WITH only one win in their past eight matches, Darlington’s form is a major concern so they badly need three points at Blackwell Meadows today against York City, as does the manager of the opposition.

He spent 258 games in the Darlington dug-out as manager before resigning three months ago, and has an association going back to 1999 when he joined as a player, so it is only natural some of the pre-match talk centres on Martin Gray.

Some would rather all the focus was on the football, and Quakers boss Tommy Wright is certainly more interested in the points at stake, though there is no escaping the fact there will be attention on the York bench with a section of Darlington fans expected to jeer the Minstermen manager.

“It’s three points between Darlington and York. It’s not Tommy Wright versus Martin Gray, it’s Darlington versus York City, it’s as simple as that,” said Quakers’ boss.

“I don’t want the build-up to be all around Martin, but ultimately it’s going to be. He achieved a lot at this club, he left for pastures new, to something he thought was a better project.

“There’s been a bit of hostility among the fans, but I hope the scenario on Saturday is that we’re fighting for three points because that’s what we need to do at the minute.”

Gray soon took goalkeeper Adam Bartlett and left-back David Ferguson to York, as well as Sean Gregan (defensive coach) and fellow ex-Quakers boss Dave Penney will also be in the dug-out, while Brian Atkinson, in his role as matchday analyst, has been taking a seat in the stand in recent weeks.

Scout Harry Dunn also followed Gray to York, and he was in attendance for Darlington’s New Year’s Day defeat at Harrogate Town on Monday, when Wright’s side slipped to 18th when they fell to a 3-0 defeat six days after beating the same opposition 3-1 at Blackwell.

As a consequence Wright will make at least one change today, the fit-again Terry Galbraith replacing Leon Scott at left-back, while right-back Luke Trotman and midfielder Tom Portas are available too having overcome hamstring strains.

Two players certain to keep their place are young centre-back Josh Heaton, who impressed in both matches with Harrogate, and Reece Styche, who has scored five goals in his first four appearances.

Wright expects Heaton to relish the challenge of dealing with York’s 23-goal striker Jon Parkin, and the manager said: “Young Josh has been challenged over the last couple of games.” “He had Simon Ainge in the first game, and then Mark Beck on New Year’s Day – I don’t think there’s many better players than those two in this league.

“Parkin is a different animal, he’s a proven Football League striker and it will be a big test for Josh and, knowing Josh, he will relish it.

“I think we will be concentrating on stopping Parkin, and they will be concentrating on stopping Styche. It is two strikers who are both in goalscoring form, both very confident, both a handful and I think both are talismen for their clubs.”

While Gray is unpopular among some Darlington fans, he is yet to convince all York supporters he can lead them to promotion.

York were relegated on the final day of last season, now playing at the lowest level they have competed at, and find themselves in ninth, three points and two places outside the play-offs.

Since replacing Gary Mills at Bootham Crescent, Gray has won five of his 13 games in all competitions, losing six, though he recorded back-to-back victories over Christmas against bottom-of-the-table North Ferriby.

Wright added: “York’s form wasn’t great until they played North Ferriby. In their circumstances, I don’t think there’d be many other games you’d wish for at a time when you need points, but you can only beat what’s put in front of you.

“And if you’re playing a team that has parked the bus and is playing on the break and you’ve still won, then fair play.

“They come into the game on the back of two wins and having trained all week as well, which gives them an advantage, but we’ve had a good training session on Thursday and I’m happy with where the boys are at.

“We’ve got no injuries, and the lads are in a good frame of mind.”