Darllington FC in 2009 (From The Northern Echo)

Darllington FC in 2009

3:30pm Friday 1st January 2010

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February 24th 2009. Darlington are taking on Rochdale at the Arena, knowing a victory will push them closer to the automatic promotion places. Defeat wouldn’t be disastrous, as a string of postponed games over the winter has left them with games in hand on the sides above the Quakers. Darlo did lose the game 2-1, but were still sat in the play off places. There was a real sense of optimism surrounding the club. The club’s players, staff and fans all believed that this year, Darlington FC were heading for promotion.

But the following morning, Chairman George Houghton wrecked the dream by placing the club into administration, citing weekly losses of tens of thousands of pounds as the reason. After that, things just seemed to get worse and worse.

The automatic 10 point deduction for going into administration ended automatic promotion hopes, and an injury crisis left key players unavailable for matches, dashing any lingering hopes of a play off spot. Manager Dave Penney left to take charge at Oldham at the start of May, with assistant manager Martin Gray and goalkeeping coach Andy Collett joining him once the season had finished. A brave effort from the players ensured a top half finish for the Quakers. A mass exodus of players in the summer left Darlington with just 2 senior players- captain Steve Foster and fellow defender Ian Miller, along with 5 youth team players promoted to the 1st team squad.

2 bids to buy the club by former Vice Chairman Raj Singh both failed, and with no other saviour forthcoming, the very future of the club looked in serious doubt. Then, a deal was agreed between Houghton and Singh, with Singh eventually taking charge. Colin Todd was appointed manager, with Dean Windass arriving as player/coach. The club emerged from administration the day before the first game of the new season, a trip to Aldershot, allowing a host of new players to finally be able to sign contracts with the club. With a new chairman, new squad and new manager, Darlington FC’s troubles looked over. Or so we thought.

A 3-1 defeat to Aldershot was followed by four successive 1-0 losses, including a spirited home defeat to Leeds in the Carling Cup. The Quakers eventually picked up their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw at home to Cheltenham. A 1-0 win over Lincoln in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy a few days later had fans hoping a corner had been turned. But it was yet another false dawn, as defeats kept coming. In October, after a 1-1 draw at Grimsby, only Darlington’s 2nd point of the season, Colin Todd and Dean Windass left the club after just 11 games in charge, a spell which yielded just 1 win, 2 draws and 8 defeats and left Darlington rooted to the bottom of League 2.

Raj Singh’s search for a successor lasted only a week, with former Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton taking charge in what looked like a real coup for Darlington. His appointment looked to be paying off as Darlington gained their first league win of the season, a 2-1 home victory over Shrewsbury. Despite some away defeats, another home win, this time a 1-0 triumph against Burton Albion, had Darlington fans believing that Darlington’s campaign had been kick started. It was merely false hope again, with a string of 5 straight defeats, in which the club conceded 19 goals. Darlington’s final 3 games of 2009 were postponed due to the freezing weather; brief respite for the Quaker’s long suffering fans.

In short, 2009 for Darlington was about as bad as it could have possibly been. The irony was it started with such hope and anticipation, a belief that Darlington could reach League 1. The horrific change in fortunes has now left the Quakers marooned at the bottom of League 2, 14 points adrift from safety. Given that Darlington have gained only 8 points all season, hopes of a dramatic escape look slim. Darlington have scored only 13 goals all season (the league’s top scorer Lee Hughes of Notts County has scored 17). The club has used an astonishing 41 different players this season, and that figure will undoubtedly rise with the January transfer window. If Darlington were to avoid dropping into the Blue Square Premier, it would be more than a miracle. However, so long as there is a slim chance of survival players and fans of Darlington should keep believing, keep fighting until it’s all over. Darlington FC has come through adversity before and now, facing possibly its greatest challenge yet, players and fans alike should dig in and at least restore some pride to the battered club. There’s not a lot else to lose, so lets go down fighting.

By Chris Sykes

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