COLIN TODD may face a daunting rebuilding job at Darlington, but with so many players available this summer the new manager feels Quakers can be optimistic about the future.

He may be operating on a vastly reduced budget, but Todd points out that so too are many of Darlington’s rivals.

Most clubs in the lower divisions are cutting costs with some axing large numbers of players.

League Two play-off winners Gillingham have let eight go, beaten play-off finalists Shrewsbury released seven, while the number leaving League One sides Brighton (14) and Millwall (ten) have reached double figures.

“If you were to see a list of all the players out of contract this summer that would give you hope because there is a lot of players out there who are going to want a football club to play for,” said Todd, who hopes to make loan signings from Quakers’ North- East neighbours.

“We will get players and I’m looking for some experience, some young players and I’m going to be looking for help from Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

I want to bring some yearlong loan players.

“When I was at Bradford we signed Andrew Taylor on loan and he’s now a regular at Middlesbrough. Hopefully we can bring some loans in from clubs in the North-East because we do need help.”

Much of Darlington’s squad has already either left or is looking for a new employer, though Todd is hopeful of keeping Nick Liversedge, Steve Foster, Ryan Valentine and Ian Miller.

Todd added: “We will get players, I’ll get a squad together and if we can get that camaraderie and team spirit that would go a long way to helping. I’ve seen it happen before and it will happen again.

“I’ve already spoken to players and will be speaking to more this week. I can assure everybody that there will be a squad assembled that hopefully can take the club forward.”

Todd intends to appoint an assistant but his hopes of linking up again with Dean Windass are diminishing.

Windass played under Todd at Bradford, but reports yesterday linked the striker with a move to the Australian Premier League.

Having already applied for the Chesterfield managerial job, Windass has also shown an interest in the vacancy at Aberdeen.