TEN businesses are being sought to invest £10,000 each to help save the Quakers as fans are told their club needs them now because next season will be “too late”.

The Ten-4-Ten scheme was announced at the Darlington Arena today as administrator Harvey Madden joined Darlington FC 1883 (DFC 1883) leaders and MP Jenny Chapman to provide an update on the latest plans to secure the club’s future.

Mark Meynell, from DFC 1883, admitted during the press conference that the club was facing an “emergency”, with poor attendances at games and the club’s debts totalling around £200,000 more than initially calculated when not all creditors had come forward and the club's finances had been fully assessed.

“We did increase our position quite substancially because we knew there would be other creditors coming out of the woodwork, but never the less the current creditor situation is £60,000 higher than our business plan's worst case scenario.”

"That's taken some slack out of the situation."

“It’s a grim picture and we’re in a very difficult place, although people are working very hard to make this a success.

“We haven’t got to the point were we don’t think this will succeed but it’s getting harder.”

Mr Meynell said the attendance on Tuesday against Luton was “very disappointing”.

He said the DFC 1883 business plan was evolving to cope with the shortfalls, with crowds of between 1,900 and 2,200 believed to be sufficient to make the club sustainable in the long-term.

However, he said it was crucial that as many people as possible attended the club’s last five games of the season.

This message was repeated by Darlington MP Mrs Chapman.

She said: “The most important thing that we need to now is increase attendances at the matches.

“We can’t sustain this club on the levels we had on Tuesday night.”

Steve Weeks, from DFC 1883, said: “If people want a football club they need to come now - it’s as simple as that.

“Next season will be too late.”

In a bid to increase attendances, Mr Madden announced that tickets for the rest of the season would be reduced to £15 for adults, £10 for concessions and £5 for children.

Further plans for the Save Darlo Day on April 7 were announced.

One initiative will be to offer free tickets to pupils at Carmel and Whinfield schools - the schools that raised the most during the non-school uniform days.

Children will need to be accompanied by adult who will get their tickets for £10.

Clubs and pubs are being urged to do their bit by raising money, with the regulars raising the most offered a free executive box for ten people on April 7.

A box will also be given to the pub or club which comes up with the quirkiest idea.

Mr Madden said: “The Save Darlo Day is something that we’re committed to do and we want people to vote with their feet.

“That will be the day to show whether the town wants a club - it’s is a cry for help.”

Mr Meynell said the launch of the Ten-4-Ten scheme was a positive step forward, with the Darlington-based Priory Group agreeing to kickstart the scheme with an investment of £10,000.

The company follows in the footsteps of The Northern Echo which has already pledged £10,000.