Darlington play at Blackwell Meadows on Boxing Day when they take on FC Halifax Town in what is expected to be a sell-out occasion for the club’s return to the town. In the latest of a series of articles counting down to Quakers’ comeback, Deputy Sports Editor Craig Stoddart looks back on the club’s first match at the Reynolds Arena

A DOCUMENTARY in 2003 televised by the BBC recording the build-up to Darlington’s first game against Kidderminster Harriers at the Reynolds Arena left the final word to a disgruntled fan who, asked for his verdict on the club’s opening match at the stadium, succinctly summarised his thoughts thusly: “Shite.”

Quite.

His team began life in their new surroundings, with its much-vaunted marble floors, elevators and escalators, hands-free taps and club-crested soap dispensers in front of 11,600 spectators, though events did not go as hoped, setting the tone for the club’s nine years at the 25,000 capacity stadium.

“There’s over 6,000 tickets been sold already and I think we will have over 10,000 in,” said club owner George Reynolds on the eve of the maiden match. “We are now just cleaning up and washing windows – it’s looking wonderful. Everybody is very excited. The new shirts are selling like billy-o. Everything is flying.”

The team wasn’t flying though. Losing their first game 2-0 at the Arena, and off-field organisation was not up to scratch either.

There were still queues at the turnstiles come 3pm leading to a delayed kick-off, which would become a recurring theme whenever the stadium hosted a big match.

Supporters complained of lengthy queues in the numerous bars as well as delays in exiting the car park after the inaugural match.

Still, at least the pies sold out as the club’s owner gleefully reported during the aforementioned documentary.

An Echo reader wrote to say: “One of several over-officious announcements threatened us with arrest if we did not accept a 15-minute delay before parked cars could move, but it actually took me 54 minutes from the final whistle to escape the car park. Casual supporters will not return if they cannot get away from the Reynolds Arena until 6pm. We have lives to get on with.”

While another reader focused on the football, saying “the team that I saw on opening day was the worst team to put on a DFC shirt”.

Put together on a budget, Mick Tait’s team had finished 14th the season before and 15th in their first season at the Arena, losing their first three league games of the 2003-04 campaign.

Walloped 4-1 at Hull City on the opening day, a week later Kidderminster were party poopers with Danny Williams becoming the first player to score at the Arena.

The midfielder beat goalkeeper Andy Collett direct from a free-kick conceded by Craig Liddle in the 50th minute.

Half-time substitute Andy Bishop soon compounded Darlington’s misery with the second goal.

“The occasion shouldn’t have affected the players one bit,” said Tait, who was replaced by David Hodgson come November.

“It’s just so disappointing to come to the new stadium and put in a performance like that. We wanted to put in a good performance and win the game in front of such a big crowd.

“Kidderminster deserved their victory because they were professional and worked hard. We made it easy for them though.

“We’re capable of doing so much better than that and the lads know it.”

Reynolds had held court before the game, his microphone address to spectators coming before Tina Turner’s Simply the Best blasted across the PA system.

“We heard the chairman speak before the game and decided to spoil his day,” said Harriers boss Ian Britton.

Darlington: Collett, Valentine, Liddle, McGurk, Clark, Bossy, Keltie, Maddison, (Hughes 72), Nicholls (Sheeran 72), Conlon, Robson (Wainwright). Subs (not used): Price (gk), Artun

Kidderminster Harriers: Brock, Coleman, Stamp, Hinton, Willis, Bennett (Ward 77), Shilton, Flynn, D Williams, Henriksen (Smith 77), J Williams (Bishop 46) Subs (not used): Danby, Parrish