Feethas Article

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sue_donym
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Feethas Article

Post by sue_donym » Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:35 pm

Hello,

I've written an article on Feethams for a series on lost football grounds for the excellent football blog Twohundredpercent. Have a look and let me know what you think.

http://www.twohundredpercent.net/?p=133 ... ment-42696

Cheers

edit: Obviously thread title should be Feethams Article, I just cant type.

Quakerz
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by Quakerz » Wed Jun 15, 2011 6:31 pm

Yeah it is excellently written, however most Darlington fans don't feel the same as you and would rather be at the Arena.
Image

“Everybody knows where that club is going now, so I’m out of the way. They can carry on, it’s their club, they can keep it." - Raj Singh, 2017

AIDO
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by AIDO » Wed Jun 15, 2011 6:45 pm

Very "romantic" article ... :roll: Like Quakerz suggests, eloquently written too but ..... arguable and clearly written by a neutral!

Love it or hate it we wouldn't "attract" some of the players we get (even in our lowly position) without the stadium. Its the first port of call for any prospective player and often the decisive factor. Its very very impressive, make no mistake. As for "It’s very difficult to fall in love with football amongst the rows of empty seats, and it is hard to avoid the feeling, as the club slips from crisis to crisis and the fanbase continues to dwindle, that the new stadium is a millstone around the neck of the club that will eventually bring it to it’s knees." ..... True Darlo fans still loved their football club at the Arena, even during our wretched relegation season. I could watch Darlo play there, even if I was the only supporter at the Arena. If we 'fall to our knees' it will because of the townsfolks apathy, not the stadium, which incidently, can't be classed as "new" anymore really!

sue_donym
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by sue_donym » Wed Jun 15, 2011 8:46 pm

Yeah. Fair enough I appreciate its a bit sentimental and bit down on our current prospects. I left Darlo for Uni the same year the Arena opened, and since then me and Darlo have sort of drifted apart, though I'll still always be Darlo first and foremost.

Aye and Im not having a pop at the fans, the proper ones ll stay with Darlo thick and thin I know that. But everyone knows its a battle getting the drifters into the Arena and keeping them there. I just think that the townsfolk's apathy that you mention has a lot to do with the Arena . I'm not defending it, or saying it's right that they should stay away, but I think anyone can see thats the case.

crapname
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by crapname » Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:30 pm

It must just be me that is a 'true Darlo fan' and would rather be at Feethams rather than the Arena then.
Again, the people of Darlington cant be blamed just because some nutcase wanted to build us a 27,500 seater stadium. Perhaps the bigger nutcases on the council who allowed it to be build should be blamed.
Why should the people of the town who dont support Darlington, be expected to watch the team?

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DL5
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by DL5 » Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:36 pm

I'd rather be at the Arena, maybe its because I regained my Passion for the club after the move and have seen most of my games there.
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Daidy
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by Daidy » Wed Jun 15, 2011 11:38 pm

If you ignore the costs associated with running the Arena, as this is a debate that no one on this board can have unless knowing the facts completely, surely the reason we have failed to attract the crowds under successful managers such as Penney is because of the Arena. The atmosphere is non-existent in there and for a neutral or part time fan of Darlo, the attraction is not there to come and watch whereas it was at Feethams. Obviously the hardcore support will turn up even if we were playing in South Park but the move to the Arena has crippled the club on many fronts. I am not saying Feethams was perfect and I am not looking back at it through rose tinted glasses but in my opinion, being at Feethams was better for the club than being at the Arena.

darlopaul
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by darlopaul » Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:07 am

Well written piece.

I miss Feethams even more after reading it as it brought back some great memories. The atmosphere at night games, being close to the pitch so you could grief the opposition and the Linesmen and the charge to whichever end we were attacking after the coin toss.

But it's gone. I was one of the ones who would love to go back there if it were possible but it wouldn't be the same if we did.

I don't mind the Arena but I don't love it like I did Feethams.

So we are stuck with it for all it's faults. It's too big. It's too far away. There's no atmosphere.

Not my views but those of so many Darlington people who could easily get to Wembley but can't get to the Arena.

But the place is growing on me. It's starting to create a few good memories over the last 7 or 8 years. Not many I'll admit, but at least a few.

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Re: Feethas Article

Post by Darl-Zero » Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:52 pm

I didn't mind all the empty red seats at Wembley - perhaps playing at the Arena helped us win.

Its time to get over Feethams and go forward with the Arena.

A good cry and a group hug should do it.

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Re: Feethas Article

Post by quaker4life » Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:15 pm

Darl-Zero wrote:I didn't mind all the empty red seats at Wembley - perhaps playing at the Arena helped us win.

Its time to get over Feethams and go forward with the Arena.

A good cry and a group hug should do it.
There's really no need, the White Elephant has been reluctantly accepted lets just leave it at that!
love it! wrote:Considering we are Darlington 1883 I'm happy that we are named correctly

polam lane
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by polam lane » Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:49 am

Quakerz wrote:Yeah it is excellently written, however most Darlington fans don't feel the same as you and would rather be at the Arena.

Sorry. I would move back to Feethams tomorrow!

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Re: Feethas Article

Post by quaker4life » Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:08 am

polam lane wrote:
Quakerz wrote:Yeah it is excellently written, however most Darlington fans don't feel the same as you and would rather be at the Arena.

Sorry. I would move back to Feethams tomorrow!
Myself and many others would no doubt agree with this.

I'd like to point out though for me the reasons aren't sentimental!
love it! wrote:Considering we are Darlington 1883 I'm happy that we are named correctly

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OHDFC
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by OHDFC » Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:26 am

Ok apart from this rubbish

The present stadium, a hollow shell of a place next to a motorway, is rightly an object of derision from opposition supporters.

The present stadium is a modern comfortable stadium with excellent facilities and sight lines, a fact which most opposition fans realise, including my Monkey Hanging mates. I have taken many non Darlo supporting friends (i.e. supporters of other clubs) to matches at the Arena and they all think it is fantastic. What they, opposition supporters, and indeed ourselves, righly deride is the stadium size.

The Arena is perfect for an ambitious Championship side, a description that is sadly never likely to be applied to Darlo. But just suppose in the next few years we were to replicate the achievements of Doncaster Rovers, and reach the Championship. Would you still deride the stadium then?

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Re: Feethas Article

Post by Darl-Zero » Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:37 pm

Another point to consider.

If we were to move to a smaller venue at some stage then dont kid yourself it will be a 12000 capacity stadium like Slaford City Reds http://www.reds.co.uk/new-stadium (a Rugby league club near MANU.

It will probably be more like Chesters 5300 capacity Deva Stadium http://www.conferencegrounds.co.uk/chester_city.htm and they went bust!

I share the centimental feelings about Feethams (Ive been goung since the early 70's) but the new stadium is built, its good, its a bit too big but many clubs at our level would still snap your hands off for it.

What irks me is that when we do get a big match (like Hartlepool) 5000 people who might have also come will be locked out cause we are only allowed 10000.

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Re: Feethas Article

Post by piggy » Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:53 pm

OHDFC wrote:Ok apart from this rubbish

The present stadium, a hollow shell of a place next to a motorway, is rightly an object of derision from opposition supporters.

The present stadium is a modern comfortable stadium with excellent facilities and sight lines, a fact which most opposition fans realise, including my Monkey Hanging mates. I have taken many non Darlo supporting friends (i.e. supporters of other clubs) to matches at the Arena and they all think it is fantastic. What they, opposition supporters, and indeed ourselves, righly deride is the stadium size.

The Arena is perfect for an ambitious Championship side, a description that is sadly never likely to be applied to Darlo. But just suppose in the next few years we were to replicate the achievements of Doncaster Rovers, and reach the Championship. Would you still deride the stadium then?
I think even if we did a Donny and reached the championship we wouldn't fill a third of the arena.

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Dn1
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Re: Feethas Article

Post by Dn1 » Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:16 am

Although I would love to grace the TinShed once again, the likelihood of that happening is about as likely as Darlo_Pete discovering a Game Gear and FIFA International Soccer, which is probably still more up to date than PFYC.

Feethams, yeah I miss her, and if I could go back to the TinShed tomorrow, to stand behind that goal and relive various memories then fuck knows I would. But the reality is, the stadium is the way forward, but unfortunately there is so much red tape involved in how its become it is baffling. As to how the council allowed the illustrious GR to build the fucker, then apply a restriction knowing fully fine well what the access routes to the place is beyond me. Its like telling a colour blind person to complete a rubix cube because his life depends on it - the effort is there but but where is the logic?

We all know next season is massive for this club, and as I see it unless we hear some sudden/imminent idea about relocating, then we are in a do or die situation, and with the one year contracts we are handing out...

New season, new hope.

Dn1
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