COUNCIL officials announced last night that they are reviewing the legality of an advertising board outside Darlington Football Club's new stadium.

The announcement came after club chairman George Reynolds used the board to post a statement about The Northern Echo.

The message was posted 24 hours after The Northern Echo reported that the lowest league crowd in five years had watched Darlington lose 2-1 at home to Cambridge United.

It also comes weeks after the board, which does not have planning permission, was used to ask whether the editor of The Northern Echo should be "shown the red card".

In April last year, a message on the board, in Neasham Road, falsely declared that Century FM radio presenter Paul Gough was gay.

A spokesman for Darlington Borough Council said last night: "We are, in any event, examining the position with regard to the requirement of the football club to get permission for the board. Once we have done this we will be taking it up with the football club."

Yesterday, the latest message on the board read: "The Northern Echo in crisis and turmoil." Later in the day, figures were added with apparent reference to the newspaper's circulation.

On February 27, the UK's Audit Bureau of Circulations published official figures which showed that in 2002 The Northern Echo recorded its best sales performance for many years.

The newspaper was the second best performing regional morning newspaper in England, selling an average of 60,522 copies per day from July to December 2002.

Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo, said: "In the interests of the football club, its sponsors, its supporters and the town, we have restrained previously from comment about statements made on this board.

"The Northern Echo is not in crisis or turmoil. Our audited sales figures show how well we are performing in the regional morning newspaper sector in England. We are second in the league in which we 'perform'.

"We want Darlington's team - and the club - to be successful. We share the concern of all supporters that, currently, Darlington Football Club is in 17th position in the Third Division, six points above the relegation zone, having won only one of its last ten matches."

After the defeat by Cambridge, caretaker manager Mick Tait said he believed the low crowd summed up the season for Quakers.

He said: "The fans are voting with their feet."

When Mr Reynolds was asked last night if he had posted the latest message in retaliation for The Northern Echo's coverage of Tuesday night's match, Mr Reynolds said: "Yes."

He added: "You have a go at me and I'll have a go back."