Darlington PR Director Luke Raine has called on the club's fans to continue backing the Quakers as the team builds a promotion bid.

Attendances at Feethams have steadily increased this season with Saturday's game at home to Carlisle drawing exactly 1,000 more fans than the first home fixture against Kidderminster when 3,677 turned up.

Raine is glad to see townsfolk are taking notice of the team's good start to the season - but would like to see the numbers increase further. "They've been increasing week on week and if we can get up to 5,000 every match we'll be on the right track," he said.

"People were always going to vote with their feet after last season and would only start buying tickets once we're winning games."

Quakers' three long-term injury victims are on the road to recovery but manager Gary Bennett doesn't want to set a target for their comebacks.

Midfielders Mark Kilty, Gary Himsworth and Glenn Naylor all suffered cruciate ligament injuries during the latter half of last season, with Naylor injured on the last day of the term.

Bennett said: "Mark Kilty is doing very well with his cruciate problem as are Gary Himsworth and Glenn Naylor.

"They've all just stepped up their training and are making good progress.

"They're sticking together and pushing each other on which is good so we're just hoping they continue the progress they've made."

The unavailability of the threesome, as well as Martin Gray who retired last week after succumbing to a back injury, meant Bennett was forced to bolster his midfield during the summer.

Once the trio return, the playing squad will be heavy in numbers, especially in a midfield department which includes Paul Campbell who has yet to make the substitutes bench this season

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