Darlington manager Mick Tait made one last desperate attempt to keep Stuart Whitehead at the club last night - by urging the defender not to drop down a division and into non-league football.

Quakers look set to miss out on the 26-year-old who has already "agreed in principle" to join Conference side Telford United.

Tait admits the future of the centre-back is now out of his hands after last ditch talks with the player yesterday.

"He's been down there to speak to them and it's his decision now," said Tait.

"Our only hope now is that he doesn't want to drop out of the league."

It was Tait who recommended Whitehead to former boss Tommy Taylor when the club snapped him up on a free transfer from Carlisle in October.

However, the boss admits he is resigned to losing the impressive defender to the ambitious Shropshire outfit, who have offered Whitehead an improved two-year deal.

"He's the kind of player I would love to keep hold of," said Tait. "We'd been after him for a couple of years and now it looks as if he's going away again.

"He hasn't said that he's definitely leaving but he's very happy with what they've offered."

A move for freed Hartlepool defender James Sharp appears unlikely after he received two offers from Scottish clubs.

And Tait, who could see Whitehead become the eighth player to leave the club this summer, admits keeping his squad together is proving just as difficult as attracting players to the Reynolds Arena.

"We have a few targets in mind but I want to keep hold of the ones we've got first," said Tait.

One target, Sam Aiston, is due back from his holidays this week and Tait hopes to re-open negotiations with the former Sunderland winger, who was released by relegated Shrewsbury.

Tait, however, is less hopeful of landing released Leeds winger Tom Newey. The 21-year-old impressed during a loan spell at the end of last season but a permanent deal is looking increasingly unlikely. "We spoke to Tom a couple of weeks ago but we haven't heard anything since," said Tait.

Read more about the Quakers here.