IT is important not to raise the hopes of Darlington Football Club fans too high.

But it is also important to give them hope - and that is exactly what David Hodgson was trying to do by revealing that he is owed a substantial amount of money by the club.

It is not his intention to recover that debt but to use it as a bargaining tool to help give the Quakers a future.

Lawyers are still examining the manager's claim and it seems certain that even if he is confirmed as a major creditor, George Reynolds will still be able to scupper any deal.

But let us hope that it can be used in a constructive way for the greater good of the club.

We must also keep our fingers crossed that the ambitious bid to involve Kenny Dalglish in the future running of the club becomes reality.

The aim is to use the Dalglish name to give the Sterling Consortium's takeover proposal genuine credibility with the Football League.

After all they have been through, it would be a dream come true to see someone of Dalglish's calibre acting as a figurehead while his friend and former colleague Hodgson gets on with the outstanding job he has done with the team.