Phil Stamp last night agreed to join Darlington with the former Middlesbrough midfielder signing a deal until the end of December.

He played in last night's reserve game at Doncaster Rovers and the 29-year-old is likely to be in the squad for Friday night's game at home to Macclesfield.

Stamp made more than 100 appearances for the Teessiders and, including Clark Keltie and Brian Close who have yet to play this season because of injury, his return to the North-East takes Quakers' central midfield ranks up to ten.

Stamp's last competitive game was for Hearts in January and Darlington manager David Hodgson said: "We feel he'll bring some added experience to our side.

"He has played at the highest level with Middlesbrough and Hearts and did have offers to stay at that level but was committed to returning to the area.

"In the fortnight he has been training with us he has shown that he will be an asset to the team.

"The short term deal is beneficial for both parties as we gain a player of Phil's experience and he gets the chance to play competitive football once again."

Stamp's arrival means a question mark must now hang over some of the club's fringe midfielders but one player who won't lose his place on Friday is the in-form Anthony Peacock.

He was excellent on Saturday and Matty Appleby, another of Quakers' midfield options, says the youngster is destined for a move to a bigger club if he can maintain his impressive early season form.

The 20-year-old has made rapid progress since joining on a free from Middlesbrough in the summer - he even failed to make it off the bench for the opening game of the season, but since then Peacock has become a first-team regular.

As one of Darlington's most experienced players and, after spending much of his career at the top end of the game, Appleby is better qualified than most to judge what it takes to succeed and he reckons Peacock is the "real deal".

"I think he's superb" said Appleby who played a holding role in midfield on Saturday, just behind Peacock, in the 0-0 draw at Northampton. "I know it's his first season in the Football League but I think he's far better than this standard.

"Our fans have been responding to him and I think he's got a bright future, he should be playing at a higher level.

"He isn't just all about tricks on the ball, he's got great vision, superb vision and he digs in too.

"He works hard for the team, he doesn't play just for himself and he's outstanding at the moment.

"If he carries on like he has been then he'll get snapped up by a bigger club sooner rather than later."

l Rotherham boss Mick Harford has called for the Football League to review their policy on the postponement of games because of international call-ups.

The Millers will have to face local rivals Barnsley at the weekend without skipper Colin Murdock and Gregor Robertson, who are away on international duty with Northern Ireland and Scotland Under-21s respectively.

A disappointed Harford said: ''This will leave us down to the bare bones and it's not really fair for clubs like ourselves who have such small squads.''