A TARGET for Darlington FC to be back playing in its home town ready for the start of the 2015/16 season has been set.

A planning application is due to be submitted next month for alterations to Darlington RFC's Blackwell Meadows ground.

Work to prepare the main pitch for both rugby and football will start on May 27 - the day after the rugby club's last event of the current season.

Tony Stowe, who is coordinating the groundshare proposals for the rugby club, said the work would take about two weeks and the pitch would be suitable for football six weeks later.

Mr Stowe said talks had stepped up in recent weeks ready for the plans, including new terracing and turnstiles, to be submitted to Darlington Borough Council.

"We've made real progress towards the planning application which we expect to be submitted in November," he said.

"We have had talks with the FA and the Institute of Groundsmanship and they are quite happy with the quality of the pitch.

"There is a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes between the three parties - the rugby club, the football club and the council."

Mr Stowe said the proposed car park beside Grange Road had been a crucial part of the negotiations with the council, but he said it would form part of the planning application.

He said he expected the football club to have moved in ahead of next season.

Recent speculation on Darlington fans' on-line message board, Darlo Uncovered, that the groundshare had run into trouble prompted a statement to be issued this week by the club's community interest company.

It stated: "The board of directors of Darlington Football Club CIC would like to express their disappointment at the unsubstantiated comments currently being circulated on the unofficial website and social media regarding the club’s finances and the planned return to Darlington. "

It added that the CIC had the "utmost faith" that the club's directors would share any important information with fans when they had developments to announce.

Martin Jesper, Darlington FC chief executive, said the club was planning its annual general meeting when a full update would be given.

He stressed that all those running the football club were volunteers giving up their time for free.

"Progress is being made and the three parties all have the same goal of making this happen," he added.