TOMMY Taylor has ditched plans to bring Kevin Ball back to the North-East due to an unappealing combination of excessive wage demands and a lack of fitness.

The Darlington manager, looking to arrest his side's slide down the Third Division table after two successive derby defeats this week, wanted to sign former Sunderland midfielder Ball.

But he turned his attention to alternative targets after Ball, a free agent after he was released by Burnley in the summer, was struck by injury.

Taylor, who earlier this week signed Blackpool striker Graham Fenton on loan, said: "I spoke to Kevin a couple of weeks ago but he wasn't fit enough to train with us.

"We've also told him that we wouldn't pay what he was asking for.

"We still want to get another two players in, though, and we're still looking.

"FIFA's decision to allow us to sign people after the transfer window closed is good for us because you're always going to get injuries in the Third Division."

Chairman George Reynolds, whose side host Bournemouth tomorrow, added: "If the price is right, I'm interested in anybody - from Ryan Giggs and David Beckham to Kevin Ball."

* Ray Simpson and Andrew Wilkinson, authors of Farewell to Feethams - a collection of Darlington FC memories, will be in Ottakers in the town's Cornmill Centre tomorrow at 1pm for a book signing session.

* Swansea City have unveiled Brian Flynn as director of football at the Vetch Field, replacing former Darlington man Nick Cusack.

Kevin Reeves has also been appointed as first team coach but no decision has been made on the futures of player-manager Cusack and his assistant Alan Curtis.

Last season they finished a 20th in the Third Division and have slipped to the bottom of the Football League for the first time in their 90-year history following Wednesday's night's 1-0 defeat at Boston, winning just one out of nine league games this season.

Read more about the Quakers here.