Only 3 players who started for Darlington on the opening day of the season played against Burton Albion last weekend which demonstrates just how drastically the Quakers side has changed over the first few months of the 2009/10 campaign. It appeared Colin Todd had assembled a strong squad of players at the Northern Echo Arena over the close season. However once competitive action got underway it soon became apparent that Darlo did not have a strong enough group of players for a side competing in the Football League.
Colin Todd was unable to change things around despite bringing a number of players ( Kevin Gall, Rikki Bains, Jordan Cook etc)into the club on both loan and long term deals. Once Todd left the Arena Quakers began to get their season back on track. Under the guidance of caretaker boss Craig Liddle Darlo put in a battling performance against League 1 giants Leeds United in a JP Trophy game and once Steve Staunton was appointed as the clubs new manager Darlington began to compete once more.
Staunton identified that the squad he inherited at the club was not strong enough if the club wanted to remain in League 2 and since the former Liverpool and Aston Villa legend arrived in the north east he has overhauled the clubs first team squad. Staunton has brought in players such as Mulligan and Giddings who both have something to prove after illness and injury curtailed their progress at bigger clubs earlier in their careers.
Quakers have also started to give their own youngsters opportunities in the first team rather than trawling the youth and reserve teams of bigger clubs for their fringe players. Curtis Main and Corey Barnes have both impressed since coming into the side in recent times and if both young players steer clear of injury it is though that they could both stay involved with the senior set up for the foreseeable future.
Team who played v Aldershot back in August
Knight
Arnsion Foster Miller Bower
Convery Lumsdon G.Smith J.Smith
Thorpe Windass
Ten out of the eleven players who started against Aldershot are still with the club, Dean Windass is the only player who started on the opening day of the season who has since left the Arena. It has to be noted that the likes of Lumsdon, Bower and Thorpe have all been out of action for sustained periods of time which has limited their involvement in first team matters. However it has to be worrying for the club to have players such as Convery, Knight, Jeff Smith and Arnsion under contract till the end of season when they are not in the managers plans. Team who played against Burton Albion last weekend
Liversedge
Barnes Foster Miller Giddings
Mulligan Davis G.Smith Thomas
Main Diop
The current Quakers first team X1 still looks a little light on experience despite recent improvements to the side. However it is hoped that Steve Foster and Ian Miller can provide the side with a solid backbone while players such as Mulligan, Main and Diop can threaten oppositions defences between now and the end of the season.
