Source: Northern_Echo
Staunton delighted to bring back White
break Darlington finally return to action today with a familiar face in their drastically changed side as former defender Alan White has returned to the club.[LNB] The 33-year-old has joined on loan for the rest of the season from Luton Town and will line-up for today's home game with Aldershot as one of several new faces.[LNB] He was one of three signings yesterday, with midfielder Gareth Waite arriving from Northern League club Spennymoor Town and Irish striker Patrick Dean joining from Hibernian.[LNB] They take the number of January signings up to six and supporters are likely to see most, if not all, in action today, although Quakers were last night waiting for the paperwork to be completed on Dean's move from the Scottish Premier League.[LNB] Darlington are very confident[LNB] of the game going ahead, which will allow supporters their first glimpse of the new signings.[LNB] But fans are already familiar with Darlington-born White, who left in the summer during the club's period in administration.[LNB] He started the season in the Luton team but was told recently by new manager Richard Money that he was surplus to requirements, along with three other Hatters regulars, and Staunton is thrilled with his latest bit of business.[LNB] I'm absolutely delighted to be bringing Alan back to the club, he said. It's a terrific signing for us and one that I've been keen to do since the window opened.[LNB] What was very pleasing was that Alan was desperate to come back. He loves his home town and couldn't get up here quick enough to do the deal, which shows how much he's desperate to play for us and to help us stay in League Two.[LNB] I'm sure that will show in his performances between now and the end of the season, starting with the Aldershot match.[LNB] White is returning to the club where he made 85 appearances during two years after first signing in 2007.[LNB] But not only is the squad drastically different from that which White was part of last season, it has also changed significantly since Quakers' last match on December 12, the 5-0 defeat at Torquay.[LNB] Five loan players have left and as well as White, Waite and Dean, in have come Tadgh Purcell, Gary Dempsey and Simon Madden.[LNB] They face a demanding start to their Quakers careers with today's game representing the first of 15 games in two months.[LNB] Staunton said: We've been training up in Durham at the indoor arena and we're very grateful to Middlesbrough for allowing us to use their indoor facility.[LNB] Last week we had the opportunity of using their outdoor artificial pitch so that was good to get out on a pitch for the first time in a few weeks. We've been very fortunate to have use of the facilities that we've had. I know other teams have struggled to get what we've got.[LNB] We've had an horrendous run but the way I see it is that when we resume the season will start again.[LNB] We'll find out in the coming months whether the break has worked for or against us.[LNB] We're going to have a lot of Saturday-Tuesday games and that can create momentum.[LNB] Training is great but match fitness is a different thing. The amount of games coming up is going to be a big ask. We're just going to have monitor the players.[LNB] We have worked them as hard as we can, now there will be a period when we'll have to wrap them up in cotton wool to make sure we get them through from game to game.[LNB] We've got a lot of new faces and hopefully they will rise to the challenge. It will be a big ask as it's not easy throwing a lot of bodies together and hoping they gel.[LNB] Hopefully with the games coming thick and fast the new players will gel quicker than they otherwise would have done.[LNB] It's going to be a big demand on everyone but there's nothing we can do, the weather has hampered everything.[LNB] While Staunton was busy finalising three deals yesterday, he also sent defender Rikki Bains on loan for the rest of the season to Gateshead.[LNB] Asked if fringe players would be leaving, the manager said: I've spoken to one or two players and they know the situation now.[LNB] I'll leave their agents to deal with it for the next few days but if nothing happens I might go a bit more public with them.[LNB]
