DARLINGTON manager Alun Armstrong has confirmed that several players have committed their futures to the club and that contractual announcements should be made in the near future.

The Quakers management team have been locked in talks with several first team players with the club having one eye on next season. After several weeks of discussions, a number of deals for certain players have now been agreed.

Defender David Wheater and goalkeeper Tommy Taylor have recently cemented their futures at the club having signed new deals.

Speaking to the Northern Echo, Armstrong said: “We’ve done a few. There will be a couple of announcements this week hopefully with a couple of players.

“The majority of the ones I want for next year are nearly sorted so we’re not far away from that. It’s just a case of building on from what I’ve got from then.

“We’ve got some good experienced players sorted for next season and as I say, once we can get sorted with that I can start building with them and adding to them and hopefully have a good go next season.”

A strong run of form has seen Darlington push themselves into National League North play-off contention over recent months. However, the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend saw them set back in their pursuits thanks to defeats to Curzon Ashton and Gateshead.

The Quakers now sit four points outside the top seven with four games to play starting with second placed Brackley Town this weekend, who still harbour ambitions of winning the title this season.

Having watched his side surrender a two-goal lead against the Heed on Bank Holiday Monday as they lost 4-2 on the day, the result and performance reaffirmed Armstrong’s desire to add strength in depth to his squad.

“We’re short this year, you can see that” the Quakers boss continued.

“We’re not scoring enough goals now even though we scored two today. We just didn’t look like a threat when we went that goal behind.

“Once they got the equaliser, we never even played. They were lumping balls up to Junior (Mondal) for some reason. Never have I ever asked them to do that. That’s the frustrating part. They just go to that. Revert to type and just lump it instead of looking after the ball.

“There is a few that we need to change, we know that and that will be happening but I’m happy with what we’ve got sorted for next season. They will be coming out in the next week or two once we get it sorted.”