Football club row intensifies

Former vice-chairman Raj Singh, who is looking to buy the stricken club, was incensed by comments made by the Quakers’ former chairman, George Houghton, during a radio interview on Saturday.

Mr Houghton had accused Mr Singh of reneging on an agreement to invest £800,000 in the club before the end of February.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Singh said: “I was amazed to hear his comments and accusations in the interview. It sounded to me like an act of a desperate man.

“Another reason given from Mr Houghton for the club going into administration was that I failed to put more money in as I had promised.

“Mr Houghton had clearly made up his mind not to inject any more cash into the club, but was quite happy for myself to put more money in with every chance of losing it within the coming weeks.”

Mr Singh said the interview had been given to “discredit”

him. He added: “I am pleased to say that the ex-chairman failed miserably in his attempt to do so and I was overwhelmed by the fans’ support towards me during and after Saturday’s match.

“I would now like to ask Mr Houghton to do the honourable thing and accept responsibility for his mistakes and accept our offer that is made to him so that we can all move on and hopefully make plans for next season as soon as possible.”

Last night, Mr Houghton stood by his comments, and said Mr Singh should either “put up the money, or shut up”.

He added: “If he wants the club, he’s got to come to the table and negotiate a proper deal.

“There is no animosity at all, I just want to sit down in the next 48 hours and do a deal.

“All we are trying to do is sort out the future of the club.”

Mr Houghton also played down the level of hostility which greeted him at The Northern Echo Darlington Arena during Saturday’s game against Brentford.

“You always get the odd one,”

he said. “Ninety-nine per cent of the fans there know I have done my best.”