A RATHER fruity offer of support has been accepted by troubled Darlington Football Club.

Greengrocer John Lister hopes his offer of free bananas will help prevent the players from slipping up on the pitch.

His offer of nutritional support comes just over a week after the Third Division side was placed into administration to prevent it being wound up by the Inland Revenue.

The 44-year-old, who runs a stall in Darlington's Indoor Market, was determined to offer his backing.

He is supplying the club with a weekly delivery of 40lb of fruit - about 160 bananas.

He said: "I have supported the club since I was eight years old, so when I saw it was in trouble I decided to do something to help."

And for sceptical readers who think it is all monkey business, Quakers manager David Hodgson endorsed the importance of bananas, which he hopes will bolster players' stamina and fitness levels.

He said: "The banana has a massive nutritional value and the footballers are going to get enormous benefit from being able to have them every day."