Darlington do double deal (From The Northern Echo)

Darlington do double deal

8:00am Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Darlington FC News By Craig Stoddart, Deputy Sports Editor

Darlington put aside their off-field problems last night to agree deals for two new players, including a return for former midfielder Clark Keltie.

The club's existence remains highly uncertain with talks ongoing between former chairman Raj Singh, administrator Harvey Madden and potential buyer Paul Wildes.

While their negotiations are continuing, interim Darlington manager Craig Liddle has moved to strengthen his threadbare squad with Keltie and Liam Bagnall agreeing to join.

Right-back Bagnall has joined on loan from Sunderland while Keltie has agreed a non-contract deal, returning to the club 11 years after first signing for Quakers.

He made over 150 appearances before leaving in 2008 since when he has endured a nomadic existence, playing for Rochdale and Lincoln, as well as brief loan spells with Chester City and Gateshead.

Last year he had a spell playing in Iceland while the 28-year-old joined Cork City early month, but quickly returned to the North-East for personal reasons.

Liddle, who played alongside Keltie at both Feethams and The Northern Echo Arena, gave the midfielder a run-out in a friendly yesterday morning with Hartlepool United.

"He played for about an hour I think and he looked sharp," said Liddle.

"One thing I had no doubt about was his fitness because he looks after his body.

"He's had to come back to the area for personal reasons so that has played into our hands and he'll add some steel and experience to the midfield.

"He's familiar with the club and the supporters so that helps.

"I think if he'd been playing on Saturday we would have won because we went 2-0 up but lacked a bit of experience, someone to slow things down."

Bangnall is likely to make his Darlington debut in Saturday's game at Mansfield Town as Paul Arnison is out with a calf strain.

He suffered the injury in Saturday's 2-2 draw against York City and Liddle, due to the lack of alternatives, had to use reserve left-back Phil Gray as a replacement.

Bagnall is a Northern Ireland under-17 international and Liddle said: "He's a quick and aggressive player and I've seen him play a few times for Sunderland.

"I've always been impressed with him so hopefully he will fit in well with us."

Bagnall becomes the second player to make a temporary switch to Arena from the Stadium of Light with keeper Jordan Pickford already having played three times for Quakers after joining a fortnight ago.

Liddle explained at the weekend that the Conference have given Darlington permission to sign players, despite the embargo, due to injuries that have left Quakers struggling to field a team.

As well as Arnison's absence, Graeme Lee is also out with a calf strain.

However, Liddle said that Quakers must put each potential new signing to the Conference for approval. The manager is hoping to bring in one more player before Saturday's trip to Field Mill.

But there was an outgoing from the Arena yesterday as James Gray has left after receiving an offer from a club in Sweden.

The 19-year-old former Middlesbrough trainee played in 14 of Darlington's 17 games since signing three days before Mark Cooper was sacked in October.

After starting back-to-back matches for the first time - against Fleetwood and Hayes & Yeading - he was dropped for Saturday's match with York.