Darlington’s new signing Arran Wearmouth says that he didn’t need to think twice about joining Quakers when the opportunity came along.

Arran was one of three signings in a day earlier in the week, after he decided to leave Blyth, for whom he had been a regular in the title race as Quakers and Blyth went neck-and neck for the automatic promotion place.

“I thought Darlington deserved the title in the end,” he said. “The two games between the clubs in the league were cracking matches, and they obviously decided the title in the end. The atmosphere in those two games was superb, just as it was when I played for Bishop against Darlington in the Northern League season.

“To play in front of crowds that big at our level was just something else. I’m looking forward to stepping up and playing in front of 1500 crowds. I wanted to do that at Blyth, but I had no hesitation in joining Darlington when I had talks with Martin Gray.

“I’d made my mind up before I met him. I want to play at a higher level in front of all those fans. There is a lot going for the club – it wants to move forward, it’s going back to Darlington and I want to keep pushing on as well. I think a lot of people will be jealous of the club’s success over the last four years.”

24 year old Arran had three years at Bishop Auckland before he moved on to Blyth. “I played over 100 games with Bishop, and then I had three good years at Blyth. I think the season just finished was my best one, because I didn’t really have any injuries, whereas the season before I had a couple of injuries and I didn’t have a regular place. I can play on either wing, left or right. I’m quite happy there.”

Quakers and Blyth slugged it out in a thrilling race for the title, and Arran was a key part of Blyth’s challenge.

“We were always taking it one game at a time at Blyth, we never really thought that we had the title won, even when Darlington lost at Frickley in that midweek game.

“It was a difficult one to judge. We had the points in the bag at Blyth, but Darlington had the games in hand. It was a big ask for Darlington to win all those games, but they managed it. We always knew that it would go down to the wire, but the defeats by Skelmersdale and Halesowen at home really costs us.

“Now, though, I want to help Darlington progress as far as possible.”