Having agonisingly missed out on the play-offs by scoring three goals less than Northampton, one could reasonably expect to see bitterly disappointed fans, devastated at coming so close, yet so far from promotion.

Perhaps the odd tear might have been shed after witnessing a season striving for those three extra games which could have brought about the club's first promotion since 1991 suddenly grind to a halt.

Yet, with most fans armed with the knowledge that Northampton had put the kybosh on Quakers' play-off dream, Darlington were cheered off the pitch and hundreds invaded it to personally commiserate with their heroes.

And five minutes after Saturday's full-time whistle, as manager David Hodgson emerged from the changing room to conduct his post-match interviews, the fans who had stayed behind greeted with him with chants of "hero, hero" while the players were similarly lauded when they appeared in the directors' box to thank supporters.

Unusual scenes they may have been, but fans, some of whom had already resigned themselves to an eighth-placed finish after last week's draw at Lincoln, were largely buoyant because they could see the strides the club has made since its 'annus horribilis' last year.

Two goals in the last two minutes may have contributed to the upbeat atmosphere, especially after word mistakenly spread throughout the stadium that Kidderminster Harriers had pulled level at Northampton.

Most likely a classic case of Chinese whispers. Harriers hadn't scored at all and had actually had a man sent off, and as quickly as the 'good news' emerged, the reality became evident.

Besides, given their recent tendency to be Darlington's bogey side on the big occasion, did anyone really expect the worst team in the Football League to do Quakers a favour?

A shocking home defeat to Kidderminster in March, possibly Darlington's poorest performance on home soil in living memory, was a contributory factor in Quakers' failure to reach the play-offs.

In a season punctuated by uninspiring performances and dull matches, bottom half teams Notts County, Cambridge and Bury all left Darlington with at least a point while there were miserable days on the road too.

Defeats at Cambridge (24th) and Shrewsbury (22nd) have proved wasted opportunities to pick up the extra points that would have earned a top seven spot. It could be argued a team which records such disappointing statistics is not worthy of a play-off place, let alone promotion.

But a year ago, when a Barry Conlon goal at Scunthorpe meant Quakers ended the season 18th and not the 22nd position that had looked likely, missing out on the play-offs on goal difference was merely a pipe dream, something that only a well-run, forward-thinking club could ever achieve.

That game at Scunthorpe, almost irrelevant because the relegation places had already been taken, was treated as a celebration for Darlington whose fans and players alike were merely delighted the club still existed while dreams of promotion in 2004/05 were left to other clubs.

Twelve months on and the days of fighting both relegation and administration seem a decade past. A forward that has scored at the San Siro in the UEFA Cup, a striker that was at Ajax when they won the 1995 European Cup and a midfielder that has cost almost £4m in combined transfer fees all signed for the club this season and their presence marks a significant change in Quakers' stature.

In persuading some big names players to ply their trade for the first time in the bottom division of the Football League confirmed Quakers had made a complete recovery from the ills of administration and it also demonstrated a determination to reach the play-offs. Bobby Petta et al didn't end up in League Two to mucking around in mid-table.

Last week Hodgson made it clear he was disappointed with the so-called negative attitude of some of the club's followers, but the reality of football is that the goal posts do move. As better players arrive it is only natural that the expectations of supporters rise accordingly.

But on the whole his big name signings have underachieved and that's a major reason for missing out on the play-offs.

Ultimately, Hodgson signs the players and picks the team so it is he whom is responsible for any success or failure on the pitch. Last season he was rightly lauded as the saviour, the man who saved Darlington from relegation, and equally so the buck also stops with him for not reaching the play-offs this time around.

Alun Armstrong started his Darlington career in good form but scored only once in his last 15 games while injury-prone Craig Hignett missed more games than he played in.

But by far the biggest disappointment of them all has been Petta, a player whose reputation far exceeded anything he delivered on the pitch in his 12 games since signing in February.

The left-winger marked his arrival with a wonderful chipped goal in the 29th minute of his debut and then proceeded to do little else, except lose possession, so it's difficult to feel anything but sympathy for Hodgson who must have thought he had signed the player that was going to fire Darlington to League One.

As a club Darlington have made big strides, but if Hodgson and his team had matched the enormous progress chairman Stewart Davies has led off it then Quakers would have been looking forward to play-off matches with Southend United.

No matter the reasons for missing out on League One football, there's no doubting this has been a relatively successful season.

Historically Darlington have more often been involved in relegation battles, like last season, than been involved in the promotion race.

On only four occasions since 1970 has the club finished any higher than eighth while in bottom division of the Football League.

Perhaps the most symbolic moment of Darlington's turnaround came as the seconds ticked away on Saturday as the same supporters, who 12 months ago were praying to avoid relegation, chanted "next year, we'll be champions."

Read more about the Quakers here.