Football and nostalgia have gone hand-in-hand since, well, since the 'good old days'. Supporters are forever harking back to the time their team used to win every week, when the talismanic striker would score a hat-trick most Saturdays and when the kit didn't change design every month.

For all the hope supporters hold for better days ahead they can't help but look back to days gone by and wish for a return to they way things once were.

Many Darlington supporters are delighted at the return to black and white hoops, there's plenty who still prefer Feethams while last week's re-signing of one-time crowd favourite Matty Appleby, who was excellent in his first game back on Saturday, has been met with the supporters' approval.

Alongside Sean Gregan, Robbie Blake and others, Appleby became a crowd favourite when he shone throughout his last year at the club, 1995/96 - the club's first play-off season which ended in defeat at Wembley.

Being one of football's constants at the bottom end of the Football League, drifting through the seasons without much to shout about, even the slightest flirtation with success is fondly remembered which is why that season ranks as one of Quakers' best ever years.

Despite the defeat to Plymouth Argyle that season was deemed a relative success and integral to an entertaining young team was 24-year-old midfielder, Appleby.

His consistent displays earned a £200,000 move to Barnsley and the Teessider's done much in the almost nine years since, spending time in the Premiership with the Tykes, for whom he lost a second Wembley play-off final, and then joining Oldham Athletic three years ago before coming full circle with a move back to Darlington last week.

But, in doing so, he's broken one of football's unwritten rules: never go back.

As sure as a newly-transferred player will score against his former employers when their paths next meet, bringing a crowd favourite back to a former club is almost sure to end in disappointment.

Over the years Quakers have had their fair share of former heroes flatter to deceive in their homecomings. Defender Adam Reed was full of potential when he emerged on the scene in 1993 but three seasons after a £300,000 move to Blackburn Rovers he landed back at Feethams and in a further five years service he never quite matched the highs that had earned a move to Ewood Park.

Midfielder Steve Gaughen had two spells, 1992-95 and 97-99 - a driving force in the first, an under-achiever in the second.

Part of the promotion-winning side of 1985, when the club achieved their record points total, Steve Tupling returned seven years later for 11 less-than-great appearances.

The unfortunate Lee Ellison is perhaps the most memorable of the lot. After four years away the striker was vilified by some when he came back to Darlington in 1998, seven years after a remarkable spell of ten goals in 11 matches as a teenager. But by the time of his second coming the sharpness had gone, the belly hadn't, and it ended with a move to Southport a year later.

He wasn't the first Darlington player to be found lacking, but he was given a rougher ride than most and not matching his achievements in days gone by played its part.

And therein lies the problem. Years may have elapsed since a player's heralded achievements but expectation remains at the same level it was when the player last wore the club's colours.

But, despite the threat of losing his cult status tag, for months Appleby has been desperate to join Darlington, the club that originally gave him the stepping stone to a career in the upper divisions and he finally had his wish granted last week.

He made a handful of Newcastle appearances as a youngster but it was at Darlington where his career got started and now, 11 and a half years after originally joining on loan and nearly a decade since losing at Wembley, Appleby wants promotion second time around.

"Ever since I've left I've always looked out for Darlington's results," said the 32-year-old.

"I've been looking to get back here for a while, it almost happened at the start of the season so I'm delighted to be back now.

"A few years after losing at Wembley with Darlington I went back there with Barnsley but we got battered by Ipswich Town 4-2 so I'd like to get back to a play-off final and make it third time lucky.

"It's a huge day and you get plenty of support but, as all the fans know, it's not a nice day if you lose so, fingers crossed, we'll avoid that this season.

"To reach the automatic places we probably need around six wins but I look at the squad and think, in theory we could actually win all nine games!

"It's in our own hands."

Cult hero Kevan Smith is another to have twice signed for Darlington and nobody would ever say he wasn't a success both times around.

An exception to the 'never go back' theory, Smith saw promotion three times with the Quakers, two of them coming in back-to-back seasons after making a return to the club following four years away from Feethams.

As opposed to the relative success of play-off final defeat ala 1996, if Appleby and his new team-mates can play maintain their new-found form for the remainder of the season then there's no reason why he won't be celebrating promotion at the end of a genuinely successful season.

And that really would be something to be nostalgic about.

Read more about the Quakers here.