Adam Mitchell may have one eye on his own long-term future with a return to professional football a possibility, but the talented youngster insists he remains focused on gaining promotion with Darlington.

He has recently been on trial with League One side Gillingham, a first spell with the Kent club going so well that he was invited back for a second week of training.

The winger is hopeful about being signed by the Gills, though of more immediate concern is Quakers and their faltering promotion push.

Saturday’s defeat at Clitheroe, when Mitchell was again selected as an unorthodox right-back, was Darlington’s fourth defeat in eight games and they bid to return to form tomorrow evening against Lancaster City at Heritage Park.

“I’m 100 per cent committed to this football club and I’m going to do everything that I can to get us promoted,” said Mitchell, who first joined Darlington from Sunderland just over a year ago. “Saturday was very frustrating. We had chances in the first half, Dows got in behind, Hatch had a header saved, how the keeper saved it I do not know.

“We would’ve been top by now if we’d won, but we’re no worse off than we were and we’ve got another chance on Wednesday.

“As long as we keep picking up points and winning games I’m confident that we will win the league.

“I’m confident in what we’ve got in that changing room – we’ve got people who stand up to be counted, people who do not shy away, all of us give everything.”

Mitchell concedes that he prefers to playing right-wing, “my natural position”, but is not complaining about being moved to full-back, filling in largely due to Gary Brown being required in the centre of defence.

“It’s not too bad for me because I played right-wingback and left-wingback when I was at Sunderland, so I know the role,” said Mitchell, who has missed only two league games this season, after being red-carded at Salford in January. “But I’m getting a lot more of the ball and my distribution is not too bad.

“Even if I was to change to the left-wing, it’s all about adapting and it’s a job the gaffer wants me to do.

“There was a home game when I did really well, I got on the ball a lot and my passing was okay, so I think that’s the reason why I’m there now.”

Nobody at Darlington would begrudge him a move to the Football League, and he added: “At Gillingham I’ve been playing as a winger or sometimes further infield. Again, it’s been a case of adapting to what people want me to do.

“I’ve been down there twice and absolutely loved it. It’s totally different to Darlington because it’s training every day.

“They do want to see me in a game, but when that is – this season or pre-season – I don’t know. I’m playing it by ear.”