A QUAKERS fans’ group has made a final appeal for members to help decide what to do with £40,000 raised to help the team.

Darlington Supporters’ Trust said many of its members had already voted on whether the money should be handed to the football club.

However, chairman Doug Embleton last night issued a final call for the fans to give their views ahead of the Friday deadline.

If members vote to give the money to the football club, they are then asked if the cash should go directly to Darlington FC 1883 (DFC 1883) or to the community interest company launched by the club.

Mr Embleton said: “There is no cause for alarm – many members have already voted.

“The trust simply wants to ensure that all members have this opportunity.”

The money was raised by fans during a previous crisis faced by the club.

Although £10,000 of the original £50,000 collected by fans has already been used to save the club, the trust has faced repeated calls to hand over the rest of the cash, with DFC 1883 needing £200,000 by the end of this month. A new board was appointed last month after the previous leaders resigned over the controversy.

Mr Embleton said: “The trust has been acutely aware of the June timetable to which DFC 1883 are having to work. This is precisely why, even under the circumstances of a less-than-perfect handover, the ballot has been set up to be completed within 1883’s own timetable.”

He said there was “no secret formulae involved in the ballot”, with no minimum turnout needed for the vote to be valid. He said: “It is dead simple – first past the post wins. Each board member can exercise the precisely same one vote as any other trust member.”

For questions about the vote, email ballot@darlotrust.

org 􀁧 Darlington FC 1883 has reissued an appeal for fans to sit on an investors’ panel, which is open to anyone who has invested either through the community interest company or by other means.

The panel will remain in place until the DFC 1883 annual meeting, when fans will be appointed to the board. To become involved, call 01325- 354494, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.