Darlington are showing signs of recovery, and so too are their sidelined players and manager Alun Armstrong.

It is a fortnight since he had emergency surgery on a strangulated hernia, and although the medical advice was to rest for two weeks Armstrong attended training on Tuesday and tonight.

Having missed the last two matches – the team’s first home wins of the season - Armstrong will travel to Quakers’ fixture at Chorley on Saturday, though may sit in the stand with assistant manager Darren Holloway again on the touchline.

“I’ll probably go upstairs because I cannot raise my voice,” he said.

Armstrong will again have the final word on team selection, as he has done in the two games he was unable to attend, and will be able to call on Kallum Griffiths and Andrew Nelson.

Right-back Griffiths has recovered from a groin strain that kept him out for three matches, while Covid kept Nelson out of action.

Left-back George Smith was due to be assessed tonight at training having sustained an ankle injury that forced him off before half-time on Saturday against Hereford.

Armstrong said: “Kall will definitely be fit. He did quite a bit in the warm-up on Saturday and on Tuesday so he’ll be okay if he has no reaction, but George looked like a bad one. He rolled his ankle a bit, so we’ll have to see with him.

“Nella had flu and the day before we played Telford he rang us to say he had Covid, so he had to isolate for ten days.”

It was away to Chorley three years ago when Nelson scored twice on his Darlington debut when on loan from Sunderland.

With Nelson back in contention, James Beauchamp is set to join Guisborough Town on loan on a dual registration basis. He has made only one substitute appearance since arriving from Darlington Town.

The manager wants him to get some game time, and for the same reason Omar Sanyang is to join FC United.

“They’ll still be available for us if we need them,” explained Armstrong. “They’ll train with us on Tuesdays, but I want them to play some games.”

Michael Eggleston has been appointed the club’s Head of Youth. He is currently Quakers’ under-14s coach.