Cooper closing in on deals

20 December 2010 10:18
Darlington have only two games before the January transfer window opens and manager Mark Cooper strengthens his squad.[LNB] Cooper has pinpointed a number of positions in the team that he believes require new blood and he has already agreed deals with potential new players.[LNB] The manager wants his targets to begin training this week in preparation for officially joining on January 1 when Quakers travel to Fleetwood Town as Darlington bid to propel themselves up the division.[LNB] Three recent cup tie wins have provided a distraction from the club's poor league form which has seen only two victories in the last ten matches, losing four.[LNB] The manager is keen to address the slide, which has seen Darlington drop to 11th, and he said: January is coming and I've made no secret of the fact that we're going to strengthen. Deals can be agreed, they can't be signed yet, but they can be agreed.[LNB] The boys who are in the team now have got to make sure they keep themselves in the team.[LNB] If the weather allows we'll have another two games before the window opens. If we win those games that would give me food for thought regarding the players that we bring in and whether they go straight into the team.[LNB] I know what I want to do. I want to make sure the players come in on January 1, maybe we train with us first for a bit and then we're ready to go.[LNB] I'm not going to tell anyone yet what I'm going to do, but I want to do what's best for the football club and do what, in my opinion, is best for the team.[LNB] Darlington host Fleetwood on Boxing Day, as well as travelling to Fleetwood on New Year's Day, before travelling to Gateshead on December 28, weather permitting.[LNB] Should the games go ahead, they will signal the beginning of a hectic period for Quakers 12 matches in 38 days while a date for the Cambridge away game has yet to be set.[LNB] It was due to be played on Saturday but was postponed 24 hours earlier due to a frozen pitch.[LNB] Cooper said: January is going to be very busy, but the old adage is that you're better off playing games than training.[LNB] Certainly as a player I preferred to play rather than train, and we're going to have plenty of opportunities to play, that's for sure, and getting through in the FA Trophy gives us another game.[LNB] Fleetwood's home game on Saturday was one of the few in the country to go ahead.[LNB] Their uses of frost covers which work to temperatures of -5C ensured the game went ahead, meaning Darlington appear to be assured of at least one game over the festive period.[LNB]

Source: Northern_Echo