Darlington could hand debuts to at least three new signings at The Northern Echo Arena on Saturday. All eyes are on the weather, but the indications are that the game against Aldershot will go ahead and the club are confident they will play their first fixtued since December.

And if so Tadhg Purcell, Gary Dempsey, Simon Madden, Gareth Waite and Alan White could all play. The Irish trio are raring to go after arriving at the club, and manager Steve Staunton has added other players since their arrival.

"We're looking forward to being back in action, especially with a home game," he said. "We're playing an Aldershot side which is on a good run and banging in the goals under Kevin Dillon.

"Aldershot have a settled squad and everybody knows their job and what their teammates can do. That's what we are looking to build here, though up to now we have not been in a position to do that. We have a lot of new faces and I hope they rise to the challenge. It's not easy to get bodies to gel straight away, but with games coming thick and fast we hope they gel quickly."

"It helps that three of them know each other from Ireland. They are characters and that always helps."

Speaking of young right-back Madden, Staunton said: "He's a good player, and an out and out right back. He'll be looking to play good football, but can also defend. He knows the job, having come through the Leeds United academy."

Staunton feels that the players, who have not had a game since early December, have prepared as well as possible. He has thanked Middlesbrough for allowing the use of their indoor and
all-weather pitch, and added:

"It was good to get on a full size pitch after training indoors. We needed that. We have worked the boys hard, and now we will have to wrap them up in cotton-wool, because they will have to play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. We need every player to be on his toes and ready, because any of them could be called up at any time."