SUPPORTERS of a North-East football team have revealed their shock at being asked by the club's former chairman to become its new owners.

Darlington Supporters Trust told The Northern Echo that Stewart Davies, the former owner of Darlington Football Club, gave them the option of taking control of the football and commercial side of the business, in what was described as a "bolt from the blue".

They were also given the opportunity to lease the club's stadium, the 96.6 TFM Darlington Arena, for ten years.

Neither the club nor the trust -whose resources total about £52,000, which was raised through its crisis fund to help the club -would disclose the amount of money involved.

Darlington FC has since been bought by Tyneside property developer George Hough-ton, 65, who took control of the club for an undisclosed fee last Saturday. Mr Davies will remain at the club until the end of the season as an advisor.

The Northern Echo understands Mr Davies - whose Sterling Consortium rescued Darlington FC from administration after former chairman George Reynolds left in 2003 -held talks with four or five potential buyers before the deal with Mr Houghton was struck.

The informal offer was made to the trust during a series of talks in January and last month between "accidental chairman" Mr Davies and members of the trust board.

Mr Davies initially made the proposition during a meeting with two trust board members, which was supposed to focus on ways to improve relations between the club and trust.

A trust spokesman said yesterday: "The talks very quickly turned to the future of Darlington Football Club and the trust's part in it.

"Discussions centred around whether the trust were interested in acquiring the footballing and commercial side of the business, leasing the stadium over a ten-year period.

"This came as a complete bolt from the blue."

Two other meetings followed, involving the nine members of the trust board and club representatives.

However, after taking financial advice, the trust members unanimously agreed they were not in a position to take on running the club.

Concerns were also raised that individuals might be expected to give financial guarantees, which could pose personal financial risks.

Last night, a spokesman for Darlington FC said the matter was now closed.

He said: "It is no secret that Stewart Davies talked to more than one party regarding the sale of the club.

"He regarded his conversations as confidential and would not wish to comment on individual discussions.

"The matter is now settled for the good of the club, with a fantastic new owner in George Houghton."