THE landmark sporting arena which stands on the outskirts of Darlington has had its ups and downs – but mainly downs.

It has known some very low points indeed in the 11 years since George Reynolds got carried away with his ambitions as chairman of Darlington Football Club.

Today, with the announcement that the All Blacks are on their way, was undoubtedly the high point.

Let’s all be honest – until Mowden Park Rugby Club emerged from nowhere as the surprise new owner just over a year ago, no-one could see a solution to the problem the stadium had become. It was a white elephant. An empty embarrassment to the town. There was talk of it being dismantled amid a great deal of head-scratching.

And let’s all be honest again – most of us thought those who run Mowden Park had completely lost their marbles. How could they make the stadium a success when a string of football club chairmen had consistently failed?

But Mowden Park has surprised us all. A sustainable model is being developed for The Northern Echo Arena and it is being done in the right way, with a family-friendly sporting hub being created for the local community.

Today’s confirmation, that the New Zealand squad will use Darlington as its base for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, is a glowing testament to the vision and hard work of those connected with Mowden Park RFC.

It is those club officials who saw the potential for the arena and who have been the driving force behind bringing one of the world’s most iconic sporting teams to Darlington.

It is fantastic news, not only for Darlington but for the wider area – and Mowden Park Rugby Club deserves all the praise in the world.

The challenge over the next year is for the town to come together behind Mowden Park – creatively and passionately – to make the most of this glorious opportunity.