Darlington Football Club News

• Nickname:The Quakers
• Founded:1883
• Manager:Dave Penney

• Ground:Darlington Football Stadium
• Capacity:25,000

Gerken welcomes Darlo stay

11 Feb 2009 - 12:06:28

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Darlington are set to extend Colchester United goalkeeper Dean Gerken's loan stay in the north-east.

The 23-year-old, who has made four starts for the Quakers, has been tipped to spend the next month with the League Two side after Colchester were able to extend Jimmy Walker's loan stay from West Ham United.

Gerken is happy with the way the loan agreement has worked so far, telling Darlington's official website: "I think I needed to freshen up really. I needed a kick up the backside and you can get a bit stale at the same club when you've been there for a long while.

"I hadn't played for a while at Colchester and the gaffer and I came to the conclusion that I should go out and play some games.

"Having not played first-team football for a while, I knew I had to up my game and I think that I've done that.

"I think I've now got back to where I was about a year ago. Playing behind a new defence has helped and I feel more confident. I know that I can go back to Colchester and fight for my place."