Nathan Cartman was the the most in demand player in the Evo-Stik First Division after topping the scoring charts with 30 goals before December, enough to convince Darlington to sign him. Ahead of this weekend’s trip to fellow promotion-chasers Salford City, Deputy Sports Editor Craig Stoddart spoke to the prolific striker

The league’s leading scorer earns a record transfer to a team at the top end of the table before returning to his old club in a brand new car to watch his former team-mates in action.

It’s a scenario that one can imagine takes place in the upper echelons of the cash-rich professional game, and it’s one that played out at Harrogate RA’s match on Monday evening, when Nathan Cartman made his first return to his former club since joining Darlington.

For Railway’s game with Spennymoor Town on Monday he arrived in a new motor, cue suggestions that he’s suddenly splashing the cash since signing for Quakers a fortnight ago. But the level-headed 25-year-old, a family man, bristles at the suggestion.

“The lads were wishing me luck, but one or two were taking the mick because I’ve just bought a new car,” says Cartman, who made his Darlington debut last weekend in a 2-0 win at Ossett Albion.

“They were saying ‘you must be loaded now you’ve gone to Darlo’. But it’s nothing to do with that. We’d been looking for a car before I left Harrogate, because we had a little Nissan and we’ve got two kids’ car seats to get in, so we’ve bought a Seat Leon.

“The money is a bonus you get when you’re doing well. I’ve not played for more than £50 a game for the last five seasons. It’s been next to nothing sometimes – at Liversedge if you lost you didn’t get anything!”

For Cartman, playing regularly has always ranked more importantly than any financial incentives on offer.

“I could’ve left Railway and gone for big money a few times, but I wanted to know I would be playing, that was the main thing,” said Cartman, who cost Quakers an undisclosed transfer fee.

“Darlington asked Harrogate permission to speak to me and I’ve always said I want to play football. I didn’t want to go somewhere where I’d be sat on the bench and be a bit-part player.

“At Railway I think I missed only three games in three years, and I still sat on the bench when I was ill and still travelled to matches when I couldn’t play.”

Quakers proudly announced Cartman’s arrival a fortnight ago, bringing to a conclusion Martin Gray’s lengthy pursuit of an in-demand striker.

Railway had never before sold a player, but interest grew with every goal he got. He’d reached 30 before the end of November. He’s now on 36 in all competitions, 29 in the league and top of the scorers charts by a long way.

“It’s been my best season in football so far, definitely,” he added. “Every year my target is to get more goals than I did the previous season, and I smashed that one back in October. I got 22 last season.”

And so it became a matter of how long Railway would be able to resist the advances of clubs vying for their hot property, a player they signed from Liversedge in 2012 having previously played for Curzon Ashton and Brighouse Town after being released by Leeds United as a 19-year-old without making an appearance.

After two and a half successful seasons with Railway, however, Halifax-based Cartman, a civil engineer, was in no rush to leave. He enjoyed his time there and was the first name on the team sheet.

Salford wanted him, but Darlington’s offer was accepted and this weekend he aims to get his first goal for his new club against...Salford, a meeting of the bookies’ two favourites for promotion.

“It would nice to get my first goal on Saturday, it’s a big game. We’ve just got our son Alfie a Darlo kit and he’ll be wearing it on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a big crowd, there’s lots of coaches going down. Every time I’m on Twitter I’m seeing that another coach has been added. I’m on Twitter all the time. When I was travelling up to Darlo on the Wednesday to sign I had 600 followers, and now I’ve got 1,000 which is crazy. It’s hard because you can’t reply to them all, there’s too many!”

He’ll have a lot more social media to engage with if on Saturday he manages a repeat of the hat-trick he netted in Railway’s shock 4-1 win at Salford in November, one of three trebles he’s had this season.

“I don’t feel pressure, but I need to get off the mark as soon as possible,” he said, having had one ruled out for offside at the weekend. “At the moment everyone is looking at me saying ‘he’s going to score goals’.

“The sooner as I get off the mark the better, but I don’t feel pressured anyway. I just get on with it, like I did for the Railway.

“The squad is class. The first training session was a bit tough not knowing anyone. The first friendly helped a lot and I’ll probably find out in time who the loud ones and who the quiet ones are.

“Obviously we want promotion this year and again the next year, but these are hard leagues to get out of there’s no doubt about that. Look at FC United, they get to play-offs every year and just can’t get over the line.

“Halifax went up in consecutive years and are in the Conference now so I don’t see why Darlington can’t do the same.”

As for the new motor, will he be pulling up at Salford in it on Saturday?

“I can’t drive! It’s my Mrs’ car. My uncle takes me everywhere, to training and matches, he’s followed me everywhere since I was young, so he’ll take me.”