Darlington wasted no time in appointing Gary Bennett's replacement as manager when Tommy Taylor was given the job until the end of the season yesterday.

Paul Bracewell, Ian Branfoot and John Aldridge all offered their services, but Darlington opted to take on Taylor, who will take charge after tomorrow's game at home to Hull City.

His assistant will be Mick Tait, who takes charge for the time being.

Taylor arrived in Darlington for talks at noon yesterday before chairman George Reynolds gave the former Leyton Orient boss a guided tour of the new stadium on Neasham Road.

Taylor, 50, played for Leyton Orient and West Ham then went on to manage in New Zealand, which preceded a spell in the hot seat at Cambridge United before returning to Orient in 1996. He was sacked at Brisbane Road earlier this month.

"I'm over the moon to be back in management so quickly," said Taylor.

"It's two weeks ago today that I left Leyton Orient and there are a lot of good managers out of work so I feel very lucky to get back so soon."

PR Director Luke Raine is satisfied with Darlington's choice, and believes Taylor's experience at Orient augurs well.

"He's forthright, committed and very honest," he said.

"He worked on a tight budget at Leyton Orient with a squad of a similar size to ours and got them to the play-offs twice.

"He'll be judged purely and simply on results and if we think things aren't going as well as we would like we'll have to review the situation in the summer.

"We're confident he'll do the business for us."

Having spent most of his career in the South-East, Taylor's appointment has surprised many, but he hit back at suggestions that never having worked for a North-East club should work against him.

"I have been away from London you know! I've played and managed in Belgium, Singapore and New Zealand so moving away is nothing new to me," said Taylor, who got the boot from Orient not long after he'd seen his team crushed 3-0 at Feethams in what was Darlington's best display this season.

"I've got friends and contacts in the area and you get to know people around the country through football.

"It's a new start for me and I can't wait to get back into it. The season has started well for Darlington and it's just a case of keeping the team near the top of the table.

"Me and Mick will get to know each other very quickly and we'll produce a passing team. I've always liked to play football and if we can get the team to play like they did on that Tuesday night we won't be going far wrong."

Despite fans' fears over Taylor's track record - the two play-off final defeats are the closest he's come to promotion as a manger - Raine said: "People have phoned us up and e-mailed us to tell us they think he might not do it for us, that there are better managers available.

"It's a bit of a lottery who comes in really. Just because someone like Bryan Robson is a high profile name, doesn't mean he's going to do well.

"They may be right, Tommy might not do a job, but then again, he might."

And even though Taylor will be working in the region for the first time, Raine said he'd cope perfectly well: "Gary Bennett knew people all over the country and he played most of his football up here. Players build up contacts throughout their careers and Tommy will have become mates with plenty of lads from the North-East during his time.That's not something I'd worry about."

After completing contract talks with Reynolds, Taylor returned south last night but will be back to take in the Hull match from the stands, after which the task of putting Darlington's season back on track after three consecutive defeats will begin

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