From Cricket to Rugby - The Homes of Darlington.

While writing an article for the Alfreton Town v Darlington programme I had more images and information than a 2 page spread in a match magazine can take, so if you read my article in the Alfreton programme, thanks for logging on here.

Feethams.

Darlington played at Feethams from their formation in 1883 until forced to leave due to financial problems in 2003. Football had been played at the ground from the 1860’s and Darlington's formation came about after a number of local clubs got together to pool their resources into one club.

The ground’s development took place in the early 1900’s with the West Stand being built, the South Terrace was constructed in 1905, this was also known as the cricket pavilion. Around the same time the Town End was terraced.

The Town End Terrace at Feethams

For me the beauty of grounds like Feethams is the little quirky bits, as well as the lovely old stands of the time. To get into the football ground you needed to go through the twin towers at the main entrance and walk around the cricket pitch to get to the ground entrance.

In 1920 changing rooms and offices were built under the East Stand, which was also roofed and this completed the ground as a lot of people would remember seeing for the next 70 years apart for the introduction of floodlights in 1960.

The West Stand at Feethams

That’s a story in itself. Following the first match the new floodlights were used in, an electrical fault caused the fire which burnt down the West Stand. The stand was rebuilt from the insurance money but for some reason it had to be built as it was originally, so no modern structure just a replica of the early 1900’s stand with a pitched roof, a raised block of seats and terrace under the cover.

The next, and final, change to the ground came in 1997 when the club knocked down the East Stand and built a pitch length all seated stand with the club name spelt out in the seats. This was how the ground looked when I made my only visit in 2002/03 for the FA Cup 2nd Round tie v Stevenage Borough of the Conference.

The Darlington v Stevenage Borough programme.


The new East Stand at Feethams.

Darlo won that tie 4-1 with Richard Hodgson giving the home side a 2nd minute lead with a 30 yarder. Within 2 minutes though, Stevenage equalised when Richard Howell headed in from a corner. On 38 minutes Richatd Offiong, on loan from Newcastle United, made it 2-1. Barry Conlon scrambled a 3rd for Darlo just after the break and Offiong got his 2nd just after the hour.

Team Sheet

After navigating past the Conference side they faced another from that league when Farnborough Town visited Feethams and beat the home side 3-2 to set up a home tie with Arsenal in round 4. So, Darlo just missed out on a lucrative tie, Farnborough ended up switching the venue to Highbury and. no surprises, the Gooners won.

 

Richard Offiong scores one of his brace against Stevenage Borough.

There have been so many grounds I’ve been to where facilities have been Spartan with open air toilets, leaking roofs, crumbling terraces but I miss those grounds. They are the grounds that I was brought up on, give me a pitched corrugated roof over some of the more modern stadiums any day. I do understand that facilities for us are much better now in terms of clean toilet areas, food and drink facilities, but the architecture of the older stadiums should be cherished. So, for a perfect example, consider the East Stand at Feethams that was in place until 1997. The picture on this blog that Ray Simpson kindly provided is a thing of beauty. Of course it’s replacement would have had better facilities but to me the old version is something to be valued and if I was a Darlington fan I wouldn’t go and stand in it, I’d be in another part of the ground so I could see the beauty of its barrel roof, it’s colour mingled with the fading bench seating and the terracing within and at the side.

 

The old East Stand at Feethams, pic courtesy of Ray Simpson.

The Reynolds Arena.

So, after Feethams, George Reynolds built the 25,000 capacity stadium which he named The Reynolds Arena, now named the Darlington Arena. A ground that some of today’s Premier League clubs would be happy to use, given the size. For a side in League 2 (old division 4) it was a millstone round the clubs neck and they had to vacate in 2012 due to the cost.

Darlington Arena.

Darlington did well to stay for 9 years at the ground in a period when play offs were achieved but financial problems dogged the club.

DFC at The Reynolds Arena.

For my visit in 2007/08 for the 0-0 draw with Chesterfield there were 4,205 in what looked like a vast arena. It’s a smart venue with 4 all seated sides of similar size. Marked out in the red seats were “Come on Darlo” behind one goal and “DFC Darlington” picked out on one of the pitch length stands giving the ground its identification.

Darlington v Chesterfield Programme.
 

Come On Darlo.

I also saw Darlington in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley in 2011 and was so relieved when Chris Senior scored the winner in the final minute of extra time to beat Mansfield Town (it’s a local rival thing). Chris actually joined Alfreton Town the following season for our first season in the Conference Premier.

 The Trophy Final was the last for the club, administration for a 3rd time saw the end of Darlington FC and the birth of Darlington 1883. The FA decided they should start again in the Northern League and the new owners decided to leave the Arena and share Bishop Auckland’s new ground at Heritage Park.


Chris Senior celebrates scoring the winner at Wembley.

Since then the Supporters Society have took the club back into the town and they are now tenants of Darlington Rugby Club at Blackwell Meadows.

When Darlington left the Arena, Mowden Park Rugby Club bought the stadium for £2M and very quickly moved up the rugby pyramid with the aid of their new facilities. The ground had staged rugby prior to Mowden moving in though, when Gateshead Thunder used it in 2009 for a Challenge Cup 5th Round tie against Oldham. Playing at the Gateshead International Stadium that ground was in use for the date of the Challenge Cup tie, hence the use of the Arena. Incidentally, Gateshead Thunder were wound up the following year due to a dispute between directors. A new company was formed to keep the club going and in 2015 they were taken over by Newcastle Falcons.

Blackwell Meadows.

The main feature at the Rugby Club ground is the brick built pavilion with a balcony, used, I believe, by officials of both clubs. This building looks like it’s in three sections as it lowers in height as you look towards the left, between them they house the dressing rooms, clubhouse and offices. There is a slight overhanging roof on the lower 2 sections providing limited cover. The dug outs were also here when I visited but I have heard these have been moved to allow the seating to be utilised.

 

Pavilion at Blackwell Meadows.

Opposite is a small stand which straddles the halfway line, again, I believe this has been extended since my visit with Alfreton in 2017 to now house 588 seats. The roof over these seats are at an upward angle that it’s difficult to see that it would provide much shelter on a rainy day.

 

Cover opposite the Pavilion, Blackwell Meadows.

Alfreton took a very early lead in the game I went to in 2017/18 but Darlington came back to win quite comfortably, 4-1. 

Darlington v Alfreton Town Programme.


Behind the goal where you enter the ground though is the “Tin Shed”. Preserved after it was dismantled at Feethams, and built to provide pitch width cover for Darlo’s faithful, a nice touch to keep a little bit of the clubs history.. The opposite end though is uncovered flat standing.

 

Tin Shed at Blackwell Meadows.

With a capacity of just over 3,000 you can see why the Football Club are looking at a new ground of their own. Expected to be built for next season it looks like there will be at least a years delay, but good luck to Darlington in their quest to provide a stadium that will cater for their fans and ambitions.

Alfreton celebrate taking the lead at Darlington.



Darlington celebrate one of their 4 goals v Alfreton.


 

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