Darlington chairman George Reynolds last night hit back at rumours circulating about his future at the club, and he also rubbished claims that work on the new ground had come to a standstill.

There has been talk he was about to walk-out of the Feethams club and the fact the club's staff, including players, were not paid last week, seemed to add weight to that rumour.

And as work on the new 25,000-all seater stadium appears to have slowed somewhat over recent months, many supporters have been left wondering what the future holds for the club.

But Reynolds is adamant the ground will be completed, and says there's no truth whatsoever in talk of him leaving the club he bought almost three years ago.

"The rumour that I'm walking away is rubbish," he said. "I've never walked out on anything in my life.

"I've never deserted a sinking ship, in fact, we're not a sinking ship because we're the only club building a ground with no borrowings."

After the players were not paid last week, the club explained how Barclays Bank were responsible and they would be paid this week.

Following the Easter weekend Barclays reopened yesterday and in a statement regarding last week's mistake, they said: "The payments went out on Wednesday evening (March 27), but unfortunately because of the Easter Bank holidays these payments did not actually reach people's accounts until Tuesday, April 2.

"Money was available for withdrawal by the majority of beneficiaries of our business customers' payments on Friday or Saturday."

Despite the players still not being paid by yesterday, Reynolds explained: "The money is in the system. It's like clearing a cheque, it takes a few days to come through.

"It's out of our control. They'll be paid by the end of the week."

The building of the new stadium got off to a rapid start when work commenced last year, but since the turn of the year development appears to have slowed.

Reynolds says work on the stadium - originally planned to open in time for next season - is progressing satisfactorily.

"I'm as eager as anyone to get it built because it will mean we can get some revenue in," he said.

"To begin with I was a bit too keen to see it open but what people don't realise is that it entails so much work. There are 738 miles of cables going in.

"There's about 43 men working inside the stadium and there's be another 87 to come next week.

"We want it all. We want a new stadium, promotion and a stable football club."

Reynolds says the rumours are the latest in a long line and he now just ignores them.

"There's rumours all the time. The rumours that go around make me laugh sometimes," he said.

"The Internet is barmy for rumours but the problem is you get kids on there, and Hartlepool fans write things and people believe it.

"It doesn't annoy me, I just ignore them."

* Darlington's reserves are at home to Grimsby tonight (7pm) and will field two teenage triallists.

Newcastle striker Jonathan Mann and Middlesbrough left-back Liam Smith will both feature, with Quakers hoping to feature 19-year-old forward Scott Emmerson who is being released by York.

Read more about the Quakers here.