WHEN Darlington Football Club was placed in administration for the third time in a decade, we said it was important for everyone in a position of influence to do everything they could to save the club.

Even if the campaign ultimately fell short, we had to be seen to be doing everything possible to keep professional football alive in the town.

We have reached a crossroads in the campaign. Are we flogging a dead horse or should we continue to try to breathe life into the club?

A month after a shares scheme was launched to turn Darlington into a community-owned club, more than £300,000 has been raised. That is a magnificent effort supported by tireless efforts by a small group of dedicated campaigners now under the banner of the Darlington FC 1883 group.

But there is a real danger than momentum is being lost. There are those who take the view that the crisis is over - but that is a long way from the truth.

Between now and the end of April, Darlington has to show that it wants a professional football club. That means more community shares being bought and the focus is now on local businesses to follow the lead of The Northern Echo and the Priory Group which have pledged £10,000 to the fund.

But it also means turning out to the remaining home matches, starting this weekend.

There should not be a knee-jerk reaction to the disappointment of the 1,300 crowd which attended Tuesday night's game. But a more genuine test of public support will be Saturday's game against Ebbsfleet.

Perhaps we are flogging a dead horse - but we prefer the philosophy that where there's life, there's hope.

And we continue to hold the view that Darlington Football Club is worth trying to preserve.