Serrant was one of the most highly rated young defenders in England when he arrived at St James’ Park in a £500,000 deal from Oldham Athletic in 1998 but things never really worked out for him.
Injuries and an apparent loss of form restricted him to just seven first team appearances before his enforced retirement three years later, although he did have loan spells at Bury and Sheffield United.
Now 27 Serrant has been training to become a physiotherapist, but has also decided to have an attempt at playing a decent level of football again.
He played the first 45 minutes of the UniBond Premier League club’s 2-0 win over Rotherham United on Wednesday and hopes to be able to turn out for them in the league in the coming season.
Meanwhile, notoriously shot-shy former United striker Paul Robinson has signed for Hartlepool United.
Robinson is chiefly remembered for being selected ahead of Alan Shearer for the derby defeat that led to Ruud Gullit’s resignation and has struggled to find his feet since leaving St James’ Park.
Wimbledon bought him from us for £1.5million and he never started a league game for them, being loaned out five times before signing a short-term deal at Blackpool last season. That contract wasn’t renewed and he now finds himself at Victoria Park, despite having scored just 6 goals in 80 career league appearances.
Both players of course have our best wishes for the future, for differing reasons, after their latest career moves.