‘THE Peterlee Gascoigne’ is the affectionate nickname given to Stephen Thompson by Gary Brown, the pair having been team-mates for eight years and the defender is delighted to see his good friend reach 300 appearances for Darlington.

The pair were together firstly at Durham City for two years and then Darlington for six seasons, part of three promotion-winning campaigns as Quakers quickly rose from the Northern League having both joined the club in 2012.

Among a long list of highlights, Brown selects Thompson’s performance at Burscough in December 2013 as being the most memorable - he scored a hat-trick of memorable strikes in a 7-0 win to earn a rare 10/10 rating in the following Monday’s The Northern Echo.

Sadly, and frustratingly for anyone not among the 319 spectators that day at Victoria Park, it is one of the few games since 2012 Darlington did not record on camera, but Brown remembers the goals vividly.

“His hat-trick at Burscough was ridiculous, but unfortunately there’s no video evidence,” he says. “His first goal was a 25-yard free-kick in the top corner, and the second was probably the best I’ve seen him score – David Dowson played a ball into him but because of pitch it was fired at him knee height with Thommo side on to the goal.

"His first touch kept it in air but also spun him round so that he was facing goal, his second touch was a devastating volley into the same top corner as the first goal!

"The third was a fantastic team passing goal. It was a special hat-trick, he was unplayable that day.

“There’s also been any amount of tireless performances topped off with grandstand goals. The Whitby opener in the 7-1 was special too, putting his head in where the keeper’s boot was to take it past him. Having said that, with Thommo’s head he’d have broken keeper’s foot anyway!”

Brown, now playing for South Shields and hoping for promotion from the Northern Premier League this season, added: “I'm so pleased for him with this achievement, but it’s not surprising at all.

"I remember my mate telling me about a lad he’d just watched playing for Durham against Esh Winning. ‘He’s like a non-league Paul Gascoigne/Wayne Rooney,’ he said, then a year later I signed for Durham and I understood exactly what he meant.

“His ability to be anonymous in a game and then produce something that leaves the supporters speechless is not a fluke, he’s done it hundreds of times and I'm lucky enough to have witnessed him in action. He’s the hardest working player I've played with, and above all that he's a top lad, always smiling, having a laugh and will help you out at the drop of a hat.

“A true legend and a friend for life.”