Darlington fans raise over £180,000 to back the squad

Fans of Darlington FC have raised £181,160 to back Steve Watson’s squad for the forthcoming season. The club’s £180,000 target was surpassed at 11:57pm on the final day of fundraising.

In this year’s Boost the Budget, which closed at the end of May, the club received 791 pledges and saw 693 individual contributors.

DFCSG Chair Jon Saddington said: “A heartfelt thank you to every single fan who contributed — whether you pledged £10 or £1,000, every penny helps us compete on the pitch and build a club we can all be proud of. The response this year has been fantastic once again and really shows what this football club means to so many people.”

The management team are working behind the scenes to shape the squad for the 2025/26 campaign, according to a post on the club’s website.

Last week Darlington FC announced that defenders Elliot Forbes and Scott Barrow had agreed new contracts for the upcoming season, subject to FA and National League approval.

A pre-season friendly at Newton Aycliffe has also been scheduled for Tuesday 22nd July.

CEO David Johnston added: “I’m so proud of what our supporters do year after year with Boost The Budget. Once again, the Darlo fans have delivered — £181,600 raised is a brilliant total that gives Steve and the board flexibility to strengthen the squad in a very competitive market. This is vital backing for our football ambitions, and I can’t thank the fans enough. The ownership model we have here continues to amaze me, and fans up and down the country should look to Darlo for inspiration — it’s fantastic.”

Last season the fan owned club finished in 11th place in the Vanarama National League North table.

Season tickets for 2025/26 now available

The club have announced that season tickets for 2025/26 are now on sale.

Standing tickets for adults cost £280, or £25 monthly, with additional rates available for concessions, under 18’s and under 12’s.

Purchases and renewals can be made through the website at darlingtonfc.co.uk.