THE first tangible sign that Darlington Football Club's new 25,000 seat stadium is finally on the way came yesterday in the shape of a towering bill board.

The 28ft-high hoarding heralding the start of work on the new arena was hoisted into place on the town's Neasham Road site.

And after viewing the double-decker bus-sized placard, the club's multi-millionaire chairman, George Reynolds, said the installation of a drainage system would be next on the agenda.

He predicted the complex steelwork for the £15m ground would be completed by Christmas but did sound a note of caution.

"I must ask fans to be patient because I intend to make sure that this very special stadium is perfectly built, I have no intentions of spoiling the ship for a ha'peth of tar.

"I will dictate the pace of work and the result will not be the biggest stadium in the country but it will certainly be the best."

Facilities at the new ground, he promised would be second to none and urged supporters to ignore what he described as "the fairy stories" circulating about the stadium.

"My intentions for Darlington are to build this ultra- modern stadium and then take the team from the third division to the Premier league.

"That is my declared aim and I will not walk away until I have fulfilled this ambition."

But Mr Reynolds admitted he did have one regret and that was that the team was pipped at the promotion post by just one point.

"We now have to put that agony behind us and I ask the fans, who have shown us such magnificent backing, to keep their faith and trust in us and we will reward their loyal support," he said.