Aaron Brown admits he has made a gamble by turning down a contract offer at another Conference club and returning to Darlington.

He was Quakers' man of the match in their defeat to Fleetwood Town on Saturday, just days after deciding to leave due to the off-field turmoil at The Northern Echo Arena.

However, having returned to Bristol and holding talks with a club closer to home, the left-back had a change of heart and on Friday morning boarding a flight back to the North-East.

"It wasn't an easy decision to leave," he said. "It was too much for me. It wasn't just because we hadn't been paid, it's well-documented now that I've got a girlfriend who is eight weeks away from giving birth.

"It felt the right decision to make at the time, but when I got back to Bristol it didn't feel right.

"I was speaking to a manager of another club on Thursday and when I came out I had a missed call off Paul Arnison, he'd left me a message saying get your arse back up here!

"But if I'm being honest I'd already made my decision before I listened to that message.

"I was sat in the house on Thursday thinking 'what am I doing?' Then I spoke to another club, they gave me a contract opportunity and gave me a little bit of time to think about it.

"He (the other manager) was brilliant about it when I said I was coming back to Darlington because he understood my circumstances. I feel happy that I didn't let him down too much and that I've made the right decision for me and my family.

"It's a gamble that I've taken. I sat down with my Mrs to talk about it and I'm hedging my bets that it will get taken over. If that doesn't happen then at least I can say that I stayed to the end and then look at something new if I have to."

Having decided to leave and holding talks with another Conference club, Brown found himself in the same position as several of his former Darlington team-mates.

But unlike Jamie Chandler, Sam Russell, Liam Hatch and Ian Miller, Brown decided to stay at the Arena, but he does not hold it against his ex colleagues.

He said: "They are some players who have gone that in the different circumstances would still be at the club. A few fans' favourites have gone, but that's football.

"When there's uncertainty at a club and they can't make you any promises to pay your wages but another club can offer you a contract then it's a difficult decision."

Brown is now a firm favorite due to his u-turn, and his name was chanted during Saturday's game at the Arena when supporters from across the country rallied around cash-strapped Darlington.

He said: "I think it's the first time they've sang a song about me! It was nice to hear the fans behind me, but it wasn't just me because they were behind the whole team and I think they appreciate that the lads are putting in 100 per cent effort even though we've not been getting paid.

"They appreciate that and we appreciate them turning out for us today. I looked in the crowd and I saw loads of different shirts.

"I saw Liverpool, Middlesbrough, I saw a Hartlepool shirt as well so that just goes to show that football is bigger than Darlington. It's one large community and they came together as a whole."