DARLINGTON Football Club is close to coming back to the town after a required groundshare agreement was signed with Darlington Rugby Club.

The announcement about the plans for the Blackwell Meadows facility was made on Tuesday afternoon and led to a call for the town's residents to "rally behind the club".

It stated the directors of the club, along with officials at Darlington Rugby Club, had signed the so-called 'Licence to Ground Share' agreement.

The necessary commercial agreements needed before work can start have also been signed.

A spokesperson for the club said: “This will trigger the return of the football club to its home at Darlington within Blackwell Meadows.”

Darlington, which will play in the Vanarama National League North next season, have been playing at Bishop Auckland’s Heritage Park for the past four years.

It has been a long journey home, but earlier this month club director John Tempest said he was hoping to be back in the town by October.

He confirmed that the original target date, set for the club’s first league game on August Bank Holiday weekend, was unlikely to be met.

Mr Tempest said: “We hope now that we will be in in October. We are two months behind where we wanted to be, but we are getting there.’’ Tuesday's statement said both clubs had been working on a funding package for several months that would meet the requirements of grant funders and stakeholders who are backing the redevelopment programme.

Now that the documents are signed it will be only a matter of time before work begins.

The statement continued: “An announcement about the main contractors will be made shortly.

“The club’s directors John Tempest and Richard Cook want to personally thank the chairman of Darlington RFC Michael Wilkinson and club secretary Graham Webster for the many hours of work and dedication they contributed to working with the football club to reach this milestone.

"In addition they want to thank the fans of Darlington Football Club for their patience over recent months but now, more than ever, request the fans and businesses of the town to rally behind the club this season.

"Both clubs would also like to thank Darlington Borough Council for their help and support during the process.”