Sad day for Quakers (From The Northern Echo)

Sad day for Quakers

1:26am Wednesday 25th February 2009 in Peter Barron

Today will be a sad day in the history of Darlington Football Club, with the Quakers almost certainly going into administration.

A special edition of the Darlington edition of the paper this morning details the news that chairman George Houghton's two and a half year reign appears to be over.

Another campaign to save the club will have to be launched and The Northern Echo is committed to playing its part.

A sponsorship deal for the naming of the stadium - agreed weeks ago - is in place as a clear demonstration of our support.

There will be those who scoff at the timing of the stadium being named The Northern Echo Darlington Arena at a time when the club is poised to go into administration.

The truth is that we had no way of knowing that this would happen when the deal was agreed.

But cancelling the arrangement in the Quakers' hour of need would have been the wrong thing to do - a cowardly way out.

We have gone ahead so that the next owners of Darlington Football Club, whoever they may be, will know that they have the local newspaper's backing.

We can only hope that a way forward can be found and that the town unites behind its football club.