Former Darlington Manager Craig Liddle has said that he will try to help the Club’s young players get moves to other Clubs if the Club goes to the wall.
Liddle who was relieved of his position earlier this week along with all the Club’s playing staff believes he has a responsibility to help the Quakers’ talented youth players.
“If the worst case scenario happens and the Club goes bust, I believe I’ve got a duty to the kids because I brought them in and I signed them on under the pretence of offering them an opportunity in professional football,” he told the Darlington and Stockton Times.
“I think it would only be fair be that I try to move as many on from as many different age groups, under 9s to under 18s, to different Clubs.”
“They’re not all going to get fixed up. The more players I can help, the easier it would be to leave with my conscious clear.”
“The sad thing for me is that you’ve got young lads just starting out who don’t deserve what’s happening to them. Some of them have got a really, really bright future at a higher level than we are now. It’s important than I try my best for them.”
Only last season Dan Burn left the Quakers to join Premier League Fulham and a number of other players have been attracting scouts to the Northern Echo Arena.
“I’ve had enquiries about the lads in the first team, Dale Hopson, John McReady and Scott Harrison, amongst others,” said Liddle.
“I’m getting phone calls not just about lads in the first team but youth layers, under 16s players and I’ve even had a call about a lad in the under 9s.”
“There’s been interest from all sorts of different Clubs in players from all different age groups. There’s Clubs all over the country interested. London Clubs travelled up to the Barrow game the other week.”
“It’s not just me getting calls, the parents of the kids are worried sick and are trying to get moves for their kids which is understandable because they can see the Club going pop so are just trying to do what’s best for their son.”
The Club’s thriving youth system will survive until the end of the season thanks to funding from former chairman Raj Singh.
Liddle explained: “We get external funding and you’ve got to give Mr Singh a little bit of credit because he’s put some money into the youth set-up to keep it going. It’s a substantial amount of money.”
