AFTER a weekend of negotiations, Darlington remain without a manager but they remain hopeful of naming a new boss early this week.

On Friday they concluded interviews for the position vacated a fortnight ago by Martin Gray, and had hoped to confirm the appointment of a successor by last night.

Quakers are remaining discreet about their potential next manager, though speculation at the weekend suggested their choice had narrowed to Blyth Spartans boss Alun Armstrong and Nuneaton manager Tommy Wright.

Both are former Darlington strikers, with Armstrong understood to be the frontrunner despite him saying a week ago that he was committed to staying at Croft Park.

He was quoted as saying: “I don’t want to leave. I’m contracted to Blyth Spartans, they pay my wages and I’m focused solely on the task at hand.

“The club is in a great position at the moment, we’ve had a fantastic start to the season and I’m looking to push on with Blyth this season.”

Armstrong is understood to have been an unsuccessful applicant for the Gateshead job, which on Monday went to Steve Watson.

However, talks over terms with Darlington’s preferred manager had not reached a successful conclusion last night, so Quakers could look to other candidates from last week’s interview process.

On Saturday Wright’s Nuneaton won 2-1 against Quakers, who were again in the temporary command of senior players Gary Brown and Phil Turnbull.

The result means Darlington are 12th having won only one of their last 12 league fixtures, so badly need a new boss to begin a new era and bring some stability back to the club.

Plans to replace Gray with Brian Atkinson and Sean Gregan had to be shelved due to a conflict of interest as they work for the Martin Gray Football Academy.