DARLINGTON could be taken out of the record books tonight by Manchester City.

City can set a new League Cup record if they post a three-goal winning margin against Burton Albion in the second leg of their semi-final.

After winning the first leg 9-0, City will set the biggest aggregate winning margin with a three-goal win at the Pirelli Stadium.

The current record stands at 11 goals, with Quakers one of five clubs to have suffered such a drubbing in the competition.

It happened in the 1987-88 season when the competition was sponsored by Littlewoods and it was Dave Booth’s first season as Darlington manager, with Watford the opposition for a keenly-anticipated second round tie.

Watford were a top-flight club and attracted Quakers’ highest attendance of the season of 5,005, the game the evening of September 22.

By that point Darlington had started the season encouragingly and had won 5-2 at Hartlepool United with goals by David Currie (2), Alan Roberts (2) and Paul Ward.

However, against Watford the majority of a packed Feethams was left disappointed.

Watford ran out 3-0 winners against a Darlington team which included Phil Bonnyman, Gary MacDonald, Ward and Currie.

Booth’s team crumbled in the second leg two weeks later at Vicarage Road, losing 8-0 with Watford featuring seven different goalscorers on the night.

Steve Terry scored the last of his 20 goals for the club, there was a brace for Peter Hetherston and strikes from Iwan Roberts, Glyn Hodges, Tony Agana, Nigel Gibbs and Luther Blissett.

The Hornets had the recently-appointed Dave Bassett in charge. He had recently replaced Aston Villa-bound Graham Taylor, but Bassett would be gone before the end of the season and Watford were relegated from the First Division.

Darlington finished the season 13th in Division Four, and at least they were not on their own in losing so heavily, as Exeter, Bury, Fulham and Wrexham have also lost by 11 goals over two legs.

Liverpool (11-0 v Exeter, 1981-12)

West Ham (12-1 v Bury, 1983-84)

Liverpool (13-2 v Fulham, 1986-87)

Watford (11-0 v Darlington, 1987-88)

Everton (11-0 v Wrexham, 1990-91)