Darlo boss Steve Staunton is standing firm over Steve Foster's contract

Darlington skipper Steve Foster will not play again for the club until a clause in his contract is removed, boss Steve Staunton has confirmed.

The Quakers manager told BBC Tees that, if Foster plays two more games, he will automatically be offered a new deal.

"We can't afford to be handing out that sort of deal not knowing what division we're going to be in," said Staunton.

"I asked him to take the clause out of his contract so he could be available for selection, but he decided not to."

Foster, 34, chose to stay with Darlington in the summer after they came out of administration, and is a popular figure at the club.

"It's his decision," added Staunton. "My hands are tied, and unfortunately he won't be available for selection until that clause comes out."

Tuesday night's 4-0 defeat at Notts County was the Quakers' ninth away league defeat of the season, leaving them 10 points from safety.

Darlo have now picked up just one point out of a possible 30 - the joint worst record in the league.

And Staunton admits that his side's poor form on the road means that games at The Arena now take on added importance.

"We going to have to make sure we win our home games now," he said. "We're putting more pressure on ourselves and we'll just have to deal with it."

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