BOSSES at Darlington Football Club have rejected a plea from an independent supporters' group for an open debate about the uncertainty surrounding the Quakers' future.

Rumours about the club's future ownership have spread in recent weeks, with former Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale repeatedly linked with an attempt to take charge at the Williamson Motors Stadium.

Officials from the Sterling Consortium, the club's owner, are also known to have been disappointed by the poor attendances this season, despite a series of fan-friendly initiatives.

Against that backdrop, the Darlington Supporters' Trust, which has 600 members, has gone public to call for a "reasoned and proper debate" about the club's future.

In its latest newsletter, the trust's board said: "Fans have been concerned at some of the noises coming out of the club and in the local Press about the immediate future of the club's ownership.

"We were made aware that Sterling/Stewart Davies (the club's chairman) would be here for a relatively short period and would need an 'exit strategy'.

"This would mean looking to sell the club/stadium or possibly even lease the football side of the business on."

It added: "Can the club -and any future owner -make a 27,000-seater stadium pay, however splendid the facilities or terrific the football?

"This is crucial to how the club moves forward and, a year on from the crisis which took us into administration, it is an issue which cannot be shirked. We believe it's overdue for the club owners, the 'movers and shakers' and politicians in the town, and our own fan-base to have a reasoned and proper debate about the future of our football club -and to start this process now, at a time when we are not in crisis."

The trust also stressed that it was continuing its support for the long-term welfare of the club, working closely with the Football in the Community team. However, a spokes-man for the club said there was no need for such a debate at present.

He said: "We welcome the measured and positive tone of the comments made in the Supporters' Trust newsletter.

"However, the time is not right to have a public debate that could lead to perceived and unnecessary uncertainty about the future of the club.