Durham City chairman Stewart Dawson has re-iterated that manager Billy Cruddas will be in charge next season.

Romours had circulated for several months that Cruddas, in his third spell at the club, is going to leave, but Dawson quashed the talk, saying: "As far as the club is concerned, Billy will be in charge of next season. I know there are rumours, but they are completely wrong.

"In fact, Billy and his assistant Derek Ord, have already targeted some players, and spoken to one or two."

Willington are asking for money back from the league following their long-running saga regarding the abandoned Benfield Saints game.

In the latest twist to the Alan Shoulder incident at Benfield, Willington are requesting the £85 they were ordered to pay to Benfield Saints as compensation for the game being abandoned should be returned.

Manager Shoulder, whose appeal against Durham FA charges was upheld by an FA appeal earlier this month, said: "We have written to the league requesting the return of the £85 that we had to pay.

"We are also seeking compensation from the league for the considerable amount of time and money that we have had to spend on the matter, and also compensation for the inaccurate reports from the league which appeared in the local press and were circulated to all league clubs.

"However, recent correspondence from the league still holds us responsible for the abandonment, even though I and Willington FC have been completely exonerated.

"Furthermore, the Northern League states that they only act in guilty cases so will any action be taken against the referee and his assistant?"

However, the Northern League's stance doesn't appear to have changed, and chairman Mike Amos said: "As with all League decisions Willington had the right of appeal to the FA, which they didn't use. The Willington chairman did, however, ask for a re-hearing with him present, and we allowed it. At that hearing he was carefully and specifically asked if he wished to pursue the matter, and he unequivocally indicated they wanted to take it no further.

"For Willington to seek to re-open the issue several months later, after their own chairman clearly stated they had no wish to do so, is perhaps a little surprising."

Whitley Bay secretary Derek Breakwell and Durham secretary Kevin Hewitt have both put themselves up for election to the Northern League management committee at the AGM next month. All the current members of the committee are understood to be standing for re-election.

West Allotment and North Shields, the two new clubs who are being promoted to the Northern League, will be asked to sign a charter to stamp out swearing on the field.

League chairman Mike Amos said: "We have written to the two clubs, asking them to join in.

"We have already spoken to all the league clubs, and they are 38-3 in favour of a charter.

"It's all very encouraging, but signing a piece of paper, and then taking action are two entirely different matters.

"Personally, I think it has been an awful season for swearing, and as a league, we must get to grips with the problem.

"Football isn't just a man's game, it is a game for women and children because they all want to watch. Football has universal appeal."

Shildon striker Garry Barnes scooped all three Player of the Year awards at the club's presentation night.

Barnes scored 53 goals in total last season, 34 of which were in the league, a record which has earned him the league's leading scorer award. The former Darlington striker, who played a major part in the team reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup, was the player of the year, players' player of the year and supporters' player of the year. Goalkeeper John Jackson also received an award for playing in every game.

The league's annual dinner takes place tonight at the Ramside Hall Hotel. Darlington MP Alan Milburn is the chief guest, and Seth Shildon is providing the entertainment. FA official Mike Appleby will also be attending. A full list of the award winners will be in next week's Local Heroes.