Darlington’s penultimate pre-season friendly is this evening at home to Sunderland under-23s, and manager Alun Armstrong believes his new-look squad is gelling well.

He has brought in ten new faces so far this summer, and there are likely to be more before the season commences a week on Saturday at home to AFC Telford United.

It is no secret that Armstrong wants to add striker Andrew Nelson to his ranks, while he has held talks with former Middlesbrough and Bolton defender David Wheater.

Whoever arrives next, they will become part of a close changing room, believes the manager.

“Last year was quite difficult because you couldn’t all be in the same dressing room,” he said.

“You had different car schools coming from all over the place, but this year, back in the changing room, the banter is flying again and it’s great to see.

“That’s what you miss in football. I don’t think people understand that. You forget that when you come into the dressing room, that’s the thing that breeds, that is the football club and you need that to build relationships that come onto the pitch.

“I think we never really got that full last year because of car schools, simple as that.”

Tonight’s game is at 7pm, and Darlington’s final pre-season match is on Saturday away to Whitby Town (3pm).