TWO Darlingtonians have been wandering the streets wearing the football strip of what was once their town's biggest club, but which haven't been seen since 1915.

As reported in The Northern Echo earlier this week, Darlington St Augustine's FC, or Saints, won the inaugural Northern League in 1890 and would regularly get crowds of 3,000 at their Chestnut Grove ground, near Valley Street, then considered the best football stadium in the region.

The team folded early in the First World War despite fielding two foreign nationals, who were war refugees.

But 100 years on, the team shirts were worn once again in the town by Christopher May, 20 and Martin Heskett, 19.

The two students will play for a makeshift Saints team in a game at Beechwood Avenue, Darlington against a fan's Sunderland team on Saturday (August 8) at noon.

Sunderland were chosen because the first time the Wearsiders wore red and white stripes was in a match against Saints in 1887.

Mr May and Mr Heskett, cousins who both attended Carmel School, were passing out flyers to promote a play about the founding of The Northern League called Hewin' Goals by the Backscratch Theatre Company at St Augustine's Parish Centre, Larchfield Street, at 7.30pm which will be preceded by a talk by outgoing Northern League chairman, Mike Amos.

Only 20 Saints shirts have been made and St Augustine's Parish Centre are hoping to sell them to people of the town to cover costs. There will also be a fun day and barbecue at St Augustine's from 1pm.

Tickets for the play cost £8 (£6 concessions) and more information are available from starsdarlington.co.uk or by calling Ben on 07974-352-016.