VETERAN footballers dusted off their boots and showed off their skills once more to offer a lifeline to a struggling North-East non-league side.

Officials at ailing Annfield Plain AFC were last night tallying up the takings after a successful charity fundraising match at the north-west Durham village club's Derwent Park ground.

Although Sunderland manager Peter Reid was unable to turn out - it is believed that he was in Holland scouting for players - a host of other former players who mostly made their name with the North-East's "big three" clubs put in an appearance.

The North-East All-Star team featured such names as ex-West Ham and Celtic star Frank McAvennie, former Newcastle players Dave McCreary and Alan Shoulder, Sunderland old boys John Kay, Paul Atkinson and Barry Dunn, and athlete Rob Mackenzie.

Some of them may be broader of girth and thinning on top, but their ability on the ball was still there for all to see, admired by a crowd of about 1,200.

But they were unable to stay the pace with the youthful Annfield Plain side, which ran out 6-2 winners.

The result was of little importance, however, as it was the cash made at the turnstiles which will help to keep the proud 111-year-old Wearside League club afloat.

Club secretary Marshall Lawson, an Annfield Plain stalwart on and off the field of 50 years, said he was delighted at the outcome.

"It will take a few days to work out exactly how much we've raised, but it will certainly go some way to helping the club," he said.

He said the first priority would be urgent repairs to the clubhouse and changing room roof, which have suffered through time, and because of vandalism.

But with Peter Reid pledging to take a Sunderland side to play Annfield Plain later in the season, further much-needed cash will go into the club coffers.

"We're very grateful for the support we've received. It's like days of old when you looked at the crowd here," said Mr Lawson, who remembers crowds of up to 4,000 for 1950s games with Sunderland and Newcastle reserve sides in the old North-Eastern League.