A GROUP of young football fans were made guests of honour after they changed their allegiances to cheer on their local team.

Darlington FC pulled out all the stops to greet the eight friends, including two brothers, many of whom were attending their first game.

It comes at a time the Quakers are urging new fans to support their home town team rather than Premiership sides across the country.

Brothers Jonathan and Robert Coll, who were once Manchester United fans, have converted to Darlington supporters.

Jonathan, 13, has regularly taken supporters' coaches to make the trip from Barnard Castle to see Manchester United in action.

The pair have also toured the Old Trafford ground.

But when they attended Darlington's first game of the season at home to Wrexham to cheer on their local team, they were hooked.

On Saturday, six of Jonathan's friends, including those from school and from Barnard Castle, joined them to see the league leaders defeat Lincoln City 2-0.

The six, Tim Ridgeway, Elliot Petty, Jevon Crawley, Adam Goodfellow, Jack Laurie and Tom Dent, normally cheer on Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs.

When Jonathan's mother, Gail, told the club about the trip, bosses decided to treat the eight friends.

They were given scarves, met chairman George Houghton, and allowed on the pitchside to meet seven of their new heroes.

Jonathan said: "We all wanted to go to more games this season. It is better value for money. I thought they cared for their fans more.

"It was absolutely great. They are playing really well, which should get even more fans through the gates."