Most of Darlington's youthful squad were still in nappies when the club last won the opening-day fixture.

So, after over two decades of first-day blues, Quakers aim to kick-off their season on the right note when a new chapter in the club's history starts today.

The club has struggled in recent years - most of its troubles being well-documented.

But the past is exactly that and today's game with Grimsby Town signals a new beginning, one which it is hoped will be marked by a rare home win on the first day of the season.

Excluding the club's sole year in the GM Vauxhall Conference - when Quakers beat Kidderminster 3-0 in 1989 - their record when at home on the opening day of the season is abysmal - it's been 22 years since a visiting team were sent packing without a point.

It was August 28, 1982, when goals from Darlington legend Alan Walsh (2) and Barry Dunn earned a Billy Elliot-led 3-0 victory over Rochdale.

However, Darlington have played at home on the first day only seven times in the past 21 years and their overall record is five wins in 21 - all of them away.

Those seven winless home matches make for poor reading and it's a record that makes manager David Hodgson both angry and determined in equal measure.

He strives for the club to succeed in every area and aims to end Darlington's disastrous first-day form today.

The forward line apart, his first choice XI appears to have taken shape during Quakers' pre-season which, aside from a shocking 5-0 reverse to Peterborough, which Hodgson puts down to over-working his players, has seen some positive results and good performances.

He wants another good performance today and said: "We have a fair idea of what the team will be.

"But no matter what our team is, I'm determined to win because Darlington very rarely wins on the opening day - I want to do something about that. Our record is disgraceful.

"We always let people down, I know that, the players know that and I've let Proc (Mark Proctor) know too, so we all know where we stand."

Hodgson is also aware of the teething problems the club has failed to solve since moving to the New Stadium a year ago.

Even though attendances have, on average, been no bigger than at former home Feethams, several games have been delayed because of crowd congestion.

"We let the fans down with regards to getting them into the stadium before a match, and then we let them down again with a stupid performance on the pitch," said Hodgson.

"I'm hell-bent on getting the fans into the stadium without aggravation and I'm also hoping that when they go to the bars and kiosks they're served in good time for a change.

"I want everything done correctly throughout the club.

"This is a big year, a new beginning, and everyone at the club and the fans are in this together."

The manner of defeat to Peterborough, watched by Russ Slade, the manager of this afternoon's opponents, stunned some of the faithful who had been heartened by some good periods of play in previous warm-up games, especially against Leeds United.

But Hodgson said: "They were tired, so of course I'm going to defend them. Had that performance been a league game then I'd be in a different mood and the players would know about it."

Read more about the Quakers here.