DARLINGTON make their highly-anticipated return to the town on Boxing Day when they take on FC Halifax Town in what is expected to be a sell-out occasion at Blackwell Meadows. In the first of a series of articles focusing on significant matches since leaving Feethams, Deputy Sports Editor Craig Stoddart looks back at the old ground’s final fling.

DARLINGTON have been exiled from the town for four and a half years, but as far as some supporters are concerned they have been without a home since May 3, 2003.

That was the date of their farewell to Feethams, their final match at the ground that had been home for 120 years before an ill-fated move to a 25,000-capacity soulless stadium the outskirts of town.

Feethams, much smaller than the Arena, had seen better days. Positioned on land now occupied by housing, squeezed between the River Skerne, the cobbles of Polam Lane and Darlington Cricket Club, it was rusty and ragged, the concrete terracing of the Tin Shed required repair. The still gleaming five-year-old East Stand was its showpiece, yet the ground retained its charm and was much more suited to a club competing for an 11th successive season in the then named Division Three 9now League Two).

Quakers were to finish the 2002-03 campaign in 14th, so all that was left to play for in the season’s last match was to give the old ground a good send-off against fellow mid-table Leyton Orient, yet the visitors had not been provided with a copy of the script.

The Londoners took a 2-0 lead before half-time. Matt Lockwood’s 26th minute opener silenced the bumper crowd of 5,723, which was left stunned when Gary Alexander added a second.

“To go 2-0 down was a disaster especially on such a big day,” admitted manager Mick Tait, who had replaced Tommy Taylor the previous October.

“We were very sloppy and not for the first time this season its cost us.

“It was important we didn’t let the occasion get to us but I thought the way we started maybe showed that it did a bit.

“At one point it looked as though the whole day was going to be a bit too much for the players.

“We gave ourselves some hope with Jim’s goal before half-time.”

Jimmy Corbett, a 22-year-old forward on loan from Blackburn Rovers, pulled one back after latching on to a scuffed effort by Tom Newey, making the score 2-1 in Orient’s favour at half-time.

There would be one more goal in the last 45 minutes of football at Feethams, the net would bulge once more at a ground graced down the years by heroes such as Ron Greener, Brian Henderson, Colin Sinclair, David Currie, Kevan Smith et al, a selection of Quakers heroes who all made their mark for the club.

Neil Wainwright stands among them having earned his place in Feethams folklore by scoring the ground’s last ever goal.

With fans beginning to become anxious as the clock ticked down, the winger had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes when he headed home Ian Clark’s cross “It’s a great feeling to be the last ever scorer at Feethams,” he said. “I wanted to be part of the occasion but I never thought I’d be the one to get such an important goal.

“It does mean a lot to me and it’s a moment I will never forget. To come on and get the last goal at Feethams is an absolute dream.”

Darlington: Collett, Liddle, Whitehead, Clarke, Valentine (Wainwright 75), Pearson (Clark 55), Nicholls, Keltie (Maddison 82), Newey, Corbett, Conlon. Subs (not used): Porter (gk), Mellanby

Leyton Orient: Morris, Joseph, Turner, Jones, Miller, Lockwood, Harris, Toner, Alexander, Purser, Tate Subs (not used): Fletcher, Forbes, Stephens, Thorpe, Harrison