Darlington FC managing director, Graham Fordy has called on businesses in the region to show the same support for the club as the 9,000 fans who roared the club to Wembley glory this month.

The Blue Square Premier club, which ended the football season on a high by securing the FA Trophy, continues to stay afloat by drawing heavily on the personal fortune of chairman Raj Singh. However, as its fortunes begin to improve on the pitch, the Quakers commercial wing is determined to improve the companys trading position which recorded a £680,000 loss in its most recent accounts.

"No matter what we achieve this year we are not going to be close to breaking even, let alone making a profit," said Mr Fordy. "All we are trying to do is to get closer to being a viable business. The chairman knows what he can afford to lose this year, but he hasnt got limitless funds."

Promotion back to the Football League would bring £500,000 to the club. The immediate priority is to sell 2,000 season tickets and significantly increase revenue from conferencing, events and sponsorship at the Northern Echo Arena.

"The businesses in Darlington seem to have more trust in us than when we took charge two years ago, and we are asking them to show their support in pounds, shillings and pence.

"At first, we found it incredibly difficult to convince companies to invest in us, such as buying an advertising hoarding or corporate box. I can understand where they were coming from because since the Arena opened it has suffered a chequered career, with two administrations along the way.

"Investors look for credibility and stability. We know that in business you cant buy respect and trust; it has to earned over a period. Now we are going in to our third year I think we are slowly winning people around.

"There are some big companies in Darlington and more and more of them are using us for their training, meetings and conferences."

Quakers have announced their new corporate prices for the 2011-12 campaign. A corporate box at the Arena will cost £7,350 (plus VAT), based on 10 guests, with the executive package working out at £320 per game.

"If companies can't afford to take an executive box they can sponsor the match ball or take a billboard or advert in the programme," added Mr Fordy.

"I know that entertaining guests at a Conference club isn't as exiting as at a Premier League or Championship club, but we are all in this together and things are looking up. There is a flood of optimism about the place since winning at Wembley. I would like to think the Darlington business community will want to be a part of what we are trying to do."