DARLINGTON skipper Gary Brown has completed a move to Shildon.

Just over a fortnight ago he asked to go on the transfer list as he was unable to commit to the travelling involved in the Evo-Stik Premier Division due to family reasons.

Last month his partner, Aimee, gave birth to their second child, so after three years as captain in which he has twice led Darlington to promotion Brown is saying a fond farewell to Quakers.

His departure means there are now only three players at the club – Leon Scott, David Dowson and Amar Purewal - who were with Darlington at the beginning of their 2012-13 Northern League season.

Brown said: “Thank you everyone at Darlington for the past three years. I’m looking forward to my new challenge at Shildon at home.”

He rejoins one of his former clubs, who have paid an undisclosed fee for a whole-hearted player who was regarded as one of the Quakers’ fans’ favourites.

Speaking to The Northern Echo two weeks ago, he said: “I’ve loved playing for Darlington. I’d wake up in the morning and think ‘I’m a Darlington footballer’, and that’s been every day for three years. At other clubs you go from game to game, but playing for Darlington has been a big part of my life.”

His final match in Quakers colours was on Saturday at Whitby Town, when he came on in the second half as a makeshift striker.

Summer signing Kevin Burgess will replace Brown as captain, says manager Martin Gray. “I think Kevin is the logical choice,” he said.

Burgess revealed in Saturday's The Northern Echo that he would like to be skipper, and Gray added: “He did the job at Whitby when he was there, and he is a great leader. People might wonder why I’ve made a defender our captain, but it worked well with Gary Brown – we won two promotions with him in charge.”