DARLINGTON manager Alun Armstrong has confirmed the club will offer former Quakers striker Andrew Nelson a deal with the club. 

The former Quakers loanee spent a month on loan with the club back in December 2018 where he scored five goals in six matches. Despite Darlington's efforts to extend his deal, his impressive performances earned him move to Dundee. 

After six goals in 31 league appearances in Scotland, National League side Torquay United came calling taking him on a free transfer last summer. However, his time with the Gulls was plauged by a long-term knee injury and he failed to make an appearance in his time in Devon. 

After the expiration of his contract at Torquay this summer, Nelson is now training with Darlington to build back his fitness after an extending period of time on the treatment table.

The Quakers are in the market for a number of centre-forwards heading into the National League North campaign and Armstrong is keen to tie down Nelson to a contract at the club. 

Armstrong told the Northern Echo: "I’m going to put a deal to Nella and see if we can get him sorted. Then it’s his decision after that.

"We’ll do what we can with the kid. He’s exactly what we need, we need a little bit of pace, a bit of energy and he’s a great finisher.

"We’ve seen that with the kind of goals he’s scored, all kinds of goals so if we can get that sorted, great. But that will be a patient one.

"I am speaking to another centre forward, hopefully I can get him in at the weekend."

While Nelson appears to be high on the Quakers boss priority list, Armstrong told the Northern Echo he is still in the market for more strikers along with at least two central defenders. 

The former Sunderland youth academy product featured in the Quakers recent friendly loss against Harrogate Town coming on as a second half subsitute. 

However, considering his significant spell on the sidelines, Armstrong is in no rush to get him back into first-team football. 

"He’s done smashing. We put him on for ten minutes against Harrogate.

"It was never the plan but I turned round and looked at him and I seen that we never had a centre forward on the pitch and I could see him twitching.

"I said ‘what are you like? Do you want to have  a little run?’ and straight away he wanted to get on so he’s eager for it but I just need to be patient with the kid.

"He’s still quite a while away fitness wise. He hasn’t done anything for a year so you can manage that because the last thing you want is him to break down.

"You want to make sure that he keeps doing it and build it up slowly and make sure that when he is ready, he’s ready to fire them goals in."