TWO youth projects providing links between Darlington's schools and its football club are on the verge of closure due to funding cuts.

Staff and volunteers at the Football in the Community have been told the scheme is to end this week.

The Northern Echo has also learnt that the Understand Centre could close within weeks. The facility teaches literacy, maths and ICT to children using a football theme for its lessons.

Both schemes receive funding which has stopped because of public spending cuts.

Football in the Community is a registered charity which runs regular soccer schools during school holidays.

The project also works with schools, runs a weekly Saturday club and girls-only sessions.

Last year, it also started a project to tackle obesity in young people and single fathers through football and other physical activity.

A club spokesman said the decision was out of its hands and the closure was confirmed following a meeting of the charity's auditors last Wednesday.

The scheme employs four people in a full-time capacity and 15 in part-time roles.

They were made aware of the intention last week and received letters on Saturday.

Funding may also be cut at similar schemes at the region's other football clubs, but no other closures are expected.

The Understand Centre, which runs from the club's The Northern Echo Arena and has educated hundreds of youngsters, is also likely to close because of a loss of funding.

It is understood its managers are hoping alternative funding may be found, such as a schools liaison partnership.

Councillor Cyndi Hughes, Darlington's portfolio holder for children and young people, said: "Many young people in Darlington have benefited a great deal from this innovative programme, the main aim of which was to support raising standards in numeracy, literacy and ICT using sport as the motivation.

"I am saddened and deeply disappointed this excellent scheme has fallen foul of the ConDem government cuts."

Its funding comes from the Playing for Success Government project, which finance hundreds of such schemes at football and rugby clubs up and down the country. Its funding ran from April 2008 to March. Last summer, Education Secretary Michael Gove announced £1.5m from unallocated projects would be cut.