FOR as long as Quakers' fans can remember, the ornate old turnstiles had been the gateway to their beloved football club.

But now the turnstiles, which stood beneath the "twin towers" of Darlington's Feethams ground for generations, are at the centre of a bizarre sporting dispute.

Football club chairman George Reynolds is livid after discovering his cricketing neighbours have flogged off the turnstiles - just as he was planning to have them transferred to his new stadium.

Mr Reynolds says historic deeds show the turnstiles belong to the football club.

But officials of Darlington Cricket Club, which is the trust holder of Feethams, insist they were their property.

Mr Reynolds planned to transport them to Darlington FC's new 27,500-capacity stadium, on Neasham Road, where they would have formed part of a memorabilia wall in the supporters' bar.

"We can't believe what they've done. It's been a tradition for more than 100 years," said the former safe-cracker.

"What they have done is wrong, they had no right to do it and I'm going to ask for their return."

He added: "Sunderland did the same kind of thing we wanted to do when they left Roker Park and moved to the Stadium of Light.

"We thought it would've been nice for the fans to have a drink in the new stadium and look at all the old Darlington football memorabilia."

However, the cricket club is adamant.

Co-ordinator John Edwardson, who declined to reveal how much the turnstiles were sold for, said: "They were our property and we sold them off. There is nothing that I know of to stop us."

There are other old turnstiles in place at Feethams which could yet find a home at Neasham Road.

But Mr Reynolds says he will fight the cricket club on a point of principle.

* Do you know who has bought the turnstiles? If so, contact The Northern Echo's newsdesk on (01325) 505065.