SUPPORTERS' favourite David Hodgson returned as manager of Darlington Football Club last night with an assurance that he will be given full control of team affairs.

Chairman George Reynolds promised to take a back seat role to lure Mr Hodgson for his third spell at the club.

Mr Hodgson, 42, said he had agreed to be in charge of the troubled Third Division side because the current situation - with the team near the bottom of the league - was destroying the club.

"I have made it clear to the chairman that the performance of the football team in the eyes of the fans and the media will be at the feet of myself and the players," he said.

"He must make sure that he doesn't attend matches on a Saturday afternoon and cause a distraction. He must leave me to get on with running the football side of the club, because we must totally focus on staying up."

Mr Reynolds said he was happy to concentrate on promoting the commercial aspects of the club.

"Just because I am taking a back seat as far as the footballing side is concerned does not mean that I won't be attending matches or giving the team my whole-hearted support," said the chairman, who left his seat early to jeers during last Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Bury at the Reynolds Arena.

Mr Reynolds said he welcomed the opportunity to focus on the business side, including hospitality and trying to secure permission for restaurants and car boot sales.

"I have enough on my plate and, to be frank, it is doing my head in," he said.

Mr Hodgson, who led the Quakers to a play-off final at Wembley in 2000 before resigning, said he felt compelled to return, to prevent a potentially disastrous relegation from the Football League.

Current manager Mick Tait will remain at the club in a youth development role.

Mr Hodgson said: "I felt as if I had to return to stop the club being relegated. Staying in the Football League is the be-all and end-all, and the current situation is destroying the club.

"I'm prepared to sacrifice other things in my life to help the club out of trouble."

Supporters hailed his return as a long-awaited positive move and hoped that it would prove a catalyst for on-the-field success.

Tony Taylor, board member of Darlington Supporters' Trust and a close friend of Mr Hodgson, said: "He's a very popular figure and, from the trust's point of view, we hope that this heralds a new era for the club, with fans having a greater input."

Fraser Wallace, 45, of Darlington, said: "He's got the contacts in the game, he's well liked by the fans, he's passionate about football and the club."

David Robinson, 32, of Darlington, said: "Hodgson had the ability to make an unfashionable club look attractive to good players. Hopefully the public of Darlington will get behind him again."

Steve Duffy, of the Darlington Away Far Travelling Supporters group, said: "It's great to have him back - we all know how much he loves the club and what he's achieved.

"It will be interesting to know what his plans are and what George Reynolds 'taking a back seat' means in practice."

Supporter Ken Snowdon, 67, of Thornton, near Middlesbrough, said: "They say that Reynolds is going to take a back seat and I feel that's the most important thing. What we need now is to rescue the fans because they're fed up and completely depressed."

* Darlington Supporters' Trust meets at Darlington Cricket Club next Thursday, at 7.45pm, when Mr Hodgson's appointment will be high on the agenda.