Just five games into the season, Darlington fans are already growing restless over the Quakers' dismal start. As basement club Carlisle United visit the Reynolds Arena for a bottom-of-the-table clash today, Lee Hall looks at the Catch 22 facing the club.

There has never been any question that Darlington Football Club's magnificent new stadium is a credit to the town and chairman George Reynolds.

The Reynolds Arena is a venue Quakers fans can be proud of but the same cannot be said about the team, which stands as the second worst in the Football League.

Only Carlisle United have a worse record and the Cumbrians pay their first visit to the Reynolds Arena today in what promises to be a real relegation dogfight - just five games into the new season. Another defeat for the Quakers would see them go bottom and fans' unrest grow.

Even after such an alarming start to the season, which has seen Quakers lose four of their first five League games, manager Mick Tait, pictured right, has seemingly resigned himself to the apparent lack of funds available to pull the club out of its depressing league position.

Promises by George Reynolds of signings which would see fans "doing cartwheels" have failed to materialise. Marco Gabbiadini's snub in favour of a move to bitter rivals Hartlepool rounded off a miserable summer for Tait, who has been left to feed off the morsels of amateur football.

It may be worth renaming the club's Bar 66 to Catch 22 because that's the situation Quakers find themselves in. Reynolds insists that before he can loosen his purse strings, crowds must improve.

But crowds won't improve until he loosens his purse strings.

The chairman has always argued that if the facilities are good enough, the crowds will come. But that is like arguing that music-lovers will flock to the Royal Albert Hall to watch a Status Quo tribute band.

"This is a massive season for Darlington Football Club," said Reynolds during the summer.

"It's going to take time but we are heading in the right direction."

However the club's failure to land several summer targets has left many Quakers die-hards with little hope for a campaign which has begun in disturbing fashion.

The fact that nobody is surprised shows just how high - or low - expectancy levels are this season.

In truth, Quakers fans expect nothing more than another battle at the foot of the Third Division in their splendid new home.

And while many would argue that it's too early to pass judgement just five games in, the warning signs are clearly there.

Middlesbrough and Newcastle find themselves in similar positions at the foot of the Premiership but they have enough quality players to climb the table.

If only the same could be said for Quakers.

It is an unenviable task for Tait, who cannot be held responsible given his limited resources.

An improvement on last season's 14th place would be an achievement in itself following the departure of eight first-team players at the end of the season, including Stuart Whitehead and Richard Hodgson to Conference sides.

Quakers fans aren't expecting an open cheque book of Chelski proportions. All they want is a team which is going to hold its own in Division Three and perhaps even push for a play-off spot.

And while splashing the cash at this level is a dangerous game to play - just ask Oldham - missing out on players to the likes of non-league Telford is a real concern.

Even with the attraction of a fantastic new stadium, it appears players would prefer to ply their trade elsewhere, even if it means dropping down a division just to get a better deal, a la Whitehead and Hodgson.

Reynolds has taken a public stand over offering footballers more than he thinks they are worth in the past. And that may explain why so many players have slipped through the net during a frustrating summer.

But surely as a businessman who has made millions, Reynolds must realise that he has to speculate if he wants to accumulate some points

Read more about the Quakers here.