WHILE September 11 is a date imprinted on most people's memories, Dave Mitchell has more reason than most for remembering the day of the World Trade Centre disaster.

It was the day he had a blood test which revealed he was suffering from leukaemia, thereby blighting another rugby season following his treatment for cancer last year.

The former West Hartlepool captain hopes to watch his old club in action today at Darlington Mowden Park, where he would now be in his fourth season as player-coach had illness not so cruelly intervened.

"They caught it early and so far the treatment has gone very well," he said. "I go in mainly as an out-patient three or four times a week.

"I don't know what the next stages are - it's not like a tumorous cancer where you can see it disappear."

Mitchell opted out of being a full-time rugby professional to pursue a promising career as a marketing executive with Cummins engine company in Darlington and says they have been "very supportive".

It is not yet known whether he will require a bone marrow transplant, but his wife, Svenya, has become very involved and they are looking for bone marrow donors to help leukaemia sufferers in general.

"They can't have enough donors," said Dave. "We have been organising sessions through the rugby club plus Cummins and Orange and we are getting volunteers.

"Out of the first and second team squads at Mowden 30 have had packs given to them to be tissue typed, and we are looking to do a bigger session for Darlington residents in general.

"The rugby club is ideal because the preference is for male donors aged 18 to 40, partly because they have more marrow to give."

Having missed the whole of last season, Mitchell played in the first game of this season on September 1 and says he felt fine.

"I was supposed to have had a routine operation in mid-August," he said. "They did the blood check the day before and everything was OK, but on the morning of the operation the surgeon was unwell so it was postponed until September 12.

"I had another blood test the day before and it showed up abnormalities in my white blood cell count."

Because his immunity was very low during the early stages of his treatment, Mitchell stayed away from the club, but he saw the last home game when the other player-coach, Kevan Oliphant, landed a late drop goal to secure a one-point win against Tynedale.

But for that a side who had grown accustomed to winning during four successive promotions would have lost four of their last six league games. "They have been turning over too much possession and have lost a bit of the work ethic that we had," said Mitchell.

"In previous years we always had the feeling we could work our way out of a corner, but they seem to be feeling the pressure and that sort of belief has been lost. But there are still some very strong characters in there."

Mitchell, an England Schoolboy while at Richmond School, joined West at 16 in 1988 and has fond memories of his time with the club.

"West's success was built on several fundamentals such as local talent," he said. "When I joined I was travelling further than anybody in coming from Middleton Tyas.

"They had some real core values but that was lost and there were some signs before I left that a decline would set in. Selling the ground was a financial necessity, but when you do that you end up losing your heart and soul.

"I sympathise with the club totally and still have a great deal of fondness for them because I had some good times there. Half the player-coaches in the region would say the same - even Kevin Westgarth at Scunthorpe.

"But my loyalties now are with Mowden. I would like to see us win well, but I would also like to see West doing a bit better.

"They need to consolidate their position because we need more National League clubs in the North-East to bring young players through."

Despite the early signs of decline, West were still in the top flight when Mitchell and Oliphant joined Mowden, who were then six rungs lower in North East Division One.

Former All Black Mike Brewer spent thousands bringing in players in a desperate attempt to preserve West's Premiership status, but they won only three games that season.

In two and a half seasons since they have won only twice as John Stabler has often struggled to get a team on the field.

It looks highly unlikely that they can avoid a fourth successive relegation, so they will cross paths with Mowden only this season.

Mowden recall No 8 Phil Dawson, but their other loan signing from Newcastle, prop James Isaacson, has to take his turn on the bench.

Dave Sinclair and Danny Brown return to the front row, Steve Sanderson is back at lock and Tim Wilks retains his place at the expense of Tony Irwin.

Struggling to regain full fitness after an ankle injury, Irwin has been out of form and has to settle for a place on the bench, as does Richard Woollam as Jonny Golightly again starts at scrum half.

With Kevin McCallum unavailable, Mark Bedworth switches to full back, with Mark Wilkinson joining Mick Kent in a powerful centre combination.