DARLINGTON have a better a team than half of the Conference clubs and will be challenging for the title during their first season in the Evo-Stik Premier Division, believes new signing Phil Turnbull.

He has moved to Quakers after changing profession to become a teacher, so is going part-time and on Monday dropped two divisions from Gateshead with whom he got to know non-league’s topflight inside out.

The 28-year-old midfielder spent six seasons in the Conference, recently renamed the National League, after first joining the Heed before they won back-to-back promotions (2007-08 and 08-09).

“I’ve played in the division Darlington are about to go into, as well as the one above it and the Conference. There’s no difference in the teams, it’s probably more of a mentality thing,” said Turnbull, who revealed he moved to Quakers ahead of Blyth Spartans, for whom twin brother Stephen Turnbull plays.

“Teams get promoted and maybe some think ‘we can’t win this because it’s a step up’. But that’s not the case and I’m going to Darlington fully expecting to be challenging for the title this year and then again in the Conference North because I look at the players in the squad and we’re more than capable.

“Last season in the Conference, I’d say Darlington were better than 12 teams based on the players they’ve got there. There’s teams in the Conference not as good as Darlington – some would probably think they’re better because they’re two divisions above, but in terms of players they aren’t.

“I haven’t seen Darlington play much in the last couple of years, but there’s been the odd friendly and I know the players and they’re winners.”

Rather than now view football as a nothing more than weekend hobby, despite his change in career Turnbull remains ambitious, eager to achieve something.

In May 2014 the former Hartlepool United youngster came close to returning the Football League when Gateshead reached the Conference play-off final at Wembley. They lost to Cambridge United, however, yet Turnbull has now set his sights on helping take Quakers into League Two.

“I still want to achieve something,” he said. “Some people might leave full-time football and then drop down to their next club to pick up money, but that’s not me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m 28 now and I’m looking towards things after football, but I’m just hitting my prime in football and I want to be getting Darlington back into the Football League.

“I don’t think there was a better midfielder in the Conference than me last year. And there’s some teams I’ve played against when I’ve thought ‘if this team is going into the Football League, why aren’t I?’ I think the same thing about the Darlington players – honestly, there’s not that much of a difference in standard.

“I had the Blyth option, but Darlington are on the crest of a wave. They got relegated out of the Football League and thrown out of the Conference, but it will even itself out and they will get back up there and I want to be part of it when it happens.”

The Northern Echo:

South Shields-based Turnbull will be combining Quakers with teaching at Academy 360, a school in Pennywell, Sunderland, but he bristles at the suggestion of turning his back on football.

“I’ve been quite fortunate when I look back at things,” he said. “When I first signed for Gateshead after York they were part-time and, like most sporty lads, I wanted to be a PE teacher, so I was able to do the first two years of the degree.

"In the third year Gateshead went full-time, but I did the degree with my twin brother so I didn’t have to go to university as often as I should’ve, we used to share notes instead. I then did a postgraduate certificate in education part-time at South Tyneside College which meant that I was fully qualified to become a teacher.

“I had an unbelievable time at Gateshead, but at my age I’m starting to look a bit further afield and a teaching opportunity came up which was too good to knock back.

“As soon as I knew I’d be going part-time Darlington were the club I wanted to sign for. They’ve got momentum, they’re winning most weeks and going up the leagues. I’ve been in teams like that before, you forget how to lose.

“Some people have said I’m mad for ditching football for teaching, but that’s not the case. I’m ditching football to do both teaching and football. And I’m not just going to Darlington to play football, I’m going there to win and have success.”

* Tickets for Darlington’s friendly with Sunderland on July 9 at Heritage Park go on general sale at Quaker Retail, Blackwell Meadows, tomorrow, 10am-1pm.