Fans' company DFC 1883 Limited have completed a takeover of Darlington to ensure the troubled club avoided going into liquidation.
Non-league club avoid the prospect of liquidation
Fans' company DFC 1883 Limited have completed a takeover of Darlington to ensure the troubled club avoided going into liquidation.
The club's administrator Harvey Madden had set a deadline of midday on Thursday for a deal to be finalised for Darlington, who were relegated from the Blue Square Bet Premier this season.
But, at a press conference held at the Darlington Arena on Thursday, DFC 1883 Limited were announced as the new owners, meaning they will take over the running of the club while its debts remain with Darlington 2009 Limited.
With no company voluntary agreement in place, Darlington will not be able to take their place in the Blue Square Bet North next season and the Evo-Stik Northern Premier appears a more likely destination, while they may also face sanctions from the Football Association.
Impeccable
"We'll face further relegation, but until the FA give us their wisdom we won't actually know whether it will be to the Evo-Stik Premier or Evo-Stik First Division," DFC 1883 chairman Dennis Pinnegar said.
"We have to apply for a football playing licence, the FA's ability to award that licence is coloured by our behaviour.
"I would like to say that our behaviour has been impeccable, they will not find any flaws in anything that 1883 have done to bring about the situation that we now have, we're crystal clear on that."
In January the club were placed into administration for the third time in nine years and the subsequent 10-point deduction pitched them into an ultimately fruitless battle against the drop.
The incoming owners, who confirmed Darlington would be part-time next season, will need to raise £200,000 by the end of June to secure the club's future.
A move away from their 25,000-capacity all-seater stadium is also on the cards, with the £270,000 annual cost of staying there proving prohibitive.
