RESURGENT Darlington Football Club is hoping to have turned around its financial woes and be making a profit early next year.

A year on from one of the darkest moments in the Quakers' history, chairman Stewart Davies yesterday said the future was bright, and urged supporters to turn out in their thousands on Boxing Day.

He revealed the club was hopeful of being in the black by February.

It is in stark contrast to the situation 12 months ago, when administrators were called in to avert a winding-up order from the Inland Revenue. Mr Davies said: "Provided we continue to do well on the pitch, we would expect to break into profitability in February. That is largely due to the use of the stadium by the people of Darlington."

He said off-the-pitch activities at the Williamson Motors Stadium had been a success with the business community.

He said: "We have had lots of Christmas parties and other events which have gone really well."

Facilities at the Neasham Road venue will expand in the new year with the opening of a family enclosure.

The club's owner, the Sterling Consortium, is understood to have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on getting the enclosure, in the North Stand, ready for opening in March.

Mr Davies said: "We have a brand new stadium with no debt and a club that's eighth in the league and doing reasonably well.

"I think the future looks bright, but that is dependent on the people of Darlington coming in to watch football." The campaign to attract fresh support will be stepped up on Boxing Day, with offers available for the match against Rochdale.

All schoolchildren will get free entry, while from noon to 2pm, beer and lager will be £1 a pint in the Tin Shed bar and the Corner Bar.

Darlington Borough Council has also allowed the club to open its car park for free entry until 2pm as a one-off. Fans who have a season ticket will have their spaces reserved by stewards.

Match-day buses that usually travel from the town centre to the stadium will not be available on Sunday.

Quakers' manager David Hodgson said: "The fans who have been coming along to the stadium have been great, and we thank them for their support.

"But I hope we can draw in some new faces or bring back some old ones for this game.

"If people turn out in force and make the most of the offers, I hope we can draw in our biggest home crowd of the season and help everyone celebrate Christmas with a strong home performance, three points and a great atmosphere."

Read more about the Quakers here.