MONEY talks. They were the first words of the song played immediately after Darlington’s season came to a sobering end at Salford City, and they could not have been more apt.

Neil Diamond’s Forever in Blue Jeans is also used in the BBC’s Salford documentary series, for which plenty of footage will have been filmed while Quakers were humbled 5-1, a scoreline which accurately illustrates the one-sided nature of the game.

Against a club with which a rivalry has developed in recent years, at their newly-developed ground where covered seating is not an issue and neither is money, this was a painful day for Darlington.

The fans deserved better. They travelled in their numbers and at full-time applauded their players for their efforts over the season, but, other than hurt pride, however, it was a result of little consequence to Quakers.

They finished fifth, a magnificent achievement for the club’s first season at this level, meeting the objective set in pre-season by Martin Gray.

Ordinarily it would be enough for the play-offs, instead their semi-final spot goes to sixth-placed Chorley, who will play Kidderminster Harriers, the only team in the division to have done the double over Darlington.

Salford face Halifax Town, while Quakers are left wondering what direction they head next. Five seasons, three promotions. Now what?

Their season may be over, but there is much still to resolve due to Gray’s desire to attract private investment.

Initial talks between the investors and Darlington FC Supporters Group, who hold a majority shareholding in the club, are understood to have taken place, though such an issue is likely to take months, rather than weeks, to resolve.

But the situation leaves Darlington in limbo, allowing speculation to grow about the future of their squad, so Gray is eager to see progress made.

“The most important thing is the next fortnight,” said Gray. “We need to find out which direction the club is going in. That’s got to come to a head very quickly.

“I need some firm answers on the direction of the football club. If I get the right answers then we can progress again.

“There’s no time to waste. The season is finished but every day is a working day for a manager. Hopefully I will get the nod because I don’t want to miss opportunities to bring players in.”

With York City, Blyth Spartans and Spennymoor Town all in the National League North next season, how Darlington will fare for players in what has suddenly become a crowded market place remains to be seen.

Furthermore, Harrogate Town, owned by the millionaire father of manager Simon Weaver, are going full-time and interested in Mark Beck, Darlington’s top scorer.

He took his tally to 18 on Saturday when equalising in the 21st minute, a cool finish after a Nathan Cartman pass, Darlington recovering well to Salford’s quick start.

Salford had something to play for, a point needed to reach the play-offs, and it showed.

Gray said: “There was always going to be a time when we weren’t at our best and Salford had everything to play for. You could see that in the way they approached it.

“I thought they were good, there’s no getting away from that, but we’re disappointed in the way we defended.”

Darlington defended poorly, and a grateful Salford took advantage, all five of their goals coming from set-pieces, the first on ten minutes.

Simon Grand fired home a loose ball after Gary Brown had conceded a free-kick, before Beck’s goal restored parity until a quick-fire double took the game out of Quakers’ reach.

A Brown own goal made it 2-1 when attempting to deal with a long throw of the type he usually delivers himself, and soon it was 3-1, tall right-back Michael Nottingham completing a training ground routine when heading in at close-range after Fraser Horsfall had knocked the ball back across goal from a corner.

With no sign of a Quakers recovery, the onslaught continued in the second half.

After their umpteenth corner, Horsfall headed in at the back post for 4-1, the defender out-jumping a static Dave Syers.

Immediately Gray sent on Leon Scott and Josh Falkingham, replacing Phil Turnbull and Syers in the centre of midfield, where his team had been bullied.

Salford’s Sam Walker provided a moment of light relief with a woeful penalty, struck high and wide of goal, after Chris Hunter had felled Mike Phenix, but it was soon 5-1 anyway.

A David Norris shot took a heavy deflection after a corner, and that proved to be the final goal, giving Darlington their heaviest defeat since 2012, but it would have been much worse were it not for Adam Bartlett as the goalkeeper came to Quakers’ rescue on numerous occasions.

Gray had plenty to be positive about post-match, though again referred to finances.

“It’s been an outstanding season for the players, to finish exactly where I wanted us to,” he said. “When we met up again on July 1 it was all about getting a play-off spot and they’ve done that.

“I’m really proud of what they’ve done over what’s been the toughest season that we’ve had, so it’s been our greatest success because of the standard and the money that’s at play in this division.

“If you look at the four clubs above us, money talks. They have fantastic playing budgets and that’s something that we’re striving to do.”