DARLINGTON hope to include new signing Mark Beck in the side for their first home game of the season on Saturday – if he receives international clearance.

Since signing the forward last month following his release from Yeovil Town, Quakers have been in contact with FIFA regarding obtaining permission to play the forward and hoped to give him a debut at Altrincham last Saturday.

Beck ended last season on loan at Wrexham, and without international clearance cannot use him in a first-team game.

“I’m very frustrated we didn’t get international clearance for Mark Beck,” said Gray.

“We worked so hard to get it resolved because he was set to be in the starting 11 and it should’ve been done by last Thursday.

“We’ll have Stephen Thompson available on Saturday, hopefully Beck and Chris Hunter is only missing one more game through suspension.”

Darlington last season received a suspended 12-point deduction from the Northern Premier League after fielding an ineligible player, Anthony Bell, without international clearance following his move from Cardiff City. Quakers were also fined.

Should Beck be available, and Thompson who has been on holiday, then Gray would have more decisions to make further to the options which were available at Altrincham.

Lewis Nightingale did not get off the bench while Jordan Watson was not even named among the substitutes The manager said: “It’s still early days, we’ve only just had pre-season, and everyone will play their part.

“When players are on the pitch they’ve got to do their job because if they don’t they know there’s someone sitting on the bench desperate to take their shirt.”

Darlington have two games in three days at the weekend, Boston United at Heritage Park on Saturday followed by a trip to Curzon Ashton on Monday, in what is a packed start to the season.

They have seven matches this month, the last of which on August 29 at FC United (3pm) will be all-ticket.

Tickets details have yet to be announced, but Quakers can expect to receive an allocation of around 650 for the match at Broadhurst Park, where FC United last season had an average attendance of 3,394.

Darlington were backed by around 500 supporters on Saturday, and Gray said: “The fans were phenomenal. We knew there was a lot going down and they were right behind us.

“That’s what the players sign for this club for, it’s special to have that kind of support.

“Some clubs don’t get that many fans at home, so to have 500 fans down there and making a noise for us was appreciated and I’m sure they will have gone home happy.”