Given that Dave Penney describes the standard of League Two as 'frightening', perhaps it is not surprising he is so keen to rebuild a Darlington squad that finished the season in mid-table in that division.

He is expected to begin that rebuilding job in earnest this week with defender Alan White the first to put pen to paper at 96.6TFM Darlington Arena.

With Quakers having made their intention to build a new squad clear, they have already been linked to several players since their season ended.

Darlington-born White is expected to sign for his hometown club ten years after leaving Middlesbrough to play for Luton before going on to Colchester, Leyton Orient, Boston, Notts County and Peterborough.

Including loan signings, White will become the 15th different player brought to the club by Penney.

Since inheriting David Hodgson's team last October, the manager has been doing as much as he can to change the squad.

Until now, only January's transfer window presented an opportunity to wheel and deal.

So White's arrival marks the start of a summer of transformation.

That Quakers finished in the top half of the table for a third consecutive season indicates Darlington are not too far away from being successful.

But Penney is adamant that changes need to be made if Quakers are to succeed in a division in which the standard has failed to impress the boss.

He said: "Our league position at the end of the season told us that we're not a million miles away from being successful.

"But we don't want to be even just a few miles away, we want to be right in among them towards the top.

"Our budget is decent, we can go out and buy a couple of players if we want.

"So it will be good to have a fresh start and I think the team needs that in most areas.

"The teams that came down from League One last year are going straight back up - (Walsall, Hartlepool and Swindon) - so I would say there is a big difference between the two divisions.

"I did notice the difference in quality when I came here from League One and it frightened me a little bit to be honest.

"I hadn't noticed it when I was in this division last time with Doncaster Rovers because we had come straight up out of the Conference and won the league straightaway.

"We then added three or four players and finished eighth in League One.

"But then I have dropped down to League Two again this season and thought 'hang on, there is a big difference here'."