Ray, a life-long stalwart of the Club, has a background of freelance journalism and has experience of many areas of the media, including BBC Tees and the Northern Echo, reporting not just on Darlington FC, but also on non league football in the north east.

Ray is already coordinating three teams of people who produce the award-winning match day programme, the club website (which has had over 600,000 visits in nine months), and the recently introduced Club newsletter, which is reaching 800 people on email. He has also just finished his second book in three years about the club.

Ray also happens to be an ardent Quakers supporter and is well known by the vast majority of our supporters.

His professionalism, skills, enthusiasm and understanding of what is required are impressive, and the Club hopes Ray continues his long and successful association with DFC, as he adds a very valuable communications and media resource to the Board of Directors.

Chief executive officer Dave Mills is very pleased with this appointment and said, “Ray’s work will undoubtedly raise the brand awareness of Darlington Football Club across the entire fan base and within the local community.  Ray has identified several aspects of the club which can be boosted with the help of improved communication, such as fan engagement, and he will work with other interested individuals to achieve this. I am also grateful to Ray for the personal support he has given me.

“The Club has made huge strides year on year since 2012, and Ray has all the attributes that we require to work at a progressive club and to adapt quickly to all of our expectations, both on and off the pitch. Ray not only has a good relationship with the Board, but also with the fans, the management and coaching staff and of course the players.”

Ray went on to say, “One of the main reasons why I accepted the role on a more formal basis is the strong bond between the fans, players, directors and management team. Everybody has the same aims, for the club to continue rebuilding and climb the non league ladder. The next few months are going to exciting but very challenging, taking into account the return to the town, the imminent fundraising campaign, the “Let’s go… for 3 in 4” promotion push, the expansion of Darlington Youth FC and other initiatives which the club has in mind.

“Many officials of the Club, too numerous to mention, have given me magnificent support since we started the programme with a blank piece of paper in the summer of 2012. Long may that continue as we approach an exciting period in the club’s history.”