Martin Gray has tonight been confirmed as Darlington's new manager.

He has signed a two-year contract after impressing the board of 1883, the fan-led company which has bought the club.

1883 also spoke to Graeme Lee, Andy Toman and Mick Tait about the vacancy.

Gray has twice been assistant manager at Quakers, to David Hodgson and Dave Penney having begun his coaching career with the club's youth team.

A Darlington spokesman said: "With the support of fans, the club hope to provide him with a competitive budget and have set him the target of constructing a team capable of winning promotion from the Northern League at the first attempt."

Gray first joined Darlington in 1999 as a player and fellow former midfielder Brian Atkinson will be his assistant after leaving Spennymoor Town where he was number two to Jason Ainsley.

Joining Gray and Atkinson at Darlington is Sean Gregan as defensive coach, Tony Norman as goalkeeping coach and Harry Dunn as chief scout.

Teessider Gregan began his playing career with Darlington in the mid-1990s and went on to play for Preston, West Brom, Leeds, Oldham and Fleetwood.

Norman was Sunderland's goalkeeper when Gray and Atkinson were both at Roker Park while Dunn is a non-league stalwart in the North-East having managed several clubs, including Blyth, Bishop Auckland and Whitby Town.

**SEE TOMORROW'S NORTHERN ECHO FOR MORE ON THIS STORY.