AN exhibition marking the rich history of Feethams football ground opened yesterday in Darlington.

Farewell to Feethams - which it is hoped will attract more than 15,000 people - is a project run by the Darlington Supporters' Trust to mark the end of the historic football ground and the move to the new stadium on the outskirts of town.

At the centre of the project is a photographic exhibition being held in the Darlington Arts Centre over the next two months.

Over half a season, 15 photographers took thousands of black and white images at Darlington Football Club's 120-year-old stadium as an historical record ahead of the move this season to the new stadium.

The best 40 pictures, which include images by fans and The Northern Echo, will be displayed at the exhibition, alongside memorabilia from the stadium.

All 1,200 photos, which capture those working behind the scenes as well as on the pitch, are to be held in a permanent archive.

The show also includes archive photos from Feethams' past, memorabilia from fans and the club, and taped memories from older fans and former players.

The exhibition has been organised - and mostly sponsored - by fans themselves.

And one of the organisers, Steve Duffy, was delighted with the numbers that visited on the first day.

"There have been a fair few people going through the doors," said Duffy.

"We had 500 through by late afternoon and that is on a Friday so that can only be a good sign. I think that is a great number to have recorded on the first day.

"There has also been a lot of inquiries and phone calls after the media coverage and TV coverage we have received. But what's been most pleasing is that the people walking around and looking at the photographs have been laughing and joking about the old days - it's been great and we are pleased.

"We are hopeful that by the end of the two months there will have been over 15,000 people looking around the Arts Centre and we have been encouraged by the early interest."

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