Club seeking sponsorship for youth set up

Craig Liddle has invited Darlington fans and businesses to help fund the club's youth set-up by sponsoring their young teams.

There are a range of sponsorship options available. More than £200,000 a year is needed to run the club's youth set-up alone, with teams ranging from Under-9s through to Under-18s.

Full details can be found on the clibs webpage.

Cooper takes over at DFC

Mark Cooper has taken over as Manager at DFC. The club has seen a hetic few weeks with two managers going and Cooper coming in.

Cooper who has managed Peterborough, Tamworth and Kettering Town is looking forward to the challenge that is ahead of him as manager of Darlington Football Club. Cooper told the clubs offical web site

"You look around and look at the stadium, I've looked at the squad, they've got some decent players signed up. I've had two or three years in it (Conference) and done pretty well. I'm looking forward to it, it's a tough league, I'm sure the fans realise that.

"It's a big, strong, physical league at times and you have to be able to deal with that.

"It's not all about playing pretty football, you have to grind results out and be big and strong. If you can do that you'll have a chance."

The full interview can be found on the Clubs web page.

Davey takes over at Hereford

It has been announced that Simon Davey has taken over at League Two club Hereford today.

Full details can be found on the northern echo webpage

Davey - Why I quit the Quakers

Simon Davey has spoken to Andrew Wilkinson at the Evening Gazette regarding his resignation as Darlington Manager.

Davey has hit back at criticism over the manner of his resignation, and has thrown his weight behind the club and Raj Singh the Chairman.

Davey told the Gazette "While I was away in America I received a fantastic financial offer from a USA soccer company that made me think long and hard about my current situation.'After long consideration with my family, I decided to tender my resignation."

"There was never, ever, any disagreement between the Darlington chairman and me regarding players that I wanted to bring in. Raj Singh was very supportive of me there; in fact he was very supportive in everything I did. I think we both shared a number of common values.
'In my view, he is a chairman who most managers would find it easy to work with. He certainly has the best interests of Darlington Football Club at heart and I think that, given time and the support of the fans, he will turn things around."

'I've apparently been criticised - although I'm not entirely sure by whom - for resigning in writing. I did that because that's what my contract required me to do and because, given the formal nature of what I was doing, that was also the right thing to do.

The full article can be found on the Evening Gazette website.

Trust Chair, Tony Taylor, said he was "pleased to hear that there had been no significant issues behind the resignation of Simon Davey", but did state that Davey's comments raised "more questions than it answered".

"Hopefully", says Taylor, "this sorry saga can now be put behind us and the supporters can rally behind new Manager Ryan Kidd". Taylor emphasised that "this is probably the most important season in the history of Darlington football club and it is vital that we can now move on positively".

Kidd Appointment - Evening Gazette Article

Andrew Wilkinson, from the evening gazette, has been speaking to Ryan Kidd on his appointment as manager at DFC.

Kidd said: “I have been in the game for 25 years and been a coach for eight. All managers get their first job by chance, and this is mine. I’m ready for it.

“I didn’t expect this chance to come along now, but I couldn’t turn it down. In just 10 weeks here I have seen the structure and the foundations. I want to be the man to bring Darlington back into the Football League."

The article also reveals that the club has sold nearly the same amount of season tickets as they had at this point last year.

The full article can be found on the Evening Gazette website.

Graham Fordy - Steady the Ship

Graham Fordy has been discussing in the Northern Echo the need to steady the ship at Darlington FC follow the recent events at the club.

The full article can be found on the Northern Echo Web Site.

Kidd on appointment as manager

Ryan Kidd has today been talking to the Northern Echo about his appointment as Darlington Manager.

Kidd has reassured fans that he would not rejoin Davey should the opportunity arise at a higher placed league club. “If Simon got another job and offered me a role it would to be as an assistant – now I’m a manager, so do I want to step down to be an assistant again? The answer is no.

“I think you’ll find I’m a loyal and honest person and will do this job to the best of my ability.

“I like what’s going on at this club. The foundations are in place, we’ve got a really good chance next year of bouncing back – I want to be part of that and who wouldn’t be.”

The full article can be found on the Northern Echo Web page.

Tony Taylor, Trust Chairman, states "We wish Ryan Kidd every success in his new appointment and we hope that he can bring a level of stability to the club after what has been an unfortunate sequence of events over the recent days."

Be Interactive with the Trust

The Trust are Twittering & on Facebook & would like DFC fans to be interactive with them.

The Trust can be found on Twitter @DarloTrust or on Facebook Darlo Trust/Darlington Supporters Trust.

Raj Singh on Kidd Appointment

Raj Singh has given his views of the appointment of Ryan Kidd as the new Darlington Manager, on the clubs official website.

Raj Singh said: "Ryan is the best option for us, given his involvement in player recruitment since joining the club in April, and we're hoping he'll be able to carry on all the good work we've done recently in creating a buzz around the place.

He knows the players that he and Simon Davey wanted to keep here as well as helping to identify new signings this summer. He's also had a big hand in trying to persuade three other players to join us who are currently mulling offers on the table.

He shares the same beliefs and philosophies when it comes to football which means the emphasis next season will still be on playing attractive and entertaining football."

The full article can be found on the clubs web page.

Trust Chairman on Davey Resignation

There was surprise around the town that after 77 days in charge Simon Davey (pictured) resigned as manager of Darlington Football Club. It would appear Davey resigned from the club via email. Raj Singh. club chairman, has stated that the resignation is due to personal reasons.

Interviewed by the Northern Echo, Trust Chairman Tony Taylor stated:
“The manner of the way it has happened is immaterial. What is important is what is behind it and what has motivated it. If it is personal, then fine, and it is better for the football club. If there’s something else behind it, it’s better for the fans that we know now.”

Ryan Kidd, who was number two to Davey, has today been announced as the new manager for the club. It has been reported that Kidd has been given a two year contract.

Darlo Appoint New Manager

Darlo have announced that Ryan Kidd has been announced as the new Darlington Manager, following the resignation of Simon Davey yesterday. It has been reported by the Northern Echo that Raj Singh has given Kidd, Davey's number two at the club, a two year contract.

Season Tickets Great Value, says Trust

The Darlington Supporters Trust has put its backing and support behind the initiative at Darlington Football Club who are offering Season Tickets for next season at just £250 before the 11th June and £280 thereafter for adults.

Paul Hodgson, Vice Chair of the Trust, urged fans to take up this offer and today said "We know that this is the start of what is likely to be a momentous and significant season for the Club as it looks to bounce straight back into the Football League."

"The Trust", said Hodgson, "believes that the support of fans is essential for progress in the right direction and no one can be in any doubt about the terrific level of support for the Club in recent seasons, in spite of all the difficulties the Club has gone through. We all know that it is possible for the Club to make a speedy return to the Football League and we encourage fans to show their backing by taking up this offer from the football club".

The Trust, which also runs a Disabled Supporters Group, is also pleased to note the concession prices remain in place for the season tickets, and the DSG will continue to work closely with the Football club to ensure that disability and inclusion issues are dealt with so that the club's excellent reputation in this area can be maintained.