Source: Northern_Echo
Cooper targets promotion
Fresh from adding the FA Trophy to Darlington's trophy cabinet, manager Mark Cooper has already set his sights on success next season: promotion.[LNB] The campaign only finished on Saturday when Quakers won the FA Trophy by beating Mansfield Town 1-0, but already the boss has made it clear that returning to the Football League will be the aim in 2011-12.[LNB] Today marks the 20th anniversary of Darlington winning the Division Four title, when Quakers last enjoyed a promotion, and Cooper said: "From now promotion is the aim.[LNB] "When we come back for pre-season, on the first day of training the message will be promotion.[LNB] "We finished very close to the play-offs and if we strengthen properly I don't see any reason why we shouldn't go very close.[LNB] "With the players we've already got and the players we want to add, I think we'll go as close as anyone to getting back into the Football League next year.[LNB] "I told the players after the last league game of the season that we should have been in the play-offs, but we threw games away and I know why. We have to try and sort it out this summer.[LNB] "We played well when the pressure was off too many times. When the chance of getting into the play-offs was realistically over, after we had lost to Hayes, we ended up winning five out of the last seven league matches. That told me a lot."[LNB] Cooper hopes that winning at Wembley at the weekend will help attracting players to The Northern Echo Arena.[LNB] He concedes that convincing players to move northwards is not always simple, and he added: "The recruitment process will be key. It's difficult to get players up to the region, hopefully what happened on Saturday will encourage one or two that it's the right place to be."[LNB] n Darlington have produced a souvenir magazine to celebrate their FA Trophy success.[LNB] The 48-page publication includes 180 pictures illustrating the day and the build-up to Wembley. Priced £3, the souvenir magazine will be available at the civic reception in the market square today, and from the club from tomorrow.[LNB] Managing director Graham Fordy said: "We appreciate everyone wants momentos and souvenirs from what was a magnificent day for the club, and we're doing everything we can to make sure there'll be a range of stock for people to remember the day by."[LNB] Meanwhile, the club are also producing a DVD of the final, while they are planning to have a range of special merchandise.[LNB] * Darlington have announced their first pre-season friendly of the summer. They will face Middlesbrough at The Northern Echo Arena on July 23 (3pm).[LNB]
