Well how did we do that?

[Feethams 1965]

Yesterday was a truly tremendous day. From start to finish Darlington was the best side, creating chance after chance and closing down opposition players as soon as they had the ball.
Last Christmas I was miserable. After seeing another inept side to side and backwards display under the previous manager's tenure, I posted that I felt it would be best if we could somehow retire from the season early and simply hand every team three points as I didn't want to put myself through it any more on Saturday afternoons.
Now it feels like I don't want the season to end!
I'm sure most will agree that we have been watching more of a promotion side than a relegation team as the season comes to an end.
We were dead and buried at Christmas. No hopers.
What the new management team has done has been miraculous. In 60 years of watching Darlington I've never seen a turnaround like it and that young goalkeeper has had a lot to do with it.
I can't wait for August.

[Lawman3]

The fans played a huge part too - without raising the £30k Watson wouldn't have been able to bring in the players he did.

[evenjack]

Well, how did we do that indeed?

If you put together a mini-league of results between February 10th and today, the table looks as follows'

Played Points Goal difference
1st S........r 16 35 16
2nd Darlo 14 30 14
3rd Brackley 13 30 13
4th Chorley 15 30 13

Annoying that it"s only our country cousins above us, but credit where credit"s due - to us, not to them!

And all of this with a team that was being written off by almost everyone a few short weeks ago. Obviously, SW recruited quite brilliantly. Can these same players - plus a new goalkeeper? - do as well next season?

[Spyman]

I think we'll need to deepen the squad a bit if we're to do well next season. We have been quite lucky over the last few weeks that injuries haven't hit too hard (other than a couple of long term absentees).

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[Quakers2009]

It's what happens when you appoint a proper manager.

Credit to the Board for appointing Watson & Mitchell, but even bigger credit to them both for their work since January.

The Board must learn from the appointment of the Giggler. Does CrazyDarlo still think he deserved more time?

[CrazyDarlo]

It's what happens when you appoint a proper manager.

Credit to the Board for appointing Watson & Mitchell, but even bigger credit to them both for their work since January.

The Board must learn from the appointment of the Giggler. Does CrazyDarlo still think he deserved more time?

Obviously not but for the record I thought there was no point in getting rid of Gowling because someone like Watson would not want to walk into that mess. Delighted to have been proved wrong on that.

[Quakers2009]

It's what happens when you appoint a proper manager.

Credit to the Board for appointing Watson & Mitchell, but even bigger credit to them both for their work since January.

The Board must learn from the appointment of the Giggler. Does CrazyDarlo still think he deserved more time?

Obviously not but for the record I thought there was no point in getting rid of Gowling because someone like Watson would not want to walk into that mess. Delighted to have been proved wrong on that.

I doubt that very much due to your constant defending of Gowling and the fact that applicants such as Watson, Lakeland & Gray were interested in the job first time around.

[CrazyDarlo]

It's what happens when you appoint a proper manager.

Credit to the Board for appointing Watson & Mitchell, but even bigger credit to them both for their work since January.

The Board must learn from the appointment of the Giggler. Does CrazyDarlo still think he deserved more time?

Obviously not but for the record I thought there was no point in getting rid of Gowling because someone like Watson would not want to walk into that mess. Delighted to have been proved wrong on that.

I doubt that very much due to your constant defending of Gowling and the fact that applicants such as Watson, Lakeland & Gray were interested in the job first time around.

My defence of Gowling wasn’t about his overall performance as a manager which wasn’t good enough but the constant speculation about players being mistreated and moving on players which in my opinion needed to be moved on. The problem was the replacements weren’t any better.

I don’t know if those guys were in for the job but even if they were doesn’t mean they would be in for it the second time around. At that point the chances for them to have a relegation on their CV were significantly higher.

[Quakers2009]

It's what happens when you appoint a proper manager.

Credit to the Board for appointing Watson & Mitchell, but even bigger credit to them both for their work since January.

The Board must learn from the appointment of the Giggler. Does CrazyDarlo still think he deserved more time?

Obviously not but for the record I thought there was no point in getting rid of Gowling because someone like Watson would not want to walk into that mess. Delighted to have been proved wrong on that.

I doubt that very much due to your constant defending of Gowling and the fact that applicants such as Watson, Lakeland & Gray were interested in the job first time around.

My defence of Gowling wasn’t about his overall performance as a manager which wasn’t good enough but the constant speculation about players being mistreated and moving on players which in my opinion needed to be moved on. The problem was the replacements weren’t any better.

I don’t know if those guys were in for the job but even if they were doesn’t mean they would be in for it the second time around. At that point the chances for them to have a relegation on their CV were significantly higher.

Yet you still said that Gowling deserved more time?

& they were in for the job first-time around, by the way.

Had Gowling had his own way, some players who played a big part in our survival would no longer be at the club.

Please give me names of players who you felt should have left and weren't good enough? Including the ones Gowling let go, and out of our current crop?

[CrazyDarlo]

It's what happens when you appoint a proper manager.

Credit to the Board for appointing Watson & Mitchell, but even bigger credit to them both for their work since January.

The Board must learn from the appointment of the Giggler. Does CrazyDarlo still think he deserved more time?

Obviously not but for the record I thought there was no point in getting rid of Gowling because someone like Watson would not want to walk into that mess. Delighted to have been proved wrong on that.

I doubt that very much due to your constant defending of Gowling and the fact that applicants such as Watson, Lakeland & Gray were interested in the job first time around.

My defence of Gowling wasn’t about his overall performance as a manager which wasn’t good enough but the constant speculation about players being mistreated and moving on players which in my opinion needed to be moved on. The problem was the replacements weren’t any better.

I don’t know if those guys were in for the job but even if they were doesn’t mean they would be in for it the second time around. At that point the chances for them to have a relegation on their CV were significantly higher.

Yet you still said that Gowling deserved more time?

& they were in for the job first-time around, by the way.

Had Gowling had his own way, some players who played a big part in our survival would no longer be at the club.

Please give me names of players who you felt should have left and weren't good enough? Including the ones Gowling let go, and out of our current crop?

Hazel & Felix we’re right to be moved on in my opinion. They were mainstays in an attack that was about the worst in the division for a six/ seven month period. The issue was the replacements weren’t any better as previously mentioned. Now we’ve got the right replacements in the attack is a completely different proposition to what it was in 2023.

[Spyman]

Obviously not but for the record I thought there was no point in getting rid of Gowling because someone like Watson would not want to walk into that mess. Delighted to have been proved wrong on that.

I doubt that very much due to your constant defending of Gowling and the fact that applicants such as Watson, Lakeland & Gray were interested in the job first time around.

My defence of Gowling wasn’t about his overall performance as a manager which wasn’t good enough but the constant speculation about players being mistreated and moving on players which in my opinion needed to be moved on. The problem was the replacements weren’t any better.

I don’t know if those guys were in for the job but even if they were doesn’t mean they would be in for it the second time around. At that point the chances for them to have a relegation on their CV were significantly higher.

Yet you still said that Gowling deserved more time?

& they were in for the job first-time around, by the way.

Had Gowling had his own way, some players who played a big part in our survival would no longer be at the club.

Please give me names of players who you felt should have left and weren't good enough? Including the ones Gowling let go, and out of our current crop?

Hazel & Felix we’re right to be moved on in my opinion. They were mainstays in an attack that was about the worst in the division for a six/ seven month period. The issue was the replacements weren’t any better as previously mentioned. Now we’ve got the right replacements in the attack is a completely different proposition to what it was in 2023.

You could apply that same logic to Lees, Lawlor, Griffiths, Hedley, Hatfield, Platt...all mainstays in a woeful team but they became mainstays in a pretty competitive team with better leadership and a couple of useful additions.

[Lawman3]

Why do threads always descend into personal point-scoring? I don't really care if someone thought Gowling should have been given more time, or if Martin Gray was the only man to get us out of the mess, or if the signing of an injured Asante was an egregious assault on our very existence as a fan owned club.

The fact is we appointed Watson, raised an extra £30K, he signed some good players, and we achieved a miraculous escape from the jaws of relegation. Enjoy it, for christ's sake.

[CrazyDarlo]

I doubt that very much due to your constant defending of Gowling and the fact that applicants such as Watson, Lakeland & Gray were interested in the job first time around.

My defence of Gowling wasn’t about his overall performance as a manager which wasn’t good enough but the constant speculation about players being mistreated and moving on players which in my opinion needed to be moved on. The problem was the replacements weren’t any better.

I don’t know if those guys were in for the job but even if they were doesn’t mean they would be in for it the second time around. At that point the chances for them to have a relegation on their CV were significantly higher.

Yet you still said that Gowling deserved more time?

& they were in for the job first-time around, by the way.

Had Gowling had his own way, some players who played a big part in our survival would no longer be at the club.

Please give me names of players who you felt should have left and weren't good enough? Including the ones Gowling let go, and out of our current crop?

Hazel & Felix we’re right to be moved on in my opinion. They were mainstays in an attack that was about the worst in the division for a six/ seven month period. The issue was the replacements weren’t any better as previously mentioned. Now we’ve got the right replacements in the attack is a completely different proposition to what it was in 2023.

You could apply that same logic to Lees, Lawlor, Griffiths, Hedley, Hatfield, Platt...all mainstays in a woeful team but they became mainstays in a pretty competitive team with better leadership and a couple of useful additions.

Wouldn’t disagree with that and the players you’ve mentioned have certainly performed better under Watson. I would say though that the defence and midfield was never really the issue, (don’t get me wrong they had their moments) more so the inability to create chances and score goals.

That for me has been transformed by new additions, Main in particular. Would SW been able to do the same with Felix & Hazel? I personally don’t believe so.

[Feethams 1965]

Why do threads always descend into personal point-scoring? I don't really care if someone thought Gowling should have been given more time, or if Martin Gray was the only man to get us out of the mess, or if the signing of an injured Asante was an egregious assault on our very existence as a fan owned club.

The fact is we appointed Watson, raised an extra £30K, he signed some good players, and we achieved a miraculous escape from the jaws of relegation. Enjoy it, for christ's sake.

Mmm, these were my thoughts when I made the original post.
When we played Scunthorpe I was abroad on hols and the daft thing is I couldn't bring myself to keep checking my phone in case the result spoiled my night out, so I left it till the morning!
When I saw the 4-0 scoreline next day I thought I'd read it the wrong way round at first. Sheer disbelief. Set me up on a high for the rest of my hols. What a vital three points they were.

[Old Git]

Why do threads always descend into personal point-scoring? I don't really care if someone thought Gowling should have been given more time, or if Martin Gray was the only man to get us out of the mess, or if the signing of an injured Asante was an egregious assault on our very existence as a fan owned club.

The fact is we appointed Watson, raised an extra £30K, he signed some good players, and we achieved a miraculous escape from the jaws of relegation. Enjoy it, for christ's sake.

Yes I agree lets just unite and celebrate our great achievement and look forward with confidence to next season. Of course there are lessons to be learned from what happened earlier in the season, but no need to continually dwell on it.

[Ghost_Of_1883]

That for me has been transformed by new additions, Main in particular. Would SW been able to do the same with Felix & Hazel? I personally don’t believe so.

You don't believe that SW would have been able to do anything with Hazel, who scored 20 goals a season every season, and 21 goals in his first season with us, and who *still* scored 14 goals in the year 2023 for Darlo and then Boston despite know nowts running him out of the club?

Long lie down required for you mate.

[EDJOHNS]

Why do threads always descend into personal point-scoring? I don't really care if someone thought Gowling should have been given more time, or if Martin Gray was the only man to get us out of the mess, or if the signing of an injured Asante was an egregious assault on our very existence as a fan owned club.

The fact is we appointed Watson, raised an extra £30K, he signed some good players, and we achieved a miraculous escape from the jaws of relegation. Enjoy it, for christ's sake.

We have had some disagreements but 100% with you on this

[Spyman]

Why do threads always descend into personal point-scoring? I don't really care if someone thought Gowling should have been given more time, or if Martin Gray was the only man to get us out of the mess, or if the signing of an injured Asante was an egregious assault on our very existence as a fan owned club.

The fact is we appointed Watson, raised an extra £30K, he signed some good players, and we achieved a miraculous escape from the jaws of relegation. Enjoy it, for christ's sake.

[CrazyDarlo]

That for me has been transformed by new additions, Main in particular. Would SW been able to do the same with Felix & Hazel? I personally don’t believe so.

You don't believe that SW would have been able to do anything with Hazel, who scored 20 goals a season every season, and 21 goals in his first season with us, and who *still* scored 14 goals in the year 2023 for Darlo and then Boston despite know nowts running him out of the club?

Long lie down required for you mate.

I haven’t said that. My point is simply that he wouldn’t have had the same impact that Main has had. Simply because of ability.

[Old Git]

That for me has been transformed by new additions, Main in particular. Would SW been able to do the same with Felix & Hazel? I personally don’t believe so.

You don't believe that SW would have been able to do anything with Hazel, who scored 20 goals a season every season, and 21 goals in his first season with us, and who *still* scored 14 goals in the year 2023 for Darlo and then Boston despite know nowts running him out of the club?

Long lie down required for you mate.

For me the big difference between Main and Hazel is attitude. Hazel appeared to become sulky and looked like he had lost interest, whereas Main has worked hard for the team and given 100% to the cause.
Of course it is perfectly possible that Steve and Terry might have been able to re motivate Hazel, and get the best out of him. We will never know whether they would or not. One thing I am clear about, is that I am pleased we have Main contracted for next season. Are there many who would rather have Hazel instead ?

[theoriginalfatcat]

Not me. Main is a better player in nearly every way IMO. His work rate, his thinking, the way he is determined to bundle his way through a defensive block, his team work ethic.

Perhaps Hazel was better a placing a shot? But I can't remember.

[Ghost_Of_1883]

That for me has been transformed by new additions, Main in particular. Would SW been able to do the same with Felix & Hazel? I personally don’t believe so.

You don't believe that SW would have been able to do anything with Hazel, who scored 20 goals a season every season, and 21 goals in his first season with us, and who *still* scored 14 goals in the year 2023 for Darlo and then Boston despite know nowts running him out of the club?

Long lie down required for you mate.

I haven’t said that. My point is simply that he wouldn’t have had the same impact that Main has had. Simply because of ability.

You literally have said that. Literally.

[Ghost_Of_1883]

Not me. Main is a better player in nearly every way IMO. His work rate, his thinking, the way he is determined to bundle his way through a defensive block, his team work ethic.

Perhaps Hazel was better a placing a shot? But I can't remember.

Don't get me wrong, I think Main has been amazing for us. Everything everyone says about him from his attitude, to his work ethic, to his physicality and what he also brings to the team overall, is true.

I wasn't arguing over who is the best player between Main and Hazel, I was debating the opinion made by Crazy Darlo that he doubts SW would have been able to do anything with Hazel.

[CrazyDarlo]

That for me has been transformed by new additions, Main in particular. Would SW been able to do the same with Felix & Hazel? I personally don’t believe so.

You don't believe that SW would have been able to do anything with Hazel, who scored 20 goals a season every season, and 21 goals in his first season with us, and who *still* scored 14 goals in the year 2023 for Darlo and then Boston despite know nowts running him out of the club?

Long lie down required for you mate.

I haven’t said that. My point is simply that he wouldn’t have had the same impact that Main has had. Simply because of ability.

You literally have said that. Literally.

I mean I literally haven’t. Key word “anything”.

[Darlofan97]

The talk about Main being better than Hazel is pointless.

We sold Hazel to bring in Asante, and I hate to break it to you all but: Hazel > Asante. This was probably one of our worst pieces of transfer business since becoming fan-owned.

Hazel should have been partnering Main upfront.

Alas, we will need to focus on another centre-forward this summer if Rutledge is not available.

[Ghost_Of_1883]

That for me has been transformed by new additions, Main in particular. Would SW been able to do the same with Felix & Hazel? I personally don’t believe so.

You don't believe that SW would have been able to do anything with Hazel, who scored 20 goals a season every season, and 21 goals in his first season with us, and who *still* scored 14 goals in the year 2023 for Darlo and then Boston despite know nowts running him out of the club?

Long lie down required for you mate.

For me the big difference between Main and Hazel is attitude. Hazel appeared to become sulky and looked like he had lost interest, whereas Main has worked hard for the team and given 100% to the cause.
Of course it is perfectly possible that Steve and Terry might have been able to re motivate Hazel, and get the best out of him. We will never know whether they would or not. One thing I am clear about, is that I am pleased we have Main contracted for next season. Are there many who would rather have Hazel instead ?

I'd have them both, no problem. A 20 goal a season forward partnered with an absolute tank who creates copious amounts of chances for others?

Going back to Hazel and his sulking - the fans started sulking with him first when he hit a dry spell and nothing was working (it happens), and then AA followed by Clowning started playing him anywhere but as a number 9...*and* on top of that Howling wanted him out so he could bring Asante in.

So, fans on his back blaming him for the team's overall poor form, being played everywhere but his best position, in a negative formation where no chances were being created, plus Giggles wanting rid of him, think I'd bloody sulk if I were him as well!

I always thought Hazel had a good attitude towards playing for this club and he was a proper shithouse as well.

[Darlofan97]

That for me has been transformed by new additions, Main in particular. Would SW been able to do the same with Felix & Hazel? I personally don’t believe so.

You don't believe that SW would have been able to do anything with Hazel, who scored 20 goals a season every season, and 21 goals in his first season with us, and who *still* scored 14 goals in the year 2023 for Darlo and then Boston despite know nowts running him out of the club?

Long lie down required for you mate.

For me the big difference between Main and Hazel is attitude. Hazel appeared to become sulky and looked like he had lost interest, whereas Main has worked hard for the team and given 100% to the cause.
Of course it is perfectly possible that Steve and Terry might have been able to re motivate Hazel, and get the best out of him. We will never know whether they would or not. One thing I am clear about, is that I am pleased we have Main contracted for next season. Are there many who would rather have Hazel instead ?

I'd have them both, no problem. A 20 goal a season forward partnered with an absolute tank who creates copious amounts of chances for others?

Going back to Hazel and his sulking - the fans started sulking with him first when he hit a dry spell and nothing was working (it happens), and then AA followed by Clowning started playing him anywhere but as a number 9...*and* on top of that Howling wanted him out so he could bring Asante in.

So, fans on his back blaming him for the team's overall poor form, being played everywhere but his best position, in a negative formation where no chances were being created, plus Giggles wanting rid of him, think I'd bloody sulk if I were him as well!

I always thought Hazel had a good attitude towards playing for this club and he was a proper shithouse as well.

Absolutely spot on as per usual.

Hazel always did try for us. We created very little for him at the start of the season when Alun had that run of tough matches & also when he played under Gowling. I think he still scored 3 goals for us though.

Gowling screamed & blared at Hazel non-stop at Peterborough Sports away, despite playing him RW. It was embarrassing to watch.

[theoriginalfatcat]

At the little awards give out post match on Saturday I was keeping an eye on Main because I was expecting him to win something - when he didn't he genuinely didn't seem bothered. I'm not comparing him or matching him up against anyone else, but as a stand alone point I think he's a gem of a player, he plays football like he enjoys it and hopefully next year he could become our main man, our mainstay

[Quakers2009]

Why do threads always descend into personal point-scoring? I don't really care if someone thought Gowling should have been given more time, or if Martin Gray was the only man to get us out of the mess, or if the signing of an injured Asante was an egregious assault on our very existence as a fan owned club.

The fact is we appointed Watson, raised an extra £30K, he signed some good players, and we achieved a miraculous escape from the jaws of relegation. Enjoy it, for christ's sake.

It's a forum.

Sorry, should we only discuss what you two would like to discuss?

[Spyman]

Why do threads always descend into personal point-scoring? I don't really care if someone thought Gowling should have been given more time, or if Martin Gray was the only man to get us out of the mess, or if the signing of an injured Asante was an egregious assault on our very existence as a fan owned club.

The fact is we appointed Watson, raised an extra £30K, he signed some good players, and we achieved a miraculous escape from the jaws of relegation. Enjoy it, for christ's sake.

It's a forum.

Sorry, should we only discuss what you two would like to discuss?

Discuss what you want, but the personal point scoring is tedious and I'm allowed to say so. It's a forum, after all.

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