Tommy Taylor is ready to draw from experience ahead a busy summer in the transfer market.

The Darlington boss needs to sign new players, but not before some of the unfavoured squad members are let go, and he realises he is not going to have a great deal of money to spend.

He likens the problems he faces now to those he endured at the beginning of his time as manager of Leyton Orient when he had to rebuild the squad on a tight financial budget.

He took over at Brisbane Road in the middle of season 1996/97 and the following pre-season had to wheel and deal in the transfer market as he shipped out some of the club's higher earners.

At Feethams, he again finds himself with little money to play with while some of the nine out of contract players will be allowed to leave at the end of their deals.

"It was horrendous at Orient," said Taylor . "Especially considering some of the wages they were on. So just told some of them where to go and I replaced them with what I could afford to bring in."

Taylor is keeping tabs on Brisbane Road striker Iysedan Christie who has notched three goals in as many games since a loan move to Feethams broke down when the two clubs could not agree a financial agreement.

As well as Christie, Taylor would also like to sign Dan Chillingworth who had a loan spell at Feethams earlier this season, but Taylor knows the money he can offer potential new players a big factor in shaping a squad. I know roughly what I'll be able to offer new players and if they want to come here for that, it's up to them,'' he said. "If I could get both Chillingworth and Christie, I would get both of them. George (Reynolds) is dead right, we can't afford to spend more than we've got, and if players don't like what we offer them, then I'll go into non-League and get some players in with some guts.

"There's too many players out there on a lot of money on who can't hack the Third Division."

Reserve keeper Andrew Grainger played for Bradford reserves as a trialist in their match at home to Everton last night.

Darlington's youth team are playing at home to Shrewsbury this afternoon. Admission is free and the game kicks-off at 1pm.

Anth Lormor could be back at Hartlepool next week. The striker has been on loan at Shrewsbury for the last four weeks, netting twice in six starts. His loan spell ends after tomorrow's trip to Exeter and Pool boss Chris Turner is believed to be loath to extend the loan period for a further month.

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