On the day two players committed their futures to Darlington, chairman George Houghton promised supporters that they will be "ecstatic" with the signings to be made this summer.

Multi-award winner at the player of the year presentation, Neil Wainwright and youngster Kevin Burgess both signed one-year deals yesterday, meaning Quakers' current squad totals just nine following the recent mass departures as manager Dave Penney begins reshaping his team.

A further four of last year's squad are in negotiations over extending their stays, but Penney is hoping to secure the signatures of several new players very soon which, says Houghton, the Darlington fans will be pleased with.

"I think the fans will be ecstatic, they will be very pleased," said Houghton. "They'll be high profile, absolutely.

"There'll be transfer fees involved, we're already talking transfer fees now.

"There's negotiations now over transfer fees but I'm letting the manager get on with that, it's his job and he will get it right."

Sam Russell, David Stockdale, Ricky Ravenhill and Clark Keltie were all this week offered new deals, but they are in the minority as Penney, since his appointment six months ago, has let go of 18 players.

The recent clear-out means that next year, assuming Keltie and Stockdale stay, only eight players that played under by David Hodgson will be at the club.

Houghton believes he handed Hodgson a good budget, and says the one afforded to Penney is even bigger.

He said: "I've been looking forward to this for a long time because contracts in football are for at least 12 months, some are two years, and the last manager signed the contracts last year which was out of my jurisdiction.

"Fortunately, now we can have a clear-out and get new players which is what Darlington needs.

"I've got the commercial side right, I've got all the skills needed at the club and the right people involved, I've got everything right apart from the most important thing which is the football team.

"Now is the time to get that right. I've been here for 12 months and I couldn't do anything about the contracts, I had to wait until the end of the season.

"I really thought that with the budget I gave David Hodgson last year, which he asked for, I thought we would definitely get in League One, no danger.

"I was very upset that we didn't make the play-offs.

"This year's is a very comprehensive budget. I've given Dave Penney a budget that he is very happy with that will bring the right players here."

Darlington are to spend £150,000 on relaying the playing surface this summer at the 96.6TFM Darlington Arena and next season plan to play reserve fixtures at a local non-league ground.