Sunderland RCA further strengthen their backroom staff as ex-SAFC youngster joins

Armstrong started his career in the academy at Sunderland and followed former Black Cat boss Steve Bruce to Hull City before a spate of injuries brought a premature end to his professional career at the age of just 22.

Armstrong’s playing career continued in non-league football with Boston United and Spennymoor Town, but he switched his attention to coaching and gained a UEFA B Licence qualification.

Along with his Dad, former Sunderland midfielder Gordon Armstrong, he recently set up Armstrong Football Coaching, and he will combine working with the company and joining Martin Swales’ backroom staff at RCA.

He becomes the latest addition to the coaching staff at the Northern League Division One club after former RCA assistant Gary Errington returned to Sunderland LDV Park and Craig Hodgson accepted an offer to take up a player-coach role.

After confirming Armstrong’s appointment, Swales said: “After the departure of Steve [Riley], myself, Mark (Cowan) and Gee (Errington) had a meeting about bringing a new coach in ready for the new season.

“Mark was keen to explore using some of the senior players, who already had a background in coaching, but were already part of the club and who knew the club inside out.

“Promoting Craig and bringing in James, who had already been helping out with the coaching last season, ticked both boxes for us and without introducing someone who possibly didn’t know the club as well as these lads.

“Both Craig and James will bring something different to the coaching side but working together to plan and map out what’s needed and we are all looking forward to getting the season started and can hit the ground running.”

Armstrong described accepting RCA’s offer as a “no-brainer” and he believes that the club are heading in the right direction.

He said: “I’m hoping to use my experience of playing in the Northern league to help and guide the younger lads in the team to success in the new season, which I’m sure we will achieve with the squad and the management team we have for the coming season.”