Saturdy Spotlight: Wainwright goes from zero to hero
Neil Wainwright admits he thought
his time at Darlington was over.
Instead, he's part of the squad
aiming for a Wembley final, as
Craig Stoddart reports
EIGHT years after
missing out on
Darlington's play-offs
and being forced to
watch on television,
Neil Wainwright will this
evening be part of the Quakers
squad that faces Rochdale.
But that is only after a
remarkable upturn in his
fortunes during the closing
weeks of a season which has
been the most turbulent of his
career.
Crowned Player of the Year 12
months ago, today he faces the
biggest game of his life. Such
achievements are among his
career highlights so, coming just
a year apart, portray a purple
patch for the Warrington-born
winger.
However, they belie what has
really happened this season to
the club's current longestserving
player.
Largely overlooked in favour
of Julian Joachim, he was
injured for nearly two months,
shunted into the reserves and
even left the club on loan -
twice.
With his contract expiring at
the end of this season, it's no
surprise to hear that at one stage
Wainwright believed he had
pulled on a black and white shirt
for the final time.
That's some turnaround for a
player who walked away with
three honours at last year's
awards ceremony, which
included an award for
outstanding contribution to
Darlington FC, and they are all
on display in his Chester-le-
Street home.
Well-liked by supporters,
many of them hold fond
memories of him scoring the
final ever goal at Feethams in
May 2003. He is also remembered
for his electric displays during
1999/00 when Quakers last
reached the play-offs which he
missed out on due to his
three-month loan from
Sunderland expiring.
But he did enough in
that 17-game spell to
leave Darlington
wanting more and he
signed permanently
for £50,000 in August
2001.
Commitmentfilled
displays, a
keen work ethic
and some
important goals in
close to 300 appearances have
made him a crowd favourite
(he is also believed to have
taken pay cuts to stay with the
club).
But he's never been one of
Dave Penney's favourites,
which is why Wainwright's
contribution this season
has been limited from
the first day of the
season.
Two substitute
appearances were
as good as it got
during the first
two months so,
tired of being
used sparingly,
he went on loan
to Shrewsbury
Town in October.
"I came back after the summer
break, did pre-season and then
for the first few games of the
season I wasn't even in the
squad,'' recalled Wainwright.
"Obviously it was disappointing,
but I suppose these things
happen.
"People were saying you'll be
back', that sort of thing, which
helps - especially when you're
not in the team and you're
thinking what's going on here?'
"Before the Shrewsbury loan
I'd said to the manager that I'd
like to go out to get a few games,
but it was never in my mind to
leave permanently.
"I didn't want to leave at all,
but I wanted to get some games
to keep me fit. Reserve games
aren't ideal, no matter how
much you put into them it's not
like playing on a Saturday."
Yet after only three
appearances, injury brought a
premature end to his
Shrewsbury stay.
Back in the North-East and
firmly back on the sidelines,
Wainwright admitted: "To be
honest, I thought I'd played my
last game after I came back
injured.
"I was out for about six weeks
with a stomach strain and after
that had healed I had fluid on
my pubic bone.
"All I could do was rest which
made it a frustrating injury
because it meant I wasn't able to
do any work.
"When I'd
finally
recovered it
didn't really
look good for
me. I said to a
few people at
the time it looks
as though I've
played my last
game for
Darlington'."
His fears proved
unfounded. After
returning from
Shrewsbury almost three
months elapsed before his next
Darlington appearance in
February.
That came in the win at Notts
County, by which stage Quakers
were flying. Up to second in
League Two with well over half
the season gone, Darlington had
been managing perfectly well
without Wainwright.
Having endured some tough
times while with Quakers, as
well as twice agonisingly
missing out on the play-offs with
back-to-back eighth-place
finishes, being on the periphery
in this of all seasons seemed
harsh.
Though used only as an 89thminute
sub in that win at Notts
County, it represented the
beginning of six appearances in
seven matches, a run which
suggested he was back in favour.
In truth, however, his route
back into the side had been due
to team-mates' injuries and
when players returned to fitness
Wainwright was back out of the
club and pitched into a
relegation fight on loan with
Mansfeld Town, though this
time he did not
instigate it as
Stags boss Paul
Holland was
keen to add
experience to his
youthful squad.
Penney was happy to
help.
Wainwright said: "I
went to Mansfield
when I was doing well.
I'd come off the bench
quite a few times but
then the opportunity
to go out on loan to
Mansfield came.
"The manager was happy to
let me go so when that happens
you know you're not in his
immediate plans.
"I think one of the reasons he
(Holland) wanted me there was
my experience because there
were a lot of young lads there
and it was a quiet squad.
"It was a strange situation
really. They used me as a striker,
which isn't really my position. I
know I've played there in the
past, but we played a game at
Bury and I played up front with
Micky Boulding.
"All the balls were going in the
air and I had 6ft 7" Ben Futcher
marking me so it was a waste of
time.
"When I signed I was thinking
in the back of my mind that it
could be a fairytale. I could help
Mansfield stay up and then come
back here and help Darlington
get promoted in the play-offs.
"I knew it was unrealistic
really."
Saving Mansfield from the
drop certainly proved unrealistic
as they were ultimately
relegated, the trapdoor opening
on the day Darlington managed
to lose by throwing away a twogoal
lead at home to lowly
Dagenham.
Wainwright played that day as
he'd been, remarkably, thrust
back into first-team action due
to a spate of injuries in Quakers'
squad.
Shortly after moving to
Mansfield, Penney's squad were
hit by an injury crisis, with
Joachim one of the many
forwards affected, so
Wainwright was recalled and is
now an integral part of the
squad.
In his first game back he
played a part in Tommy Wright's
equaliser in the 1-1 draw at
Chesterfield, and also created
Darlington's opener in last
week's win at Peterborough.
Given his previous fringeplayer
status, it is a remarkable
turn of events and perhaps in
keeping with his playing style,
which could perhaps best be
described as unpredictable.
Able to race past a defender
and crossing for a team-mate,
just as he did last week, he is,
frustratingly, equally capable of
beating a defender and then
shanking a cross into the stand.
Perhaps that inconsistency is
why Wainwright, now aged 30,
has spent most of his career in
the lower divisions, the bulk of it
with Darlington.
"I've just passed 275
appearances, I think," he says.
The first of those came in the
second half of 99/00 when he was
cruelly denied the chance to
feature in the end-of-season
shake-up.
Eight years on and finally he
will get his play-off opportunity,
instead of watching it on
television as he did when
Darlington beat Hartlepool
before losing at Wembley to
Peterborough.
"I don't think anyone knew
the rules properly at the time,"
he said. "I think David Hodgson
thought he had me for the playoffs
as well, but the loan ran out
just before the last league game
of the season.
"That meant I couldn't play in
the play-offs, which was gutting
for me. I watched it on the TV,
which was difficult.
"In the last few years we've
been close and kept just missing
out. We probably should have
got into the play-offs before now,
but this year it's the least we
have deserved.
"Everyone's looking forward
to the game, winning last week
was brilliant for confidence.
There was a big crowd at
Peterborough and we spoilt their
party.
"This is definitely the biggest
game since I've been here.
"There's been a buzz in
training.
"Last week we only had about
12 or 13 in training, this week
everyone's been desperate to get
back and I think we had 21
training.
"There have been big games in
the past when we were fighting
against relegation, but this is the
type of game everyone wants to
play in."
9:21am Saturday 10th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Chris G, Darlington on 9:50am Sat 10 May 08
Every team needs a player like Neil, he never gives less than 100%, a true pro. This is proved by him being a fans favourite. All the best Neil, you're a star. Thanks.
Every team needs a player like Neil, he never gives less than 100%, a true pro. This is proved by him being a fans favourite. All the best Neil, you're a star. Thanks.
Posted by: Darren, Darlington on 2:27pm Sat 10 May 08
Totally agree, can't understand why he's not be in the team more. Last few games he's shined alot more than joccy had in his previous performances. Still penny is the manager and its his decision for whatever reason
Totally agree, can't understand why he's not be in the team more. Last few games he's shined alot more than joccy had in his previous performances. Still penny is the manager and its his decision for whatever reason
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