JUST nine days after a launching an appeal to raise money for dugouts at Darlington’s new home, supporters have reached the £8,000 target.

An appeal began on Monday of last week with the Darlington FC Supporters Group (DFCSG) asking fans to pay for the dugouts at Blackwell Meadows, where Quakers are due to move to in December.

The scheme was due to remain open until the end of next month, however, the target was reached today, well ahead of schedule.

Earlier this year a community share offer by the DFCSG raised £100,000 inside 21 days - six weeks ahead of the deadline.

The money raised is being used to build facilities at Blackwell Meadows, which is rapidly taking shape.

Meanwhile, proceeds from a fundraising match involving former Darlington players has been presented to North-East disability charity The Percy Hedley Foundation.

The game in July saw the 1995-96 team reunite to take on a Darlington XI at Northallerton Town, with the Robbie Painter, Mark Barnard, Phil Brumwell, Simon Shaw, Steve Gaughan, Andy Toman, Dale Anderson and Roger Wicks among those pulling their boots on again.

Former Newcastle striker Malcolm MacDonald attended, and was also at the foundation earlier this month to receive a cheque for more than £700 presented by the game’s organisers.

Quakers fans Paul Hodgson and Ian Carter organise the match, alongside former player Robbie Painter, which raised £740 for the Percy Hedley Foundation, a charity that works to improve the lives of disabled children, young people and adults throughout the region.

The Percy Hedley Foundation is currently running its Building Brighter Futures Appeal, which includes the construction of a new Percy Hedley Lower School building on the same site as Percy Hedley Upper School in Killingworth, North Tyneside.

The building will enable the Foundation to provide vital education, therapy and support to 200 children and their families in the North East.

“It was an honour to help Robbie Painter and Ian Carter organise the match. Everyone worked really hard both in the organisation of the event, and indeed on the day itself,” said Hodgson, who attended Percy Hedley School between 1971 and 1980.

“It was great for me personally to give something back to the school that helped me so much in my younger days.”

Sheila Coltman, Corporate Partnerships Manager for the Percy Hedley Foundation, said: “It is absolutely brilliant when ex Percy Hedley pupils like Paul show their appreciation of the great work that goes on at the Foundation by influencing others to support us so we can help even more children in the future.

“We are very grateful to the club, the players and fans for this fabulous boost to our appeal and for making a difference to the children at our school.”