DARLINGTON FC will not return home in time for the start of the new season and instead are targeting a late autumn move, the club's directors have announced.

The club revealed today that its application for Football Foundation (FF) matched funding - of up to £150,000 against eligible expenditure - had been approved.

The club said the success of the DFC500 season ticket initiative meant it now had the funds in place to finance the football club’s share of the Blackwell Meadows redevelopment.

However, the directors suggested in a statement that they were unhappy with the consequences of a management restructure which occurred at Darlington RFC earlier this year.

Regarding the date of the move back to Darlington, the club said a number of matters have arisen in recent weeks that suggested to that the target of returning for the start of the new season was unachievable.

The directors said in a statement issued this afternoon that they had hoped to update fans sooner on the move, but a number of issues had arisen which meant this was not possible.

The statement said: "The board notes that many of those deliverables and dates have continued to change over the last few months and weeks. These primarily relate to securing funding and design modifications in respect of the site’s overall development.

"This has resulted in a number of the club’s recently planned updates to the fans having to be withdrawn at relatively short notice, whilst the implications of those changes are fully evaluated by all parties."

The club added that although it had the funds in place it would be "inappropriate" to spend money and start work on the pitch "until such time as all legal & commercial matters are resolved, all sources of funding have been fully secured for the site as a whole and final design specifications are complete".

The statement added that a management restructure at Darlington RFC which occurred in January meant there had been changes to the board's understanding of how the rugby club would operate Blackwell Meadows and the commercial opportunities avauilable to the football club.

It added: "Commercial arrangements between the parties will reflect a close working partnership, with a strong emphasis on community sports participation, and one that also allows the club’s fans and officials to firmly identify Blackwell Meadows as being DFC’s ‘home’ for many years to come.

"The board cannot, and will not, agree to any terms that do not reflect this fundamental ethos, or that do not protect the longer-term interests of the club (both commercially and in terms of potential expansion) for the fans and the wider community."

The club said project managers, contractors and suppliers continued to be on standby to start work as soon as the club’s directors receive the required level of written assurances from the rugby club.

"Your board shares the fans’ excitement and anticipation of the return and would like to reiterate that fans will be kept fully informed of all relevant matters regarding the club’s return to Darlington as they arise."

The directors added that they were aiming for a return to Darlington in late autumn but were not prepared to set a specific date until all parties agreed it was achievable.

In response to the statement from the football club, Michael Wilkinson, chair of the rugby club: said: "Darlington RFC reads with disappointment the comments of Darlington FC today.

"The concept of a community sports hub was born and being developed long before Darlington FC come to us with a ground share proposal.

"We will continue to work with Darlington FC to resolve all oustanding matters related to the various legal agreements that are required to be signed by all parties and fervently hope that Darlington FC will make this their new home in the near future."