Source: Northern_Echo
Quakers chairman calls for more support
AS a question mark continues to hang over the future of Darlington, chairman Raj Singh has called on the supporters to do their bit.[LNB] Singh last week threatened to walk away from Quakers after the holding company that owns The Northern Echo Arena was placed into receivership.[LNB] Prior to Singh's arrival in 2009, that holding company incurred a £1.7m debt to Philip Scott and Graham Sizer, former senior executives with the Darlingtonbased care home company Southern Cross Healthcare.[LNB] Scott and Sizer have called in a firm of receivers to recover their debt and as a result Singh is ready to sever his ties with Darlington.[LNB] Such a move would place the club's future in doubt, but the Teesside businessman says a strong show of support from the fans is required.[LNB] Speaking in the programme for Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Kidderminster Harriers, Singh said: Our supporters really do have a crucial role to play here. First of all, they can demonstrate their support for the club to Mr Scott and Mr Sizer. I'm sure if they realised just how much our fans passionately care about the club and it's future, they'd think very differently.[LNB] I also need to see more commitment. We do have a hardcore of about 1,200 fans, but quite frankly I need to see a dramatic increase in the uptake of season tickets next season if I'm to be convinced that the club is worth saving.[LNB] I'll fight tooth and nail to save it, but I need to be convinced as well. I can't fight the battle single-handed, and that's where our fans have a big part to play.[LNB] I'm planning to sit down with the Supporters Trust and Supporters Club over the next few weeks to discuss with them how we drum up more support and start getting the stay-away fans back and the drifters' to come more often.[LNB] Singh should have been encouraged by the 1,615 attendance on Tuesday, that included only 57 visiting fans, which is one of the highest for a midweek game this season.[LNB] The next opportunity for fans to show their support is on Saturday when Salisbury City visit the Arena as Darlington aim to stay on the road to Wembley.[LNB] The FA Trophy quarterfinal sees Quakers take on a side that is in the thick of the promotion race two divisions below.[LNB] However, Salisbury suffered a shock 6-0 defeat to Truro on Tuesday, a loss that saw the teams swap places at the top of the Zamaretto Premier League.[LNB] Striker Liam Hatch has served a two-game ban, but Nathan Modest could be sidelined.[LNB] He was due to be a sub on Tuesday, but suffered an ankle injury in the warm-up so his place on the bench went to Tommy Wright.[LNB] Nathan Modest got injured in the warm-up, he twisted his ankle. At the time I think Tommy was on his fourth course upstairs in the Ron Greener Suite so we had to drag him out just before he had his trifle! quipped manager Mark Cooper.[LNB]
