Windass set to lift Quakers’ spirits

Jun 17 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

DARLINGTON manager Colin Todd has backed his assistant-boss-in-waiting Dean Windass to have a big impact on and off the pitch as the Quakers regroup after the trauma of last season.

Windass has verbally agreed to join his former manager in the North East but with the Quakers still in administration, he has not yet been able to sign a contract to make the deal official. That situation has led to some understandable speculation that he may look elsewhere – with Port Vale manager Micky Adams talking up the prospects of Windass joining him at Vale Park.

But speaking for the first time since reaching an agreement with the former Hull City forward, Todd confirmed to The Journal that the veteran striker is on his way to the Arena in a player-coach role.

“Dean’s agreed to join us. He will be learning his trade in management while playing games for us, too,” he said. “He will be a big influence on the rest of the squad, on and off the park. I know he had a poor season last year and an indifferent spell at Oldham but he will score goals in League Two, I am confident of that. I’ve worked with Dean before so I know what he’s about and while he is a tremendously hard worker, we will have some fun and laughs along the way. He’s enthusiastic and I know what makes him tick. Even at the age he is, he’s still hungry and he’s a fantastic addition for Darlington.”

Although Todd’s enthusiasm since returning to the role has prompted fresh optimism at the Arena, he has stressed the fact that there is still plenty of work to do before Darlington are ready for another gruelling League Two campaign.

To emphasise the point, a Creditors Voluntary Agreement (CVA) is yet to be agreed and a creditors meeting scheduled for today has been put back a week due to “unavoidable circumstances” – causing another frustrating delay in exiting administration for all involved at the Arena.

But the former Bolton and Bradford City manager has already utilised his extensive network of contacts in the game to sign two players – an unnamed centre-forward and a right-back believed to be former Sheffield United defender Ben Starosta.