DARLO TEST BIGGEST YET, SAYS STEVE

STEVE Watson has described facing a relegation battle with Darlington as ‘the biggest challenge’ of his career.

- Mark Carruthers

The former Newcastle United and Aston Villa star was named as successor to former Quakers boss Josh Gowling last month and has been given the sizeable task of keeping the northeast club in Step 2. 

A dismal run of form under his predecessor means the 49-year-old inherited a squad languishing deep in relegation trouble and facing the very realistic prospect of dropping into the Northern Premier League for the first time since 2016.

Watson remains defiant in the face of what feels a perilous situation at Blackwell Meadows and has called for unity as he looks to pull off an unlikely escape act.

He told The NLP: “There aren’t many clubs I would have taken it on for. Being a north-east lad, I am old enough to have played at Feethams, I’m a football traditionalist and Darlington is a big, big northeast club.

“Once I get to a place, I only know one way to work and that’s by getting my sleeves rolled up and working hard.