DARLINGTON manager Dave Penney would like to see fans of teams across the North- East show their support for the club when they hold a crucial fundraising match this weekend.

Quakers play their final game of the League Two campaign on Saturday at Chester, but the following day stage an all-stars game – just as they did during their last financial crisis.

During administration five years ago a huge crowd of around 14,000 was in attendance to see the likes of Chris Waddle, Kenny Dalglish, Paul Gascoigne and others put their boots on to help Darlington.

Gascoigne will return to The Northern Echo Darlington Arena on Sunday (2pm) alongside a host of star names and Penney hopes North-East football fans will again unite in Quakers’ cause.

He said: “I hope football fans in the area, no matter who they support, will come for the game and help to make sure there are still five professional football clubs in the North-East next season.

“There are a lot of football fans in the North-East, it’s a football-mad area, and I’m sure they all want to see us stay around.

“Apart from the likes of Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland, there’s a hell of a lot of non-league clubs up here and it would be good to see support from football fans, no matter who they follow.

“We’ve got the likes of Gazza, Gareth Southgate, Colin Cooper, Peter Beardsley, Kevin Ball and Marco Gabbiadini playing and lots of others who are all giving their time to come and raise funds for Darlington.”

Sunderland are at home to Everton on Sunday, but Newcastle are away to Liverpool while both Middlesbrough and Hartlepool play on Saturday.

The all-stars side will face the Darlington team of the 1999/2000 season which reached the Division Three play-off final at Wembley.

The likes of Craig Liddle, Neal Heaney, Peter Duffield as well as current assistant manager Martin Gray will take to the field and Penney added: “It’s going to be a great chance to see all the players from when Darlington last played at Wembley.

“It’s going to be great for the fans to see that team back together.

“Maybe the fans thought they would never see them back together so that will make it a great occasion.”

■ Tickets, costing £10 for adults and £5 for children, are available from the club and The Northern Echo office in Priestgate.

Anyone with a car park pass for regular matches, who needs a pass for the friendly all-stars game, is asked to contact the club.

To get involved in sponsorship, or for tickets, call the club on 01325 387000