DARLINGTON are aiming for the Football League after this week’s agreement which will see the Quakers move back to their home town.
Darlington 1883 have been groundsharing with Bishop Auckland since reforming but the move back to the County Durham town at Darlington RFC’s Blackwell Meadows has come with a lot of positivity.
The club won the Northern League Division One last season and are sitting pretty in second in the Evo-Stik NPL Division One North this season, but chief executive Martin Jepson has set his sights further.
Jepson told The NLP: “I think it’s wrong to not have Football League aspirations. We are building the club on a League club mentality but financial stability is needed.
“There is expectancy within the fan base for us to be back pushing for Football League status and it’s difficult but that is what we are aspiring to.
“Darlington have had turbulent years in terms of finances on the football field in recent times and we want to build it up steadily, but we have got long term ambitions.”
Darlington FC were in the Football League for over 80 years before relegation to the Conference in 2010 and a name change along with a four division drop followed due to financial issues.
But now the club are back on the rise, with play-offs seemingly a certainty and a move back to the town ready for next season.
FOR MORE ON DARLINGTON’S MOVE BACK HOME, CHECK OUT THIS SUNDAY’S NON-LEAGUE PAPER
