£500,000 in a week to save Quakers

The rescue plan, which will enable fans to take over and run the club as a community interest company, has been hammered out over the weekend in talks between Darlington MP Jenny Chapman, the administrator, supporters’ organisations, and other groups.

Supporters hope that the target – equivalent to £5 from every person in the town – is achievable.

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A board of trustees, including community figures and fans, would take over running the club, with all proceeds from matches and merchandise reinvested.

The Northern Echo understands that if the club becomes a community concern, former chairman and creditor Raj Singh has agreed to waive any debts owed to him by the club.

The club, which was on the brink of being liquidated last week before dramatically being given a three-match stay of execution at the 11th hour on Wednesday, has been in administration three times in the past nine years.

Speaking to The Northern Echo last night, Mrs Chapman said that although the figure was a large amount, it was achievable.

She said: “We have got a really clear plan now and we want to make it happen. We need to raise enough money to show the administrators we are serious and we can do this.

“Over the course of the negotiations with the administrators and other interested parties, we have had pitches from developers for landbased proposals. None of the developers are interested in the football club.

“The conclusion I have come to is the only way we can secure the long-term future of Darlington Football Club is for the fans to own it.

“We need a communityownership model. Otherwise, we will always be at the mercy and patience of a wealthy investor.

“We need to run it as cheaply as we can, only spend money we have, and any money which is spent must be spent as wisely as possible.

“All money from matchdays or merchandise would be reinvested in Darlington FC.”

She said the decision of where the club would play would be made by the board of trustees, but it was likely the club would move out of The Northern Echo Arena to a more cost-effective ground.

She said: “Half a million pounds would be enough for the administrators to say, ‘Yes, you are serious, you can keep this going for a period of time’.

“Harvey Madden (the administrator) and his team have been absolutely amazing.

They have got the costs right down and are really trying to help save the club.

“For the immediate future, the club will continue to play at the stadium. The decision about where the club will play after that will be made by the owners of the club.

“One of the options is to go back to Feethams. There are a number of other options, including sharing a ground as a temporary measure, but these are decisions which will be made by the people who take over the running.” She said she was meeting the administrator at 9am today to work out the exact figures and a detailed strategy.

She said: “I think Darlington Football Club Rescue Group (DFCRG) has worked incredibly hard. What we need to do now is finalise a strategy for the next week.

“We are hoping to encourage residents, the local business community, and fans’ groups to pull together to raise the money which is needed for Darlington to have a community-owned football club like many other towns.

“Raj Singh has said if there was a community ownership solution, he would be generous enough to forgo the money invested in the club, which is a lovely gesture.”

She said the community model was the club’s only chance of long-term sustainability, and added: “I think it is this way or no way. I have spent a lot of time looking at it and hearing people talk about it and possible solutions.

I don’t think there is a viable alternative.”

Peter Barron, Editor of The Northern Echo, hosted interested parties, including Mrs Chapman, the administrator and would-be developers in The Northern Echo’s box at Saturday’s match.

He said: “We felt it would be helpful to get key people together, not just to enjoy the match and the atmosphere, but to build relationships and enhance the discussions.”

A meeting will be held between Mrs Chapman, DFCRG and other groups at 10am today.