Darlington have moved to allay fans' fears with the club closing in on completing its eighth month in administration.

Although the club were saved from extinction by new owners Sterling some months ago, today marks exactly 34 weeks since it went into administration two days before Christmas last year.

Now supporters are growing anxious and the prolonged period of uncertainty is giving manager David Hodgson a headache too as it prevents him from making anymore signings.

August 5 had been earmarked as the day Darlington would be freed from the shackles of administration but then it was further held up.

Chief executive Andy Battison says supporters have nothing to be worried about and said: "The fans have nothing to worry about, we're working as quickly as we can.

"I've had two meetings with the administrators over the last two weeks and we're at the stage now where we're just dotting the i's and crossing the t's."

Although unable to give an exact date, Battison did say the club should be out of administration in "a couple of weeks" and therefore be free of the squad size restrictions which, as of last Saturday, limits clubs to 18 players.

With Quakers currently having 19 on the books - it was 20 until David McGurk departed for a temporary period - Hodgson and the fans will need to remain patient in their desire for a much-wanted striker.

Meanwhile, work is still underway to complete the new bar at the north-west corner of Darlington's ground which is hoped to be open in time for this weekend's match against Bristol Rovers.

The bar is for the exclusive use of season-ticket holders but the club were yesterday unable to state whether or not it will be ready on Saturday.

* Lucas Radebe's Leeds career is almost certainly over after the defender was ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The 35-year-old defender was carried off during the first half of Leeds' goalless draw with Wolves at Molineux on Saturday. Medical staff at Elland Road estimate he will be out for six to seven months.

Read more about the Quakers here.