A THIRD potential saviour has emerged for crisis-hit Darlington Football Club, it was revealed last night.

As supporters threw their weight behind a bid spearheaded by local businessmen, the club's administrator confirmed he had received an approach from an unnamed source.

The Quakers have been in turmoil ever since chairman George Reynolds placed the club in administration to avoid a winding-up order by the Inland Revenue.

Insolvency practitioners have been working on the club's debts since December 23 in a bid to find a way forward.

Fans fear that if a buyer cannot be found, the Quakers could become the first football league side to be liquidated.

Administrator David Field said last night that he was now more confident the club could be saved.

But he admitted that the actual scale of the club's debts was still under investigation. The seriousness of the position is likely to become clear after a meeting of creditors on January 22.

He said: "I would prefer not to comment on who we have spoken to, but I can say that there are people who have not been mentioned before.

"I know two of the parties, and I am satisfied they are genuine, and a third we aren't quite sure about at the moment.

"The others are just expressions of interest."

The latest development came as the Darlington Supporters' Trust confirmed that it was backing businessman Mark Meynell's consortium in its plans to launch a bid.

Officials said that becoming one of five equal partners in the group of local businessmen would require a major fund-raising effort, but was "the only serious option".

Trust members urged fans to support the cause by turning up in their thousands for today's match with high-flying Hull City. A defeat would add to the club's relegation woes.

Collections will be held around the Reynolds Arena and the trust will be recruiting new members in Bar 66 before the match.

While that is taking place, the administrators will be holding a meeting with the club's directors to give a preliminary report.

So far, the consortium and Brooks Mileson, owner of the Albany Group, have been the only names connected to a takeover.

The consortium was last night continuing its feasibility study into the potential for making a bid for the total package of the club and stadium.

It has been examining fund-raising ideas for months and will aim to follow the examples set by its Cambridge United and York City counterparts, which had to raise up to £500,000 each to help ensure survival.

If a bid goes ahead, it would give supporters the chance to help save the club and the money raised by fans would effectively be pooled into a trust shareholding, with a seat on the board available.