BUOYANT officials at Darlington Football Club last night revealed full details of a £300,000 scheme to create an educational centre of excellence to match those of leading North-East clubs.

After months of behind-the-scenes work, the Quakers unveiled the project, and told The Northern Echo that bids for funding were being submitted this week.

The study centre, proposed for the North-East corner of the Williamson Motors Stadium, will be open seven days a week, initially to primary schools.

Club officials said the facilities would be as good as those at Newcastle United, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

The centre could be made available for family learning sessions and courses for people with learning difficulties, run by organisations such as the Prince's Trust.

The facility, which will cost up to £125,000 a year to run, will feature 30 workstations - 15 of which would be permanent computer bases and the rest laptops -as well as a lounge area, office and storage.

As well as computers, it is hoped the centre will include digital video equipment and a musical element.

It is expected to create three jobs, with staff in place by January, and will open in April next year. The club has also enlisted the help of educational charity Young Enterprise North-East.

Quakers chief executive Andy Battison said: "After months of discussing these plans, we now have a firm timescale and vision to work towards, starting this week with the applications for funding.

"The study centre was always a requirement of the original planning consent, but I see it as an opportunity to continue our work with the community, rather than an obligation.

"There is a lot of work to do between now and April, but it will be worth every bit of it.

"We have visited similar centres at the region's big three clubs, as well as at Leeds United and Scunthorpe, and I believe what we offer with this study centre will be as good as any and, by catering for up to 30 people at a time, bigger than most."

The development is the latest boost for the club following an open day at the weekend that attracted 6,000 people and the recent signings of ex-Middlesbrough players Craig Hignett and Alun Armstrong.

Read more about the Quakers here.