WITH Darlington Football Club languishing in administration, former chairman George Reynolds last night issued a defiant justification of his five-year reign.

The Quakers are in debt to the tune of many millions of pounds, yet the 67-year-old said he was not to blame.

Because attendances at home games have only risen a couple of thousand since his departure, he said the cause of Darlington's difficulties were "a general apathy and lack of support" and "a small but vociferous minority of fans who have been party to orchestrating the opposition at the club".

In a contentious 1,800-word statement, Mr Reynolds attacked Darlington Supporters' Trust among others.

The trust is backing a consortium of businessmen hoping to buy the club, but Mr Reynolds was scornful of their efforts.

He said: "The world is full of dreamers hiding behind sophisticated feasibility studies, business plans and cashflow projections."

He said the trust, whose membership has risen to 1,400 since the club went into administration on December 23, was "simply a vehicle for inflating their own egos".

Mr Reynolds said that a "small minority of disgruntled fans" can destroy clubs "which they profess to love so much". He said this was illustrated at Carlisle United, where former chairman Michael Knighton was "humiliated and driven out".

He said: "Since his ousting, the club has had to sell off all its assets, is losing money hand-over-fist, is now lingering at the bottom of the Third Division."

A spokesman for the Darlington trust said last night: "It is rather predictable and sad that Mr Reynolds has chosen to target the supporters' trust once again.

"We have not resorted to trading blows in the past and we do not want to now.

"We can just say that we see the future of the club as the supporters' voices being heard and not them being shouted at."

Mr Reynolds' statement praises Quakers' manager David Hodgson for organising the charity match, which he called an absolutely incredible event.

He said he has invested £20m in the club and was owed at least £15m, but said he would accept £4m, "effectively a £16m interest-free gift to the club".

Mr Reynolds also defended his decision to build a 27,000-seater stadium for Third Division strugglers, to replace the Feethams ground.

He said: "Does anyone really think that there would have been any interest in buying this club at all if it were not for the Reynolds Arena?

"This is the only real asset and selling point for the club."

Currently, the only credible Quakers bid is from the Sterling Consortium, which is still owed £4m that it loaned Mr Reynolds to finish the stadium.

Mr Reynolds, who is facing bankruptcy proceedings, said: "If I was made bankrupt, it would not affect my standard of living one iota. In fact, it would improve it. I would certainly have a better social life."

However, addressing the Darlington branch of the North-East Chamber of Commerce yesterday, joint administrator David Field praised the fans and prominent local figures.

He said: "We certainly would not be here if it was not for the staff of the club, the manager, the players, the fans and the people of Darlington who have kept us going.

"Darlington Council has bent over backwards to be supportive in all our discussions and Alan Milburn (the town's MP) has also been helpful behind the scenes."