THERE are five fixtures to play inside the next fortnight and then the season will be over, when Darlington will be able to take stock of another eventful campaign and look forward to the future.

There is much happening at the moment, and much of it points towards brighter times.

Results have improved significantly since the end of January, a ‘boost the budget’ initiative has seen supporters raise close to £50,000 in a matter of weeks and Ebac have become the club’s primary sponsors, while on the pitch a number of players have committed themselves to the club by signing new contracts.

They could even win £20,000 this weekend if they come out on top in an online poll for having the best non-league goal celebration, a competition ran by Marathon Bet.

There remains a nagging doubt, however, over their league status. Having lost at home to Boston United seven days ago, Quakers are now 13th and five points above the relegation zone.

A win at FC United of Manchester today would extinguish any concerns over being sucked back into trouble and would put the squad and fans in a better frame of mind going into Thursday’s game at Spennymoor Town.

Right-back Luke Trotman hopes to be available after missing out with a minor injury last weekend, when Tom Portas and Dom Collins returned to the fray after periods of absence.

While the team is looking to finish the season on a high, Collins’ personal aim is to get back into the starting XI after recovering from an injury that saw him miss three months of the season.

Having previously started every league game, Collins limped gingerly from the field during the defeat to Salford City on January 10 with a hamstring tear so severe he was unable to drive home.

“I tried walking on it but I had to get some crutches and go to hospital,” remembers Collins.

“My cousin lives in Harrogate and he had to come and pick me up from the ground. John Tempest kept my car at his house, I picked it up about three weeks later.

“It was a bad injury, probably the worst one I’ve had, and it’s a shame it came when it did. I was meant to be suspended for that game anyway as I’d had a red card the week before and then it got overturned, so it turned out to be really unlucky.”

The layoff, however, led to Trotman being handed a run in a reshaped defence – with Josh Heaton and Terry Galbraith at centre-back – and results improved, last week’s defeat being only Darlington’s second in 12 games.

“The boys have been magnificent while I was out, they’ve kept a few clean sheets, said Collins.

“There’s been a good continuity and it’s going to be difficult to get back in the team, but for now I’m just glad to be back playing and training. I got a few minutes as a sub last Saturday and hopefully I’ll get a game or two before the end of the season.

“I feel ready whenever, but it’s a case of getting into the team because Josh and Tez have been brilliant. We needed a solid base, and now it’s come together with performances and some clean sheets.

“Nobody has been happier than me to see the team getting results – I was listening to Darlo Fans Radio when we won at Leamington.

“We’ve been doing really well so hopefully we can see the season out well and get some more wins.”

FC United are 15th, two places below Darlington but on the same number of points.

Quakers beat them 3-0 in September, Martin Gray’s final win in charge of the team, with goals by Nathan Cartman, David Ferguson and Joe Wheatley.