TOMMY Taylor vowed last night to try to keep Graham Fenton at Darlington as he closed in on the capture of another striker.
Fenton, on loan from Blackpool for a further three weeks, could be joined at Feethams by another forward by this weekend after Taylor confirmed the mystery player's club had agreed to let him leave.
Fenton, who was born in Wallsend, said in Northern Echo Sport yesterday that he wanted to make his return to the North-East a permanent one.
Taylor wants to grant that wish and also hopes to use him as part of a three-pronged strikeforce in time for Darlington's trip to his old club Leyton Orient on Saturday.
The Quakers manager, who has been strongly linked with Stockport County's Luke Beckett, said: "I've got a list of strikers I want and one of them has indicated he's happy to come.
"The money side of the deal is fine, and I've spoken to his manager and he's happy for the player to move to us.
"I just need the player to agree to it, and I'd hope that it would happen by the weekend."
Taylor, whose team go into tonight's home game with Wrexham having not won any of their five matches, has already seen evidence of Fenton's Premiership background on the pitch and in training.
The 28-year-old does not figure in Blackpool manager Steve McMahon's plans but the Feethams boss is full of admiration for the former Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa striker.
Taylor said: "You can see Graham's experience from the way he takes the ball and passes it.
"He stays behind after training to do extra work and we want to make him part of a really good team that can get us there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
"Once his month's loan is up, we'll have a chat with him about the future, but if we could keep him it would be great.
"I want to bring in another striker so that I can play Graham in a free role behind the forwards.
"Considering he hasn't done much work at Blackpool recently, he did very well on Saturday."
Taylor is expected to keep faith with the side that drew 2-2 with Bournemouth. Skipper Craig Liddle remains on the injuries list after suffering a gashed leg at York seven days ago and was yesterday ruled out by the club for at least another two weeks.
Quakers (from): Collett, Betts, McGurk, Clarke, Valentine, Ford, Maddison, Nicholls, Fenton, Conlon, Clark, Naylor, Reed, Hodgson, Wainwright, Porter.
Read more about the Quakers here.
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