IN his final interview before he was jailed, George Reynolds was as defiant as ever.

Speaking exclusively to The Northern Echo, the disgraced former chairman of Darlington Football Club vowed: "Let everyone know, I'll be back - bigger, better, faster and cheaper."

He spent his last night of freedom at his penthouse flat in Durham City, fielding phone calls from well-wishers, journalists and people who were just plain curious.

Reynolds claimed not to be daunted by the prospect of a prison sentence.

"If I go down, it will be a relief. This whole matter has been hanging over me for 18 months and I am glad it has come to an end and I will get on with my life, whether inside or outside. I am not bothered about going to prison."

Despite the daunting prospect of a custodial sentence at the age of 69, he still found time to joke about the football club that brought him down.

"I understand they have televisions in prisons now - but I can guarantee I won't be watching football."

In a rare moment of reflection, Reynolds admitted: "The trouble with me was that my money was in Darlington, but my heart and soul was in Sunderland.

"I genuinely wanted to do something for Darlington, but after I did everything I could and spent every penny I had, it was taken from me."

Then he fell back on the mantra Quakers fans became familiar with during his five years in charge: "I have made three mistakes in my life.

"One - I stopped Darlington Football Club from going bankrupt. Two - I built the club a state-of-the-art stadium. Three - myself and my family put all our life savings into it."

He added: "But I've never cried over spilt milk and I won't be shedding any tears tomorrow, no matter what is thrown at me. I have had that much rubbish thrown at me over the years, I'm immune to it now."

Despite pleading guilty to tax evasion, he still had harsh words for the Inland Revenue: " I have not heard a peep from them for the past five years, no request for an interview, no queries over transactions - nothing."

He vowed the prison sentence was nothing more than a set-back: "You always have to look on the bright side of life and I have been trying to lose weight for years - now I'll have the chance to get trim. I graduated from the school of hard knocks this is just another knock along the way. But you can bet your life I will be back."

And in a parting shot at the club he left with a 27,000-seater stadium, he said: "I was told that attendance would treble when I left the club, so there is one thing for sure, if I have a lot of time on my hands I will be watching news of the gates at Darlington to see when the prophecy comes true."