Manager: Gary Bennett (caretaker)

Stadium: Feethams

Capacity: 8,500

Last Season: 4th, beaten play-off finalists

Comings and goings

Out: Marco Gabbiadini (Northampton, free), Peter Duffield (York City, free), Neil Heaney (Dundee United, £175,000), Steve Tutill (Chesterfield, free), Michael Oliver (Rochdale, free), Phil Brumwell (released), Mark Samways (released, now at Doncaster Rovers)

In: defender Stuart Elliott (Newcastle United, free), striker Tom Kaak (Dutch side Heracles, free)

One to watch: After seeing the likes of Gabbiadini, Duffield, Tutill and Heaney flee the Feethams' nest the Quaker fans threatened revolt when it emerged defensive rock Craig Liddle could also be on his way. However, the former Middlesbrough man has now pledge his allegiance to Darling-ton and will be looking to reproduce the form that saw him voted into the Third Division team of the year.

Odds: Installed as the bookies favourites but purely for their form of last year when automatic promotion seemed a certainty, Darlington have suf-fered a summer of major unrest, culminating in manager David Hodgson's resignation last week.. Wrangles over contracts and player bonuses had not helped Hodgson rebuild a squad shattered by the loss of a number of key players, most notably former York hot shot Marco Gabbiadini. With chairman George Reynolds tightening the purse strings, insisting the club becomes self-sufficient and refusing to pay signing-on fees or agents fees there are few signs for optimism on the horizon either.