Darlington made a surprise double transfer swoop last night when they added two promising youngsters to the squad.

Eighteen-year-olds Clarke Keltie and Andrew Grainger were both being chased by other League clubs but manager Gary Bennett fought hard to secure their signatures.

Both players are from the region but Keltie in particular was considered hot property in North-East football.

The Sunderland-born midfielder was wanted by his hometown club as well as Premiership big boys Manchester United and Chelsea.

But Keltie has been persuaded to become part of Bennett's ever-growing squad, joining the youthful Danny Mellanby, Adam Rundle and Mark Kilty as part of the club's future.

Bennett was delighted with Keltie's arrival, saying: "He's highly thought of in local football and we've done well to get him.

"We've all been working hard to get him, from the chairman down to Dave Cowling, who is the academy director, and then through to me, Mick Tait and Jim Montgomery.

"He's not going into the first team yet, but he's going to train with us and play reserve matches and hopefully become the great player we think he can be."

Keltie has put pen to paper on a three-year deal while Grainger has signed a one-year contract.

Bennett has decided not to pursue his interest in trialist Luke Staton who played two reserve games for the club.

"We're not going to continue with that one," explained Bennett.

"He's not going to start in the team ahead of the likes of Neil Maddison, Mark Ford, Brian Atkinson, Paul Campbell and Gary Pearson."

Atkinson's fitness will be assessed today ahead of tomorrow's game at home to Carlisle after missing Saturday's draw at Lincoln with an ankle knock sustained in the Bank Holiday Monday win over Bristol Rovers.

Meanwhile, Sunderland striker Michael Reddy, a target of Bennett's, has turned a loan move to Carlisle down.

Now Quakers are left in a three-way fight with Luton and Hull to acquire the highly-rated Irishman's services

Read more about the Quakers here.