Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington are still looking for a leader
MARK Cooper has revealed the club missed out on re-signing defender Sean Gregan after the former Quakers man opted to join Fleetwood Town.[LNB] Quakers' boss has made no secret of his desire to bring in an experienced centre-back to lead his side and was hopeful of bringing Gregan back to the club where he started his career.[LNB] However, the former Preston North End man decided against a return to his old club and this week instead joined fellow Blue Square Bet Premier side Fleetwood Town.[LNB] Cooper is now looking elsewhere in a bid to bolster his defence with a leader but admitted he is currently not to a signing.[LNB] Leaders are not easy to come by, as everyone's after them and there's not many of the, Cooper said.[LNB] Sean Gregan has gone to Fleetwood and we were very interested in him but sometimes money talks and that's just the way it is so we'll keep looking.[LNB] I think it was money and possibly the fact he's living in Preston now as well, which is closer to Fleetwood than it is to Darlington.[LNB] I wouldn't say we're close at the moment. We're trying very hard and January is just around the corner and I don't just want to bring players in for the sake of it, I want players that make us better and if we have to wait, so be it.[LNB] Liam Hatch impressed as a stand-in centre back last weekend against Mansfield, but with the striker unavailable for tomorrow's FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at Mossley due to his loan agreement, Cooper will look to someone else.[LNB] One thing with Liam is he wants to go and head the ball and that's where we've struggled recently in terms of defenders wanting to head the ball and we knew if we played him there he would head it and he certainly did that.[LNB] But it gives someone else a chance to play and stake their claim to stay in the team, but it's disappointing not to have him available.[LNB] On-loan pair Jefferson Louis and Danny Powell will also be missing tomorrow, with the former being cuptied and the latter out with an illness.[LNB] But Michael Brough could be in contention for his first appearance for the club.[LNB] Cooper said: Brough played against Norton on Tuesday night in the Durham Cup and played for 60 minutes and came through unscathed, so we'll have to have a chat with the physio to see if Saturday is too early for him.[LNB] When you talk about leaders, he is one, on and off the pitch so we're desperate to get him back, but we've got to make sure we don't rush it and for the sake of one game, lose him for another five or six weeks.[LNB]
