MARK Proctor has heaped praise on Craig Liddle for the way in which the skipper has put his recent injury problems to bed.

Darlington's assistant manager insists Liddle's return to fitness could not have come at a better time as seventh-placed Quakers prepare to step up their promotion bid with 15 games to go.

After a catalogue of injury setbacks during the last 12 months, Liddle is now ready to play his part in the assault on League Two.

The defender has played in Quakers' last two games after recovering from a double hernia operation, which sidelined him for two months.

He missed eight games with separate knee and shoulder problems, while the 33-year-old played through the pain barrier to help Quakers stave off the threat of relegation last season.

"We had hoped to ease Craig back into things, but he has been so instrumental in keeping everything right at the back he's left us with no alternative but to leave him in," said Proctor.

"He has been stiff after the games, but that is understandable when you consider the time he has spent out.

"When you're brought back into the thick of it, you tend to get through on adrenalin because you're pleased to be back in the playing environment.

"It's great to have a player of Craig's quality back in the side, especially at such an important stage of the season."

Quakers have a good opportunity to strengthen their place in the play-off places when they entertain struggling Notts County tomorrow. County have lost their last three games and lie 20th in League Two.

* Conference strugglers York City have named former Darlington boss Billy McEwan as their new manager as replacement for caretaker chief Viv Busby.

McEwan was Quakers' boss from May 1992 to October '93, taking over following relegation from the old Division Three.

In his first season Darlington finished 15th but he was replaced by Alan Murray midway through the following season and became assistant manager at Derby.

York parted company by mutual consent with Busby.

* Cash-strapped Port Vale may be set for a financial windfall by renaming themselves and their stadium in honour of Stoke-born Reginald Mitchell, who designed the Spitfire fighter plane.

American billionaire Sidney Frank, 85 - one of the world's wealthiest men - believes Mitchell should be honoured for designing the Spitfire, and now Vale could be set to profit from the octogenarian's wishes.

Chairman Bill Bratt learned of Frank's admiration for Mitchell via a recent newspaper article, in which he said he was prepared to pay for a statue of the Stoke-born inventor in London.

Bratt said: ''I read about Sidney Frank's admiration for Reginald Mitchell, and he was saying how he would like to pay for a statue in London to mark his memory.

''But any such statue should be in his home town here in Stoke, so I got in touch with Mr Frank through his agent.''

* Derby manager George Burley has put paid to speculation surrounding his Pride Park future by signing a 12-month contract extension with the Rams.

Burley's previous rolling deal had been due to expire at the end of the current season, with delays over a new deal having sparked speculation regarding a possible move to West Ham.

But now the Scotsman, who has transformed the side from relegation candidates last season into promotion contenders, has secured his Pride Park future.

Burley said: ''I've always said I was going to stay at Derby and there's a lot of work still to be done here."

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