DARLINGTON have high hopes that talented teenager Dale Milburn can make the breakthrough into their first-team after making him the first of their college kids to sign a contract.

The 18-year-old’s elevation to the senior ranks was confirmed last night when he signed a contract in recognition of the progress he has made this season.

Martin Gray, Quakers’ manager, has long wanted to create a pathway from the BTEC Sports Science course, run by the MGFA at Darlington College, to the senior team and Milburn is heading in the right direction.

The 18-year-old from Kelloe has this season helped Quakers reach the last qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup, and recently scored a hat-trick for Durham County under-18s team.

“He’s been a great success already in that he’s been on the college course, played in the youth team, the reserves, played for Durham County and now he’s signing a contract so he’s one for the future,” said Gray.

“He was at Middlesbrough and was released as an under-15, so we picked him up then and brought him in. We already knew about him and he’s one of those you wanted to keep an eye on just in case he came out of the pro game.

“He’s come through our college system, the 16s, 17s and 18s, and he’s done great, he’s really developed over the last year.”

Gray revealed that Milburn could even be in the squad that travels to Chorley on Saturday, but fellow forward Lewis Walker will not feature in what is the final match of his loan from Derby County.

Gray added: “He’s a No. 10, he could play off a big striker, he’s small in stature but he’s clever.

“He gets goals, sometimes from outside the box which isn’t usually the case for those types of players, but he seems to create a yard and pull the trigger.”

Darlington are sixth after Stockport County leapfrogged them, while Chorley are four points ahead in fourth.

Left-back Jordan Watson yesterday left Darlington to return to Blyth Spartans.

He only joined last summer from Blyth, but has headed back to the Northumberland club having been out of favour recently.

Watson made eight starts and two appearances as a substitute, but his future appeared uncertain the moment David Ferguson arrived a fortnight ago from Shildon.