Tommy Taylor insists Darlington have passed their first test of pre-season with "flying colours" after returning for training eager and raring to go.

Having been given a fitness schedule to follow over the summer, the players returned on Monday with only one of the squad beginning the pre-season training schedule overweight.

And a satisfied Taylor said: "Normally when you come back one or two players go down with hamstring or groin strains, but they've been great so far.

"At the end of last season they were all given a programme to stick to and when they came back only one of them was 2lbs overweight.

"We've done quite a lot of work already - ball work in the morning and fitness work in the afternoon.

"I'm really pleased with them."

Danny Richmond and Ryan Valentine have joined Quakers on trial but Taylor says he has a few more trialists in the pipeline.

"I've got a few more to come in," said Taylor. "It's all been very quiet because clubs are holding back after what happened with the ITV Digital deal. I've had agents on the phone and they're all saying they've seen nothing like it."

Nineteen-year-old Valentine, who received a call-up to the Welsh Under-21 squad last season, has been released by Everton while Richmond played in the Albany Northern League with Shildon last year.

Meanwhile, Paul Heckingbottom is expected to sign for First Division Norwich City today.

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