Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington make an offer to striker
LEADING scorer Tadhg Purcell is mulling over an offer from Darlington manager Simon Davey.[LNB] The Irish striker joined in January and has wasted little time in making a name for himself by scoring nine goals in 22 appearances.[LNB] The strike-rate and his ability to adapt to a division he had not previously played in having spent his career in the League of Ireland triggered interest from several clubs.[LNB] Preston and Swindon have both watched the 24-year-old, who was brought in by Steve Staunton, but his contract expires in the summer.[LNB] We've made an offer to Tadhg and he's considering it, said Davey, speaking at a fans' night at The Northern Echo Arena on Tuesday.[LNB] We've given him a good timescale to weigh it up and we'll see what happens.[LNB] I won't have it where players will take our offer to another club to see if they can get a better one so we'll give all our players a certain amount of time to consider our offers.[LNB] If it's a no or a maybe well the football club is more important than one player. But he is a player we'd like to keep.[LNB] Midfielder Gary Dempsey, however, has revealed Darlington would face competition for Purcell in the form of Staunton should he find himself another managerial role.[LNB] Dempsey, who defended Staunton's doomed attempt to save Quakers from relegation, says the former Republic of Ireland boss would want the midfielder and Purcell at his next club.[LNB] I'm in touch with Steve Staunton regularly. I speak to him once a week and he's keen to get back into the game, said Dempsey.[LNB] He's hopeful of getting another job in management and he's kept in touch, as the first thing he'd do if he gets a job is bring myself and Tadhg Purcell with him.[LNB] He was happy with how we did for the team, even though results didn't go our way and we were relegated.[LNB] Steve has had a bit of stick since he came to the club but I really feel for him as he had a hard job at Darlington from the start.[LNB] He came in mid-season so he hadn't done a pre-season with the players. The players hadn't been signed by him, he was unhappy with a lot of things, like fitness, and he tried to change it.[LNB] But he was up against it from the start. He tried to get players to leave so he could bring in his own men but they were on such good contracts they wouldn't go. Results did not get to the level we needed, fans turned against him and the club got rid of him but I believe he will be back and I think he'll do a good job.[LNB] Meanwhile, Quakers are looking to switch their training bases from Houghall College in Durham to a venue closer to the Arena.[LNB]
