MARTIN GRAY says he has turned down approaches from the Football League and National League after signing a new five-year contract as Darlington 1883 boss.
Since taking charge in the summer of 2012 following the club’s demotion to the Northern League, Gray has overseen three promotions in four seasons.
Darlo are now just one promotion off making it back into Non-League‘s top flight and have started this season well, sitting third in the National League North.
The club are also set to return to Darlington imminently after agreeing to share Blackwell Meadows with Darlington RFC and Gray is excited by Darlo’s prospects.
He told Darlington’s website: “The biggest reason why I signed a new deal was because of the club’s impending return to Darlington and all the potential that goes with it.
“I have been approached by a Football League club and a Vanarama National League club in the last six months, and I have turned them both down for that reason. My desire for this club is far greater than the opportunities which came up.
“Moving to Blackwell Meadows means that we can continue to build the club on the foundations that we’ve laid over the last four years. As manager, I also have aspirations of taking the club back to the Football League, which is the job I set out to do back in 2012.
“I am happy with the way the club is going. It has made great progress over the last six months in many different ways on and off the field.
“We have a great board, a hard working bunch of volunteers and fantastic supporters, who have stood by the club in many ways since we were relegated to the Northern League.”
