As long as chairman George Reynolds is at the helm, there will never be a dull moment at Darlington Football Club.

And the 2002/03 season was no exception.

It was a campaign which saw the last ball kicked at Feethams, the brief appearance of a World Cup superstar and the departure of manager Tommy Taylor.

In truth the previous season's 13th placed finish had done little to fill many of the club's supporters with much optimism.

Taylor it seemed begged to differ, as like any manager would at the beginning of a new season, he talked up his team and remained confident that a drive for Division Two was well within reach.

The club welcomed released youngsters Ryan Valentine (Everton) and Ashley Nicholls (Ipswich) along with Halifax defender Matt Clarke.

And it was Nicholls who stole the show on the opening day of the season when he hit the winner at Cambridge to give Taylor's new look side a winning start.

However, just one win from their next ten League games - including a devastating 4-1 reverse at Hartlepool - would set the alarm bells ringing as pressure mounted on Taylor's under-fire side.

It was during this time that Quakers first unveiled their ambitious plans to bring Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla to the club.

On the verge of pulling off one of the major coups in world football, Asprilla was paraded by Reynolds in front of fans before a Third Division clash with Carlisle in August.

However in a last minute change of mind, Asprilla left without explanation on the next flight from Newcastle to the Middle East. A devastated Reynolds revealed a deal for Asprilla was all but a agreed even before the Home Office had granted a work permit for the former Newcastle idol.

But Asprilla refuted the claim, saying: "We didn't reach an agreement over money. I turned up there, passed the medical tests and saw the new stadium.

"When we sat down to discuss a contract it wasn't what I had previously been promised."

However Reynolds hit back: "This is a pack of lies and it just adds insult to injury after the despicable way he walked out on us.

"The truth is that he tried to change the terms by asking for money after turning up with a man I'd never met before.

"But nobody could have altered it anyway, because we were told by the Home Office at the work permit hearing that the permit was only granted on the contract we put before them."

Still reeling from Asprilla's astonishing turnaround, the club continued its search for a striker and secured the loan signing of former Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa star Graham Fenton from Blackpool.

Defeat at Taylor's former club Leyton Orient followed leaving Quakers fifth from bottom at the end of September and via the club's official website Reynolds warned: "Results must improve".

A home win over Bristol Rovers handed Taylor a brief respite, but a draw and two defeats later and Taylor was on his way after only a year in charge.

His assistant Mick Tait took over team affairs and he celebrated his first game in style with a 4-0 win at Exeter.

Quakers lost just once in Tait's opening 12 games and the former Hartlepool boss told The Northern Echo he would "love" to take the job permanently.

Tait continued to get the best out of his players and the club recorded an historic win at Hull in December in the last ever game at Boothferry Park.

However, an alarming slump in results followed seeing Quakers claim just one win in their next 13 outings including a demoralising FA Cup defeat at home to Conference side Farnborough Town in the Third Round.

Quakers finally claimed three points at home to York at the start of March in a narrow 2-1 win, but defeats against Bournemouth, Cambridge and Boston dragged Quakers back down the table.

Tait received the backing of Reynolds to steer the club clear and they record an impressive win at Scunthorpe, before finally putting paid to any lingering relegation fears with a 5-1 hammering of fellow strugglers Shrewsbury at Feethams.

After a long standing battle against injury striker Glenn Naylor announced his retirement from the game.

He made an emotional return to the club with over 60 other former players in the last ever game at Feethams against Leyton Orient, where Quakers are held to a 2-2 draw.

Now as the club enters a new era in its Neasham Road 27,500 all-seater stadium, supporters can look forward to a future which promises to be just as eventful as its past.

Read more about the Quakers here.