A FOOTBALLER who played for Curzon Ashton and Mossley has been charged with blackmailing a top Premier League player.

Goalkeeper Ashley Timms, 22, who played with Manchester City’s under-19s team, is accused of demanding £15,000 from the unnamed star.

Timms, formerly of Palace Road, Ashton appeared before magistrates in Manchester. The charge is that between March and April this year he made an unwarranted demand for money from the player with menaces. He was granted bail and the case was sent to Manchester Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on 18 April.

Magistrates made an order banning publication of the name of the Premier League footballer.

Timms’ solicitor, David O’Reilly, said he would ask for the order to be lifted at the next hearing so that the footballer can be identified. He confirmed that his client is a non-league footballer who has been at a number of clubs since he was 17.

Timms has played for local sides including Curzon Ashton, Mossley, Altricham and Atherton L.R. and had trials at Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers, Oldham and Macclesfield. He also had brief spells at Shrewsbury Town, Accrington Stanley and Runcorn.

Last year, he had trials at Norwich City and Fulham and in January joined Cambridge City in the Blue Square South League on non-contract terms.

He played 15 matches for Cambridge but was released last week and is now thought to be without a club.

He has been lodging in Palace Road in recent months. A couple living at the house said they had not seen him since he came to collect some of his belongings last week.