Boost The Budget, the annual donation initiative by DFCSG that allows fans to invest in the following season's playing budget, is currently in it's tenth year having first commenced in May 2017, when £45,000 was raised to assist with Martin Gray's 2017/18 budget.

Since then, to date (at just over £82,000 on day 21 of BTB 2026), Darlington fans have invested over £1.2m into the playing budgets of Martin Gray, Tommy Wright, Alun Armstrong, Josh Gowling and Steve Watson. A phenomenal amount and a fantastic example of fan ownership in action.

Across that time, these managers have used Boost The Budget money - your money - to attract new players to the club over nine completed seasons.

But we now want to know who you think has been the best permanent signing made since May 2017 thanks to your generous Boost The Budget investment?

A poll specifically for loan players will follow next week.

Vote here from the 15 shortlist options below, as recently selected by our Boost The Budget project group.

You can vote for up to three different players.

The poll is now live and will close at 6pm on Monday 25th May.

Our nominees are (in alphabetical order):

• Scott Barrow (112 appearances - 2 goals)

• Mark Beck (85 appearances - 37 goals)

• Adam Campbell (62 appearances - 22 goals)

• Luke Charman (34 appearances - 19 goals)

• Justin Donowa (42 appearances - 11 goals)

• Will Hatfield (196 appearances - 30 goals)

• Jacob Hazel (70 appearances - 24 goals)

• Ben Hedley (231 appearances - 2 goals)

• Jack Lambert (99 appearances - 27 goals)

• Jake Lawlor (112 appearances - 2 goals)

• Toby Lees (102 appearances - 6 goals)

• Cedric Main (105 appearances - 39 goals)

• Jack Maskell (86 appearances - 23 goals)

• Tom Platt (113 appearances - 5 goals)

• Alex Purver (89 appearances - 4 goals)

We will let you know the outcome of the poll (top three) early next week and open a new poll for loan players in the final week of BTB 2026.

Get voting, have your say and don't forget to donate to Boost The Budget 2026 if you haven't already!