Good evening, everyone, and welcome to tonight's netcafe with midfielder Phil Turnbull, who has been outstanding in the Darlo midfield this season.

Over the course of the next hour, we'll be asking Phil questions about his career, the season so far, and his team mates.

If you want to ask a question, send it to tickets@dfc1883.co.uk -- the commercial e mail address is unavailable tonight.

Our netcafes with Brian Atkinson and Dave Mills last year were very successful with around 600 website visits each time, so we're hoping for the same interest again.

First question is from Frank Jones:

Any regrets on giving up FT football? How are you finding combining FT work with playing for Darlo?

No regrets at all, I would know by this stage. When I made the decision during the summer, it took me two weeks to think it through. I set myself a target of Christmas to know by then, and I get a great amount of satisfaction out of playing football at this level.. I’m thoroughly enjoying my football, I’m a bit more relaxed, in terms of job security. I’ve got a full time job that I know I can fall back on.

When I was in full time football, there wasn’t much job security. I don’t regret it all, hand on heart.

I’m combining playing and working quite comfortably. The school has been very supportive with midweek away games.

[caption id="attachment_17034" align="alignnone" width="194"] Phil in action against Barwell earlier in the season[/caption]

While I'm on, don't forget about our Sportsmen's Dinner on Thursday 18th February, tickets are £30 each, available from Quaker Retail. The guest speaker is former Wolves and Burnley winger Steve Kindon.

From Ruth Hetherington:

Which players did you idolise?

My first tournament was Euro 96.

I loved the Newcastle entertainers, I’ve always admired Paul Scholes. He had a career as a box-to-box midfielder and then one was a sitting midfielder.

I’m a student of the game, and always analysing. Scholes was continental compared to British players. He could always find space, in order to control the game, which is what I try to do.

Also, David Ginola, Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer. I loved Peter Beardsley, I used to buy all the magazines and videos. I used to love the Panini sticker books. I used to buy the World Soccer magazine as well.

From Frank Jones

You seem to have developed a good partnership with Leon Scott as the season's gone on. Is that something you've worked on in training or just happened naturally?

Leon is a pleasure to play with. He does all the bits of the game that people don’t appreciate.

I love playing with Tom Portas. Martin overall is blessed with riches, he’s got three players who could play for any team in the league. I know that when I’m playing with either of them, it will take a very good midfield partnership from the opposing team to get the better of us.

Over the course of the season, the three of us will contribute to hopefully a successful ending

From Frank Jones

How have you found Martin Gray as a manager? From the outside he comes across as very demanding & intense. Is that how he is with the players?

I can’t speak highly enough of Martin. He’s a born winner and he instills that in his players. His professionalism is way beyond the level that he’s managing at. He hates getting beat, and he’s instilled a winning mentality in the players.

He lays everything on. He’s been completely honest with me since day one, he’s got a good system going with Brian Atkinson and Sean Gregan, who are all a great management team.

His attention to detail is frightening, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he takes Darlington back to the Football League. Since I signed in the summer, he’s been unbelievable. When I broke my jaw, he was in touch with me all the time and didn’t rush me. It was hard for me during that time, but he helped me overcome the injury and come back fresher than ever.

From Joanne Cameron

What song did you sing for your initiation on the team bus? Who was the best/worst singer? Who thought he was good when he really wasn’t? Do any of the lads sing in the showers?

I sang Celine Dion’s Power of Love, and combined it with a bit of Rave MCing. I got a good round of applause. There were a few good songs that day. Kev Burgess sang Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice, with his cap on back to front as well.

Nathan Cartman sang a good one – might have been an Oasis number – I thought he might have panicked, but he stepped up to the plate and produced.

We’re still waiting for Lee Gaskell to sing his!

Kev Burgess thought he was decent, but really he was horrendous.

Nobody sings in the shower. We did at Gateshead, but not at Darlington, we don’t really have time – but it’s something we might now introduce!

Mark Shackleton

Have there been any major difference in training with Darlo compared to Gateshead?

Not been a great deal of change, Martin’s attention to detail is very good. It’s just the amount of times you train. It’s the same routines, but not as often, plenty of setpieces. We’re very good at setpieces by the way, it all comes down to delivery. Tez Galbraith and Adam Mitchell are two of the best crossers of the ball I’ve ever seen. Tez’s foot is a wand, his consistency is scary.

What are the most goals have you scored in a season? Think you might be due one for Darlo.

I scored five in a season once for Gateshead. As much as I’d like to contribute more with goals, it’s not the biggest part of my game. If we were to get promoted and I didn’t score, I’d still be a very happy man.

The best goal I ever scored was against Grimsby two seasons ago. A once in a lifetime goal; a corner was whipped in, the ball cleared to me and I smacked it on the half volley from 30 yards into the top corner. (Check it on You Tube!)

I watched the pre warm up on Tuesday and there seems to be a real togetherness at Darlo. It must be good to play in that environment.

After spending so much time at Gateshead, it was a new experience for me to come to a brand new changing room. The lads are top notch, there are plenty of characters and they’re an honest bunch of lads. When Gary Brown left in August, I was disappointed because he’s an integral part of the changing room. So when he came back, he was probably the best signing of the season. He’s a proper leader and a genuine nice lad. There are quite a few leaders in the team -- you need people like that at this level. I look around the team, nearly everybody is coming to the peaks of their career, which is perfect timing.

When we won 2-1 at Blyth, everybody was in it together, it was a massive victory. It probably sent a good message out to the rest of the league.

When our Stephen fouled Adam Mitchell, I ran across to the referee, wanting him to show a yellow card! He would have done the same to you, we’re both competitive people. I wouldn’t have wanted him sent off.

From Andrew Alton

How does Martin Gray differ from other managers he has played for? In approach/discipline wise.

MG is very disciplined. He’s very professional in his approach, you can tell he’s played in the pro game. Chalk and cheese to Gary Mills, but both equally effective. If I go into management, I would like to combine a bit of the pair of them.

Are you still as confident as you were at the start of the season that we can win the title? Blyth look like the team to beat.

I’m probably more confident than ever. At the beginning of the season we were winning games, but I don’t think we weren’t as fluent or as commanding as we are now. We’ve got a winning mentality which is priceless and when you develop that, you forget how to lose. We were all gutted that we drew with Whitby. It was two points dropped that night, but MG took the blame from us and kept the players positive, which has worked perfectly.

We feel that we can overcome Blyth. They've done very well and play a nice blend of football, but I have full confidence in us to achieve something successful this season. We're aiming for the title and not just the play offs. The play offs will be a disappointment. We're taking the season one game at a time. If we look after ourselves and don't worry about the other promotion chasers, we'll be playing National League football next season.

Martyn Horn

Did you find it difficult to adjust to this level of football or to Darlo's style of play. As a spectator, I think we are seeing the best of you as the season has gone on. For me, I thought your performance on Tuesday night was your best so far.

I found it very difficult at the beginning, the manager was patient with me and so were the fans. The way I play, I find it easier to step up than down, It was a little bit more hectic and less pattern to the game. Something clicked after the two defeats by Hyde and I really think I’ve found a good level of form now. The manager shown a lot of faith in me, which I appreciate and hope to repay him with good performances that will lead us to winner’s medals.

How do you and the rest of the lads feel about playing two games per week for the rest of the season?

 I would play every day of the week, the way I feel about the team at the moment. Everybody is feeling very confident, and games can’t come round quick enough.

We’ve got great momentum, and if we win our games in hand, we’ll achieve our objective, which is to win the league!

What differences have you noticed between the National League and the EvoStik League? Did you ever expect to go to Marine and play in a howling gale and hailstorm?

I think in this league, there are a few organised teams but in the Conference, every team is organised. Darlington would more than hold their own in the Conference Premier, not just Conference North. By the time we get there, we’ll be more than ready to attack it.

The weather at Marine made the game more even than it was. Had the conditions been more favourable, it would have been a more convincing win.

I once played at Gateshead against Kidderminster, and they couldn’t bring the dugouts out because it was so windy!

Stacey Fletcher

What do the children in Phil's school think about him playing football.

Also if any of the children say to Phil they wanted to go and be a professional footballer what advice would he give them.

Who would he recommend them to look up to.

The kids at our school love it, the school is in Sunderland so they’re all Sunderland mad. When we played Sunderland in pre season, the kids were more excited than I was! When I went in the next day, I was bombarded with questions, it had really inspired the kids. The management team of the school look upon it fondly because they know the positive effects on the kids, and it raises their aspirations.

If I knew a youngster was good enough for the pro game, I would definitely say go for it. I’ve had the most memorable and proudest experiences of my life through football. For example, I played at Wembley and sang the national anthem in front of my family and friends at the home of football. It was an unbelievable day.

I would recommend they look up to Lionel Messi. He’s the very best, he’s humble and the perfect role model. I try to use sport to get the best characteristics installed in the kids’ personalities, so that they’re not only good athletes, but good people as well.

Mark Shackleton

What's the best non league ground has he played at? How difficult is it to play in front of small crowds when used to playing in front of bigger crowds. Did he know much about Darlington(new set up) before signing.

In terms of stadia, it wouldn’t be Luton, but in terms of experience, it would be. I played there on the opening day of the season one year, and the place was rocking.

It tests you psychologically and it makes you hungry to want to achieve more.

At home games, the atmosphere is brilliant and it’s closer to the pitch compared to what I was used to at Gateshead. I’m a big believer the psychological side of the game. In terms of away games, I play as though there isn’t a crowd there, even though there is. Even at Blyth, I blotted the crowd out.

Gary Mills was big on psychology, and he hit me at an early age. I’m a big believer in it.

I’ve always kept an eye on Darlo. I knew a few of the lads at Darlo, and I’ve played against them in the past. I had probably bigger financial offers, but I knew I was coming to a club that had the winning mentality and was, and still is, heading in the right direction.

It’s my objective to get us back in the Football League where the club belongs!

That's it! Thanks very much to Phil for taking the time out to answer the questions, and to everybody who has e mailed in!

We'll have another netcafe in the near future.