THE world of football has been dominated of late by the pantomime starring Sven-Goran Eriksson and the FA.

Attention has been focused on the highest echelons of the game, where the England manager is paid £4m a year and sport's shambolic, incompetent, high-earning rulers have to weigh up whether they can afford to risk a multi-million pound compensation case by sacking him.

Meanwhile, the FA secretary at the centre of the sex scandal, which has led to the resignation of FA chief executive Mark Palios and left Eriksson teetering on a knife-edge, is preparing to pocket a reported £500,000 by selling her story to the Sunday newspapers.

Amidst such distractions, it is easy to forget that the FA is also responsible for football at the lower levels, right down to the grass roots, where clubs are fighting for survival.

Our thoughts today are particularly with Darlington FC which so nearly went out of business last season in the aftermath of George Reynolds' reign.

Today, the Quakers are under new control and the immediate threat to the club's future has been lifted.

But make no mistake, Darlington Football Club is still fighting for its life - it still needs the support of the local community.

We hope that support is forthcoming, starting against Grimsby today.