Boss Steve Staunton bullish at Darlington fixture glut

Staunton has led Darlington to four wins, 13 defeats and a draw

Darlington manager Steve Staunton believes his players should relish the club's packed fixture list between now and the end of the season.

The Quakers have just four weeks without a midweek game until the end of the season but Staunton says games are what every player craves.

"This time of year is what it's all about, playing," he told BBC Tees.

"If you're a footballer, who loves their football, you really want games to come thick and fast."

Staunton's Darlington side remain rooted to the bottom of the League Two table, with 15 points from 27 games, and are 13 points short of safety.

However Staunton has brought in a host of new players including Irish trio Tadgh Purcell, Richie Byrne and Gary Dempsey.

And with two wins and a draw from their last six games, and three games in hand on Grimsby who lie above them, the former Republic of Ireland boss can sense an upturn in fortunes for his side.

"I've felt since Christmas, when we've got our own players in and have had a settled squad, we've been improving," Staunton said.

"There's a belief now, there's frustration there, but the frustration is being taken out in the right manner.

"All I can ask the players to do is work their socks off, give us everything they've got, try to be a bit more creative in front of goal and be a bit more ruthless in our own defensive area."

Darlington appointed Staunton, who enjoyed a distinguished playing career with Liverpool, Aston Villa, Coventry and the Republic of Ireland, as manager in October 2009 following the departure of Colin Todd.