A CAMPAIGN by supporters to help save Darlington Football Club gathered pace last night.

Fans with fundraising ideas packed into the town's Red Lion pub for a brainstorming meeting.

Darlington Supporters' Trust, which is part of a local consortium planning a bid for the club, launched a £250,000 crisis fund at the weekend.

And the day after George Reynolds resigned as a director and therefore relinquished his position as chairman, the trust held the meeting aimed at reaching the target.

With a statement of affairs due to be released by the club's administrators any day, the supporters are aiming to raise the cash by the end of March.

It will be kept in an account to be used to keep the club running if its imminent closure is announced.

Among a host of ideas being considered by the trust following last night's meeting are:

* A fundraising match at the Reynolds Arena on a Sunday;

* An evening of entertainment featuring local schoolchildren at the Civic Theatre;

* a corporate golf day;

* a sponsored car wash;

* a special Quakers beer.

Board member Tony Taylor told the meeting: "I really do believe that there can be a viable future for Darlington Football Club at the new stadium, but it is going to take a lot of hard work and it will have to inspire the whole community."

Afterwards, he said: "It was an extremely encouraging meeting with a strong turnout and a lot of good ideas.

"All we want to do is help Darlington Football Club to have a future. We are in crisis, there is no doubt about that, but we have got to at least try everything we can to save the club."

A public meeting is being held at the Dolphin Centre in Darlington at 7.30pm next Tuesday for anyone interested in joining in the fundraising effort.

A membership form for the trust will be published in The Northern Echo tomorrow.

Details of every fundraising event will also be published, along with a daily update on the appeal's progress.