FOOTBALL fans have raised £100,000 for a North-East club – and the figure keeps on rising.

Darlington Football Club appealed to fans at the beginning of the month to make pledges and raise money to keep it afloat through the uncertain time of the coronavirus pandemic, which has halted all football games across the country.

Within just hours of launching the Boost the Budget 20/21 appeal, devoted Darlington fans had raised £25,000.

The target of £100,000 has now been reached in less than a month, prompting chief executive David Johnston and club manager Alun Armstrong to thank those who donated for their generosity, but encouraged further support.

Mr Johnson said that he would like to praise the fans highly for their fundraising efforts and “fantastic generosity” but hoped the club would reached its updated target of £120,000.

Mr Armstong said: “It’s been a fantastic effort by the fans to reach £100,000 for the second successive year, even more so in these difficult times.

“Please keep on contributing though, we need to raise as much as possible for the challenges ahead. The more that you raise, the stronger we will be.”

Pledges can either be made as a one-off amount or as a regular weekly or monthly direct debit.

The money raised from the the Boost The Budget 20/21 scheme will provide some financial security for the club during this uncertain time.

Mr Armstrong has promised donors he will use the funding to “fine tune” the squad. He also plans to calculate a playing budget and tie down the contracts of both current key squad members and new arrivals.

He also said he would bring in players to Darlington Football Club who “wanted to progress, move up the league and show the fans that passion”.

This is not the first time Darlington fans have smashed the fundraising target.

Last year, when Mr Armstrong was appointed, it coincided with more than £100,000 in pledges from fans.

That smashed the original target of £80,000 required to boost the playing budget of the squad.

Anyone who wants to make a pledge can do so by visiting the club’s website, at www.fundraising.darlingtonfcsupportersgroup.org.