IT IS rather premature to blow the final whistle and say farewell to Feethams as Darlington's grand old lady of a football stadium appears to have enough injury time left to satisfy even Manchester United's Alex Ferguson.

However, the supporters' exhibition at Darlington Arts Centre provides a wonderful opportunity to reminisce, especially as one of the guests at last weekend's opening was Councillor Sheila Brown, daughter-in-law of the club's record-setting goal scorer.

During 1924-25, Davy Brown scored 39 goals in his 40 league appearances - still a Third Division record - as, for the only time in their 119-year history, Darlington were promoted to the Second Division.

Brown was born in Dundee in 1892, and scored 36 goals with his home town club in one season.

He moved on to Glasgow Rangers, one of Scotland's pre-eminent teams, and won the Scottish League with them.

Then the First World War broke out and Brown became an Army PE instructor.

In peacetime, he joined Stoke City, where he baby-sat for the legendary Sir Stanley Matthews.

He moved on to Notts County and then Kilmarnock, where his career seemed to be drawing to a close.

Eight members of his wife's family were emigrating to America, and she wanted to go with them to build a new life post-football.

But the night before they were due to leave, Brown returned home and told her that he had just signed for Darlington.

The Quakers' manager, Jack English, had paid £80 for the 31-year-old's services, and in his first season at Feethams, Brown repaid him with 27 goals in 40 league appearances.

Darlington finished sixth in the Third Division (North), and the team was unbeaten at home all season.

Brown was settling in.

"I am making many friends," he told The Northern Echo's sports reporting team at the time.

"The town is most congenial."

Next season, 1924-25, was even better, as Darlington were crowned champions by five clear points and Brown set his record.

They also took Cardiff City to two replays in the FA Cup first round, eventually being knocked out at the neutral ground of Anfield, in Liverpool.

But they had impressed, and immediately afterwards the left-back, J O'Donnell, was sold to Everton for a then record fee of £2,700, and their young forward Tom Scott went to Liverpool.

The new season opened on August 29, 1925, with 13,478 cramming into Feethams to watch the first Second Division game against Nottingham Forest end in a goalless draw.

In the first half of the season, Brown scored a commendable eight goals in 16 appearances, but he must have been injured in the New Year, because he made just one more appearance, at home to Fulham.

It was to be his last, because the next season he retired.

He was remembered for his style - although he could shoot, he always tried to dribble the ball into the net - and for his phenomenal record: 74 goals in 97 league appearances for Darlington.

Although forever a Scot, Brown remained in Darlington and went into the insurance business with his son, also called Davy.

Davy senior died in 1983, Davy junior in 1996. Now Coun Brown, a former mayor of Darlington, is the keeper of his memory.

* The Farewell to Feethams exhibition runs at Darlington Arts Centre until August 24

Published: ??/??/2002

Echo Memories, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington DL1 1NF, e-mail chris.lloyd@nne.co.uk or telephone (01325) 505062.