Over 80 former Darlington favourites will be at Feethams this afternoon to give supporters one last opportunity to see their heroes at the old ground.

Of course, their visit also allows the players, many of whom who have not been back to the ground since leaving the club, their last chance to revisit their former home ground and relive some fond memories.

Harry Clark, Ronnie Harbertson, Garry MacDonald, Colin Sinclair and Robbie Painter are all among those who will be savouring the matchday atmosphere at the unique ground for one last time.

Their appearance is sure to evoke anecdotes and memories of favourite matches from years gone by. Unfortunately, however, club record goalscorer Alan Walsh is not able to attend this afternoon.

However, in just one afternoon 21 years ago he did enough to establish himself a part of Feethams folklore to last a lifetime.

Hartlepool United, bitter rivals and, significantly, Walsh's hometown club, his team as a boy and the club he went on to end his playing days, were visitors to Feethams.

But with the season petering out to mid-table finishes for both sides - they filled 13th and 14th positions come the final game - the fixture promised nothing more than local bragging rights.

Dave McLean and John Stalker goals had given Quakers a 2-1 win at the Victoria Ground two months earlier, but the return game saw Billy Elliot's Darlington start sluggishly and Pool quickly took a 2-0 lead.

McLean pulled a goal back at the Polam Lane end before half-time, and kicking towards the Tin Shed in the second half seemed to have a magical effect on the Quakers, especially Walsh who scored an amazing four goals with one being a contender for the best goal ever seen at the 120-year-old ground.

Walsh, who was paraded on the Feethams pitch before Easter Monday's win over Hull City as his work with Bristol City's youth team prevents him from travelling up today, admits his own recollections of that game on April 12, 1982 are somewhat hazy.

"I know we were 2-0 down very quickly, but I can't remember exactly how the scoring went after that," he admitted. "I'm not even sure if I scored the last four goals or not!

"But I remember in the first 20 minutes we didn't get a kick!

"One was a shot from 25 yards that flew into the top corner, one of my specials with my left foot," he recalled.

"One was a re-taken penalty which was a bit unfortunate for them because Martin Burleigh had saved the first one, but the referee said he'd moved too soon.

"That second half was probably the best 45 minutes I was involved in as a Darlington player.

"After that first 20 minutes it was Pool who didn't get a kick. It was one of those days when everything went well and everything I hit went in."

As ever, money was tight in those days and Walsh was refused the honour of being presented the match ball.

"I asked for it but they wouldn't give me it!"

He may not have a souvenir to remember the occasion by, but the Darlington fans who made up the 4,575 crowd that day will find it hard to forget Walshy's fantastic feat against his home-town team.

* The Players Parade begins at 1.45pm with turnstiles opening at around noon. As well as the aforementioned former players, John Peverell, Norman Lees, Geoff Barker, Joe Rayment, David Speedie, Jimmy Willis, Gary Coastworth, Paul Olsson, Steve Gaughen are among the many others also attending.

Read more about the Quakers here.