We’ve had associates that we’ve known for a long time so when the opportunity came up to sign Pascal it was something I couldn’t turn down.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
"Since the start with the new board they’ve looked to help me as much as possible and support everything I’ve wanted to do and this really is a statement of intent for the league from Washington.
"He has come in to be a player and he’s come in to step up the level as a player for the squad and as he’s stated he can help those players, the younger ones that we do have in the squad, to grow.
"They have great technical ability and a lot of will and a lot of heart.”
Washington, known as the Mechanics and formed in 1947, finished 19th of 22 in the Northern League Division One last season, only just avoiding relegation.
Tickets for Washington's next game at their 1,000-seater stadium, which take place on Non-League Day, will cost just £3 for adults and free for concessions and under-16s.