Darlington FC's future looked more secure last night after administrators revealed details of a new deal to solve the club's financial crisis.

Administrators Wilson Field have drawn up proposals they believe will ensure the crisis-hit club is still in business next season.

Tomorrow's deadline for firm bids is set to pass without any deals on the table, despite interest from a consortium of local businessmen and Greece-based fan Ted Forster.

But joint administrator David Field told The Northern Echo last night that new proposals outlining a fall-back option to save the club were expected to be sent to creditors next week - although mystery still surrounds the details.

Mr Field said he was close to finalising a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) - a deal to keep the club out of liquidation.

Although he declined to give precise details, any CVA is likely to offer creditors a small fraction of what they are owed.

But Mr Field believes the deal would be accepted at the next creditors' meeting, which is due to take place by the end of the month.

If it is, the club will be able to emerge from administration intact and look forward to next season with renewed confidence.

Mr Field said the plan represented a "worst case scenario" for creditors and pledged the door would remain open for other interested parties to make better offers.

Administrators are not saying who they have lined up to fund the CVA.

They would not reveal who would run the club under the deal, but stressed that former chairman George Reynolds would not have any role.

However, one possible "white knight" may be the Sterling Consortium - the financiers who hold a £4m mortgage on the Reynolds Arena.

If no credible alternative bid emerges, Sterling may feel obliged to take the club out of administration to protect its investment.

No one from Sterling was available for comment last night, but administrators have indicated previously that the group might become involved as a last resort.

Mr Field said: "Our plan depends on the creditors accepting that a little bit is better than nothing at all. It's not definite, but we believe it would satisfy creditors.

"If it is accepted, we would apply for the club to be taken out of administration and the club could continue into next season."

He added: "What we're supposed to do is wait until we have something definitive, but we don't know when that's going to be.

"What we'll be trying to say to creditors is 'This is the least we think we can achieve - if you accept it, then it is the minimum you will get, if something better comes in that's a bonus'."

The uncertainty surrounding the scale of the debts has deterred interested parties from tabling firm bids.

The administrators' new plan has been drawn up to ensure the club does not face a winding-up order after the April 22 deadline set by the creditors.

The local consortium, backed by Darlington Supporters' Trust, has requested more financial information to allow its members to decide whether to proceed with a bid.

Lifelong fan Mark Meynell, who is heading the group, said: "We've said all along there are no guarantees, but having got this far we want to succeed and, if we get it, we think we could make a good job of it."

There is still no documentary evidence to back up Mr Reynolds' claim for about £20m. He has said he would accept 10p for every pound he claims he is owed.

* Read more about the Quakers in crisis on-line at www.thisisthenortheast.co. uk/sport/football.