JAMES CATON has been made available by Darlington, who have announced that the forward is on the transfer list.

The 24-year-old joined from Dover last summer after impressing in pre-season and then given a two-year contract by then manager Martin Gray.

However, once competitive matches began Caton replicated little of the form he had shown in friendly fixtures, scoring only once in 28 appearances, 12 of them as a substitute.

That goal came in a 4-1 home win over Alfreton, hooking home at close-range, during August with Caton playing in each of the first ten matches before losing his way and by the season’s end had become a peripheral figure, so it is no surprise he does not figure in Tommy Wright’s plans.

Wright gave the player opportunities, mainly as a substitute and most notably away to Leamington in January when he was pivotal as Quakers’ fought back to win 3-2.

As a consequence Caton was selected for the next match at home to Blyth Spartans, when he sustained a hamstring injury, and after a period of on the sidelines he then started only two of the team’s remaining 13 matches but made little impact.

As well as Caton, also available for transfer is Kevin Burgess, the club’s former captain who finished the season on loan at former club Whitby Town and also has a year remaining on a contract signed last summer.

This week Tom Portas, Leon Scott, Gary Brown, Liam Marrs and Greg Mills have left Quakers, plus teenagers Lee Hume and Dale Milburn.

Excluding Caton and Burgess, Wright has a 15-man squad and has previously said he wants 18 or 19 players to choose from next season.

Youngsters Matthew Bancroft, Harry Gill, Bradley Moncur and Jamie O’Brien are not under contract but have been invited to return for pre-season training.