NOT since 2007 have Darlington faced Hartlepool United, and while Tuesday evening’s game lacks the status of a league meeting it is one that Quakers are taking more seriously than their usual Durham Challenge Cup ties.

While not all those of a Quaker persuasion place a lot of value on the game, the fixture has been welcomed among many with Darlington fans snapping up 1,400 tickets.

There will be more Darlington fans in attendance at Blackwell Meadows than there were on Saturday against Spennymoor Town, who were backed by 300 supporters in an overall attendance of 1,664.

For Stephen Thompson, Darlington’s longest-serving player, the match represents a rare chance to face Pools – if selected.

“For me it’s a derby and it’s the biggest derby,” he said. “Spennymoor, we’ve had games with them over the years, but the biggest derby rivals for Darlington are Hartlepool and I hope I’m playing.

"I love derby games and everybody else should as well because it’s matters to the fans, the club, it’s matters to everyone. We’ve got to go out there and beat them.”

The 2007 meeting was in League 2 at the Arena, a game current Darlington manager Tommy Wright played in and Pools won 3-0.

The closest the clubs have come to meeting since has been when Quakers have made their customary early exit from cup competitions, with the opponents going on to be drawn in a later around against Hartlepool.

It happened when Blyth beat Darlington in the FA Cup in 2014-15, and this season AFC Telford won at Blackwell in the Trophy before going on to overcome Pools.

“Since I’ve been here I’ve always thought about playing in a Darlo v Hartlepool game,” added Thompson.

“Some of the lads who aren’t here anymore - Gary Brown, Leon Scott, Phil Turnbull - they all would’ve liked to play in this one.

“We always used to say if we could do well in the FA Cup or Trophy we might be able to play Hartlepool but it’s never materialised.

“Yeah it’s the Durham Challenge Cup, but it’s still Darlo v Hartlepool.”

The enthusiasm for the fixture is not matched by Pools, who have sold over 100 tickets and will select a team of youth and reserve players.

Wright, whose team are 15th in the table, has indicated he will field a strong side, but is aware that Saturday’s trip to 13th-placed Curzon Ashton is more significant.

“None of the lads have experienced this one before, they’ll want to play, nobody limped off on Saturday,” he said.

“The fans will be really up for it and it’s going to be better than a training session, put it that way.”

Darlington were unfortunate to lose 2-1 to promotion contenders Spennymoor, and took encouragement from the performance.

Thompson added: “Since Christmas we have turned a bit of a corner, we’ve found something that works for us.

“Spennymoor are where that are in the table for a reason, they are a team that you’ve got to respect. They proved what they are all about last week when they battered Sutton, a team from the division above, in the Trophy.

“But we’ve got to take some positives from it because we dominated in the first 45 minutes.

“We knew had to stop the ball coming into Glen Taylor, he’s on fire at the minute and is a very good player.

“But we knew where we could hurt them as well. We created some chances and could’ve done better with a few.”