As a fan-owned club, Quakers rely heavily on supporter contributions in order to assemble and pay a squad capable of competing in National League North.
Since the end of last season, Darlington have received 791 pledges from 693 individual contributors, raising a sum of £181,600 that can now be spent on summer recruitment and next season’s budget.
“I’m so proud of what our supporters do year after year with Boost the Budget,” said Darlington chief executive David Johnston. “Once again, the Darlo fans have delivered — £181,600 raised is a brilliant total that gives Steve (Watson) and the board flexibility to strengthen the squad in a very competitive market.
“This is vital backing for our football ambitions, and I can’t thank the fans enough. The ownership model we have here continues to amaze me, and fans up and down the country should look to Darlo for inspiration — it’s fantastic.”
Watson will be remaining in charge, alongside his long-term assistant Terry Mitchell, as he looks to improve on last season’s 11th-place finish and mount a viable promotion push in National League North.
“This is an absolutely brilliant effort by the supporters,” said Watson. “I want to personally thank everyone who has pledged. It really does make a difference when we’re looking to bring in the right players. We’ve got a good core in place already and this extra funding helps us add quality in key areas.”
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Darlington strengthened their core group at the end of last month when Will Hatfield signed a new two-year deal, and the club have also announced new deals for Scott Barrow and Elliot Forbes.
Barrow, who was Watson’s first signing when he joined from York City, has signed a new one-year contract after being named Fans’ Player of the Season last term.
“Scott was our stand-out player last season,” said Watson. “(He was) incredibly consistent and played more games than almost anyone in the squad. He hit a really high standard week in, week out. Despite his age, he’s still as fit as a fiddle and his experience is vital for us. We’re absolutely delighted he’s signed on for another year.”
Forbes has also penned a new 12-month deal, having initially joined Quakers last summer following his exit from Blyth Spartans.
He has evolved into a key part of Darlington’s first-choice defence, making 36 senior appearances last season and scoring three goals.
“Elliot came to us at the start of last season after a tough spell with injuries, so it was very much a trial season for both him and us,” said Watson. “He came through with flying colours.
“He’s played comfortably at National League level and no doubt had offers elsewhere, so it speaks volumes about the club and our supporters that he’s chosen to stay. He’s shown he can play centre-half or centre-midfield, which gives us real flexibility and allows our full-backs to push higher — something we’ll need next season.”
Meanwhile, Darlington have confirmed two pre-season dates. They will head to Stockton Town on Saturday, July 19 (3pm) before travelling Newton Aycliffe three days later on Tuesday, July 22 (7.30pm).
