Darlington manager Steve Watson assesses pre-season training so far, looks ahead to the Blyth game on Saturday, and talks about the return of Pete Jameson in this interview.

“It’s gone really well so far,” he said. “We’ve been able to get the lads on good grass pitches — last summer’s injury list really hurt us, so we’re doing everything we can this time to give them the best platform.”

Steve also discussed the current shape of the squad, with a number of familiar faces returning and a few new additions starting to bed in.

“We’ve tried to go for as much quality as possible within a tight squad. It’s important we’ve got robust, durable players this season — lads who are ready to play 35 to 40 games.”

Among the names mentioned were Aidan Rutledge, Will McGowan, Tom Allan, Josh Scott, and goalkeeper Pete Jameson — who re-joins the club on loan.

“We offered Pete a deal early, but he had a lot going on this summer. When the loan became an option, we jumped at it. He knows the club inside out and we know exactly what we’re getting.”

While most of the squad are expected to feature this weekend at Blyth Spartans, Steve confirmed that Tom Allan is being eased back in after a minor summer procedure.

Looking ahead to the league campaign, Steve acknowledged a challenging opening run — but struck a confident note.

“It’s a tough start on paper — but if we can keep people fit, there’s going to be real competition for places. That’s a good headache to have.”

🎬 Watch the full interview to hear more from Steve on the new signings, squad dynamics, and what fans can expect from the early weeks of the season.