Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Open now for discussion of all things Darlo!

Moderators: mikkyx, uncovered

Post Reply
ShakerFan
Posts: 38
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:28 am
Team Supported: Bury

Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by ShakerFan » Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 am

Hello, at last we are nearing normality and with it the season is ready to start. Would any Quakers fancy answering a few questions just to wet my appetite for next Saturday?

Bury have had a mixed bag of results in pre season, but we have mainly faced higher opposition. Pick of the results being a 1-1 draw away at FC United with just under a thousand Shakers making up nearly half the attendance. Our last game we lost 2-0 to Rammy, a team two divisions higher than us, and if not for some better finishing we'd have at least got a draw.
This Saturday we are away at Ilkley who are beginning their own venture with this being their first ever season in the pyramid. With it being near Bradford I imagine this fixture will be one of our more distant away days. The game has sold out (only 500 odd tickets mind) and there are ten of us travelling over on a minibus.

I can honestly say that reading and occasionally posting on this board have not only kept me sane since our expulsion, but also your fans have helped me embrace the scene, culture and all the other positive things supporting a none league club offers.
On top of that me and my friend's trip to Darlo in January 2020 still stands out as a great and memorable day.

So I apologise if I am repeating questions I have asked before, but would love to see your replies. All my questions are based on following Darlington post 2012.


Favourite moment following Darlington since 2012 (ie promotion, last minute equaliser, Fa Cup game etc)?

Low point following Darlington since 2012?


What are your thoughts on the none league cup competitions, are they worth embracing?

Favourite player since 2012?

Have Darlington built up any none league rivalries, or are there any none league teams you've come to despise, and are there any teams or fanbases that don't like you?

Any favourite games or results to name against said rivals?

Is there anything you'd change about the current set up at your club?

Do you miss the EFL and the set up of the club prior to 2012?

What are your hopes for the coming season?

Look forward to reading your replies.

Up the Shakers and up the Quakers

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14080
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by Darlo_Pete » Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:20 pm

Favourite moment following Darlo--- Whitby away winning promotion in front of a few thousand fans, we were 0-5 up after 15 minutes.
Low point since 2012---Losing in the FA Trophy last year to i think Hornchurch.
Are non-league cup competitions worth embracing---FA Cup or FA Trophy yes, as they can raise serious amounts of money. Other competitions just get in the way of your league form.
Favourite player since 2012---Easy Will Hatfield.
Non-league rivalries---None really, Spennymoor & York are our closest thing to rivals, but not the same as the hangers.
What would I change about the current set up---Get away from the rugby club where we play, easier said than done though!!
Do I miss the EFL---A little & one day i am sure we will return, but being in non-league isn't all that bad.
Hopes for the coming season---We are looking to make the play-offs & that seems very realistic as we have some very good players for our level.

Good luck to Bury & I hope you enjoy being a large fish in a small pool. Hope things go well for you at Ilkley & I look forward to the day when we play you again in some competitive game. I'll follow your upcoming season with a lot of interest. Up the Shakers

EDJOHNS
Posts: 1608
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:56 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by EDJOHNS » Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:46 pm

Best moment. When we survived and did NOT have to "reform".
Low point. The realization that we will NEVER get back to the FL while at Blackwell Meadows
The trophy win was 1 of the best days supporting Darlo in 60+ years so that answers that question
Fav' player, Nathan Cartman.
Rivals? The Banana munchers. That will never change.
Change Get to a ground where we can progress back to the FL. (No idea how that will happen in my lifetime).
Miss the FL? Only as far as I want us back there. NL has many very good points.
Hopes? Promotion and get a cup run leading to a 3rd round draw at L'pool, Manure etc to get the money.

quaker4life
Posts: 2786
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 9:24 pm
Team Supported: Darlington
Contact:

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by quaker4life » Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:59 pm

ShakerFan wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 am
Hello, at last we are nearing normality and with it the season is ready to start. Would any Quakers fancy answering a few questions just to wet my appetite for next Saturday?

Bury have had a mixed bag of results in pre season, but we have mainly faced higher opposition. Pick of the results being a 1-1 draw away at FC United with just under a thousand Shakers making up nearly half the attendance. Our last game we lost 2-0 to Rammy, a team two divisions higher than us, and if not for some better finishing we'd have at least got a draw.
This Saturday we are away at Ilkley who are beginning their own venture with this being their first ever season in the pyramid. With it being near Bradford I imagine this fixture will be one of our more distant away days. The game has sold out (only 500 odd tickets mind) and there are ten of us travelling over on a minibus.

I can honestly say that reading and occasionally posting on this board have not only kept me sane since our expulsion, but also your fans have helped me embrace the scene, culture and all the other positive things supporting a none league club offers.
On top of that me and my friend's trip to Darlo in January 2020 still stands out as a great and memorable day.

So I apologise if I am repeating questions I have asked before, but would love to see your replies. All my questions are based on following Darlington post 2012.
If reading this board has helped maintain your sanity then that says something about how testing your expulsion was! But believe me we already know through experience it's a horrendous thing to go through, but it doesn't have to be the end of the world.
Favourite moment following Darlington since 2012 (ie promotion, last minute equaliser, Fa Cup game etc)?
For me it was winning promotion from the Northern League in 2013 against Team Northumbria, I'd never seen us get promoted before then I remember being in the Tin Shed at full time and then before I knew where I was I was in the centre circle at Heritage Park, a great occasion and I'd say I was even more elated that day than what I was when we scored in the last minute at Wembley to win the FA Trophy at Wembley a couple of years before.

Low point following Darlington since 2012?
I would say missing out on the play offs due to ground grading in 2016/17, we were in excellent form and playing some excellent football to match things turned sour after that.
What are your thoughts on the none league cup competitions, are they worth embracing?
We weren't allowed to participate in the FA Vase/Trophy or FA Cup in the first couple of years and I can't say I missed them but a good cup run is always a benefit financially!
Favourite player since 2012?
A very difficult question! We had a great group of lads and near enough all of them played for the shirt so it's difficult to pick a favourite but if I had to pick one it'd be Graeme Armstrong a centre forward who was influential in our promotion from the EvoStik North in 2015 and the NPL in 2016.
Have Darlington built up any none league rivalries, or are there any none league teams you've come to despise, and are there any teams or fanbases that don't like you?
Blyth, Spennymoor and Salford spring to mind! One club I did come to despise was West Auckland after they doubled their prices when we played them at theirs in 2012 from £5 to £10, I know big whoop right?! But it caused a lot of controversy at the time quite a lot of us, myself included, boycotted the game out of principal if we allowed one club to get away with it others would undoubtedly follow.

Norton & Stockton ancients also stealthily increased their prices by £3 when we played them on boxing day, I had no problem paying £8 to get in as that is what we were charging to get in at our home games at the time but it was still underhanded - one of the drawbacks of having a large following is some clubs will view you as a cash pinata.
Any favourite games or results to name against said rivals?
Beating Spennymoor 3-1 away in the Northern League when we were challenging them for promotion and then beating them 3-2 at home in the EvoStik North play offs were particularly memorable!
Is there anything you'd change about the current set up at your club?
Feethams is long gone sadly! So no.
Do you miss the EFL and the set up of the club prior to 2012?
Although I'd love to see us back in the EFL, I certainly do not miss the arena it was a soulless and depressing place in the end.
What are your hopes for the coming season?
That it finishes!

All the best for the coming season and I hope you enjoy the journey. :clap:
love it! wrote:Considering we are Darlington 1883 I'm happy that we are named correctly

ShakerFan
Posts: 38
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:28 am
Team Supported: Bury

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by ShakerFan » Mon Jul 26, 2021 3:51 pm

quaker4life wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:59 pm
ShakerFan wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 am
Hello, at last we are nearing normality and with it the season is ready to start. Would any Quakers fancy answering a few questions just to wet my appetite for next Saturday?

Bury have had a mixed bag of results in pre season, but we have mainly faced higher opposition. Pick of the results being a 1-1 draw away at FC United with just under a thousand Shakers making up nearly half the attendance. Our last game we lost 2-0 to Rammy, a team two divisions higher than us, and if not for some better finishing we'd have at least got a draw.
This Saturday we are away at Ilkley who are beginning their own venture with this being their first ever season in the pyramid. With it being near Bradford I imagine this fixture will be one of our more distant away days. The game has sold out (only 500 odd tickets mind) and there are ten of us travelling over on a minibus.

I can honestly say that reading and occasionally posting on this board have not only kept me sane since our expulsion, but also your fans have helped me embrace the scene, culture and all the other positive things supporting a none league club offers.
On top of that me and my friend's trip to Darlo in January 2020 still stands out as a great and memorable day.

So I apologise if I am repeating questions I have asked before, but would love to see your replies. All my questions are based on following Darlington post 2012.
If reading this board has helped maintain your sanity then that says something about how testing your expulsion was! But believe me we already know through experience it's a horrendous thing to go through, but it doesn't have to be the end of the world.

It's a tough one to explain and not a short one and I am well aware Darlington have been through something similar and I remember following your plight at the time (if memory serves) Jan/Feb 2012.

I think the thing that made our expulsion so heartbreaking was the manor in which it happened. I could give you the long backstory, but it will turn into a rant, so I will just take you to that August bank holiday 2019. We'd had games called off, we'd already had a points deduction, we'd been faced with the startling incompetence and lies of the EFL (that would continue for months after our expulsion), we had that vile rat Dale making rambling statements that sounded like they'd been made by a mad man. We had him spinning his lies, we had him subtly gloating to us, we had a statement from him saying he'd be the last ever chairman of Bury FC. Then we had what seemed like an 11th hour reprieve via the C&N group on the Friday night. Fans celebrated like we'd won promotion. Me and some friends along with my wife and then 5 month old daughter went to Gigg on the Saturday to see the ground. Hundreds of Bury fans were there enjoying beers, talking and discussing what had nearly happened, but most were feeling positive that the deal would go through on the following Tuesday. People were nervous though and I could sense with some fans there was a foreboding that something might still go wrong. Regardless, it sort of felt like winning the away leg of a playoff semi final. Half a job done and then it'd be sorted the following Tuesday. As mentioned, I had a 5 month baby at the time, she wasn't sleeping and me and my wife were exhausted. The idea of getting to a Bury game was enough to make me happy as I knew it was an element of normality that had been missing since the previous season had finished.
So fast forward to the following Tuesday and fans were cleaning out Gigg Lane and getting it ready for the Saturday. Everyone seemed confident the deal would go through. Then, like a bomb, word came through that C&N had pulled out and that was that. It was just praying for some miracle, but knowing said miracle would not come. Then it was a case of staring ahead at a season of footballess Saturday's.
The idea of us starting again at tier ten did not fill me with enthusiasm, we'd just been promoted to league one playing the best football I'd ever seen us play, crowds were on the up for once, we'd beaten Oldham and Tranmere at Gigg Lane and the idea of reverting to playing what I viewed as pub teams with 25 home fans shocked me and filled me with no enthusiasm. Perhaps if the expulsion had been from the conference after being relegated out the league I might not have taken it so badly. Worth adding as well the finer details of that squad and wages etc is a discussion for another day, but it was not as black and white as some claimed it was. :)

Now, when I look back, I am appalled by how I viewed the none league structure with such ignorance and without any kind of genuine knowledge of the leagues, the clubs or the structure of the none league system. The fact that I, a fan of a club like Bury with historically tiny crowds could look down at other clubs crowds tells its own story of how ignorant i was.
A couple of days after the expulsion I bumped into a Spurs fan at work, someone I'd always got on with fairly well with, but someone who always chided me for being a Bury fan. He's from Cheshire and has no links to North London at all and in the ten years I'd known him I never knew him to attend a game, not even against northern opposition, ie sitting in the home end at Old Trafford or the Etihad. He saw me and grinned smugly and came right up to me and laughed in my face over what had happened to Bury then threw a couple of other jibes at me before walking off giggling as he told his manager what he was laughing at, she laughed as well. So I think combining all these elements listed above and knowing even tier ten football would not be coming for around 10 months (prior to covid all this) and utterly exhausted after 6 months of constantly disturbed nights, it is a period I remember very bleakly.

Importantly though coming on here and chatting to Darlo fans served as therapy and helped me understand ALL the positives of what can be achieved and enjoyed with starting again and football in the none league. Fast forward to January 2020 and our trip up for the Guiseley game gave me and my two fellow Shakers a positive insight into the future, but also gave us something we'd been missing, even if the game wasn't Bury. The enthusiasm we were greeted with at the ground by some of your club workers who knew we were coming will NEVER be forgotten, the buzz of a train journey like it was an away day, the hum and chatter in the club house and seeing all the Darlo shirts really hammered home to me that from the lowest point clubs can come back stronger. The atmosphere in the roofed terrace in the second half was fantastic and really wet my appetite for it all. Only disappointing thing was Darlo's failure to score.

Anyway, that's a long rambling post but I hope it helps explain why to many, it really did seem like the end of the world. Obviously, now fully behind AFC I am very confident that we can come back stronger as a club than the previous club ever could have.

JE93
Posts: 1855
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2009 2:48 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by JE93 » Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:32 pm

ShakerFan wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 am
Favourite moment following Darlington since 2012 (ie promotion, last minute equaliser, Fa Cup game etc)?

Low point following Darlington since 2012?


What are your thoughts on the none league cup competitions, are they worth embracing?

Favourite player since 2012?

Have Darlington built up any none league rivalries, or are there any none league teams you've come to despise, and are there any teams or fanbases that don't like you?

Any favourite games or results to name against said rivals?

Is there anything you'd change about the current set up at your club?

Do you miss the EFL and the set up of the club prior to 2012?

What are your hopes for the coming season?

Look forward to reading your replies.

Up the Shakers and up the Quakers
Best moments - Beating Whitby 7-1 to win the NPL title having had to play something mad like 7 or 8 games in 26 days. Narrowly beating scoring a 96th minute equaliser infront of 1000+ Darlo fans away at Walsall to take the tie to a replay in the FA cup first round. Beating Swindon in the FA Cup first round last year was a great moment for the club, just a shame no fans could be present to witness it.

Low points - Seat gate has probably been the worst moment. We rushed our return to Darlington and so returned with only 250 seats at Blackwell Meadows. Unfortunately the competition rules stipulated a minimum of 500 seats to compete in the playoffs. So despite having a brilliant team on the field and finishing 5th, we were unable to partake in the playoffs.

Cup competitions are key, especially financially. Getting to 1st / 2nd round of the FA cup is invaluable for clubs NLN and below the financial reward for doing so can actually mean the difference between additional players on the pitch or infrastructure development around the club.

Favourite player - There are a few candidates Gary Brown a proper heart on the sleeve CB who was part of DFC as a Youth while we were still in the pro-leagues. Came back to captain the side to 3 promotions being undropable in each of those seasons. Phil Turnbull CM came to us from Gateshead while we were in the NPL and genuinely played the game at walking pace cause he was just too good. Graham Armstrong, an old school no.9 who'd done the rounds at most of the well known NE non-league clubs came in and fire us to promotion with some proper CF performances, even sacrificed part of his pancreas in our NPL playoff final with Bamber Bridge.

Rivalries - Nothing will replace Hartlepool, they are our rivals and always will be. There have been some good competitive rivalries over the years as we've fought it out with the likes of Spennymoor and Salford who we moved up leagues at similar times. Had enjoyable results against both a 4-3 win over Salford despite being 3-1 down at one point, and a 3-2 win over Spennymoor in the NPL div 1 playoffs were both plenty of fun to watch. As for fan bases, there are a few who have chosen not to take to us, but you'll find that at every level of football to not really worth getting upset over.

Change - I think the biggest thing most Darlo fans would like to change about our current situation is the Ground. We've done well to get what we have but we need a long term home which we can begin to invest in and bring up to standard to improve the match day experience as much as anything else (more terracing, higher and better vantage points around more the the ground).

I don't miss the EFL as such, the NLN is a really competitive division and I think that brings enjoyment in its self. Not going to lie hope we can get back to the league someday but while we have limitations around the ground and how much revenue we can generate that still seems a while away.

Hoping we can stay in touch and give ourselves a shout of the Playoffs going into the business end of the season with another run to the 2nd round of the FA cup, maybe play Sunderland away and get the biggest payday possible.

Enjoy the ride, highs and lows but it will be your club and the likes of Steve Dale won't be within 1000 miles of it.

Darlopj
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2020 7:36 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by Darlopj » Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:42 pm

I think the Spurs fan's behaviour says a lot about him as a person.

There's banter but taking pleasure in the demise of a local football club would tell me that he seems like a complete merchant banker.

See what he's like when City sign Harry Kane. Won't be laughing then.

shildonlad
Posts: 978
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 9:53 pm
Team Supported: Newcastle united and gateshead
Location: Chesterfield

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by shildonlad » Mon Jul 26, 2021 8:49 pm

Darlopj wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:42 pm
I think the Spurs fan's behaviour says a lot about him as a person.

There's banter but taking pleasure in the demise of a local football club would tell me that he seems like a complete merchant banker.

See what he's like when City sign Harry Kane. Won't be laughing then.
Who?
I may not live in the north east anymore but i still support the north east teams

User avatar
theoriginalfatcat
Posts: 6717
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:02 pm

There are a huge amount of positives re the last 8 years or so - most of them mentioned above but what I miss most about the EFL is the standard of the stadiums on offer. Most stadiums at our level are poor. Usually you don't get the height and you don't get proper floodlights, so the viewing and therefore enjoyment of the game is not the same.
Profile pic ↗️
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!

jjljks
Posts: 3014
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:25 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by jjljks » Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 pm

Favourite moment following Darlington since 2012
Deffo winning promotion at Whitby with 7-1 win at the end of a frantic shedload of games in preceding 4 weeks. Also great day away in sunny weather.

Low point following Darlington since 2012?
Acrimonious split with Martin Gray who had forged a team from nothing, literally


What are your thoughts on the non-league cup competitions, are they worth embracing?
Who wouldn't want a Cup run & any trophy to fill the cupboard?

Favourite player since 2012?
Surprised no-one has mentioned Stephen "Tommo" Thompson. TBF lots of lads have played their hearts out for the team but Tommo gave us goals in abundance.

Have Darlington built up any non-league rivalries, or are there any none league teams you've come to despise, and are there any teams or fanbases that don't like you?
Poolie remains the focus even if we haven't played them for years. York still have an air of "we are too good for this" when patently they aren't. Similarly Spennymoor who have pretentions, like Gateshead. Salford did get under our skin & Brackley is a hell of a long away trip.

Any favourite games or results to name against said rivals?
Nicking points off any team is fine

Is there anything you'd change about the current set up at your club?
Really miss owning our own ground & being tenants who are barely tolerated by our current landlord. Bishop Auckland were much more welcoming but nowt compares to owning your own ground.

Do you miss the EFL and the set up of the club prior to 2012?
Previous chairmen were asset strippers and / or out to use the club for nefarious means. Now fans have a voice which has to be heard at Board level.

What are your hopes for the coming season?
Getting back on the terraces & seeing live matches, with decent Cup runs & no heartaches. New NL & FA governing structure with more TV wealth from PL & EFL trickling down the pyramid.

We know your pain, Shakerfan but you will enjoy the revival of your historic club. Stay strong in that dream

User avatar
theoriginalfatcat
Posts: 6717
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:31 am

jjljks wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 pm
We know your pain, Shakerfan but you will enjoy the revival of your historic club. Stay strong in that dream

Well this is it in a nutshell really.

Personally If Darlo had been taken over by yet another nutty, self centred "millionaire" then subsequently plunged into administration (again) I think I would have lost interest. As a fan you put a lot into your club, time, money and other stuff, and it all adds up, yet in general as a fan you have no say whatsoever.

I decided years ago that if the trade off of being fan owned means playing in non league pretty much forever, then so be it.
Profile pic ↗️
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!

ShakerFan
Posts: 38
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:28 am
Team Supported: Bury

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by ShakerFan » Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:24 am

theoriginalfatcat wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:31 am
jjljks wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 pm
We know your pain, Shakerfan but you will enjoy the revival of your historic club. Stay strong in that dream

Well this is it in a nutshell really.

Personally If Darlo had been taken over by yet another nutty, self centred "millionaire" then subsequently plunged into administration (again) I think I would have lost interest. As a fan you put a lot into your club, time, money and other stuff, and it all adds up, yet in general as a fan you have no say whatsoever.

I decided years ago that if the trade off of being fan owned means playing in non league pretty much forever, then so be it.
Our fan division hit new lows back in January when that bloke from Ilkeston, Hilton (though not his real name) was sniffing around. He was yet another self confessed entrepreneur, but a bit of very basic research revealed he had at best questionable 'business' history and little in the way of wealth. In fact it emerged at the time as well that he is in fact a convicted criminal. He suddenly appeared on twitter and among other things called one fan a wanker for asking a perfectly good question, called AFC fans cancers and said it was no wonder previous owners had failed (IE Day and Dale, the men who caused this mess), because we had fans like that who could just abandon the club.
The saga dragged on for around a week, during this time it was revealed said would be owner had been threatening the bloke who ran the Bury FC/AFC MB and the small but vocal anti AFC brigade latched on to this chancer like a fly around crap, issuing a few threats of their own. You would not have believed some of the comments fans were coming out with, 'give him a chance, he might have changed,' 'just because he's been to prison doesn't mean he isn't a good businessman' many others, some much worse than this, but you get the idea.
Another thing Hilton was claiming was he had a deal done, the money was there and he had a place secure in the Conference North, something that could not have possibly been true. He also stated from the off there would be absolutely no fan involvement and he'd be sole owner and mocked the AFC business model. This being the same business model that had churned out monthly profits during a pandemic and whilst playing a handful of games with limited crowds.

At that moment I said if this deal goes through and AFC fold so another crook can bleed the original club dry, then I'd be done with it all.

Predictably the deal fell through, the chancer blamed AFC claiming they held sway with the FA and that he'd have easily passed the fit and proper test but seemed he was too upset to prove everyone wrong. Shortly after he made more claims which were deemed libel as someone threatened him with legal action and he quickly vanished from social media.

I do wonder if post 2012 Darlington have had any such chancers sniffing around?

User avatar
theoriginalfatcat
Posts: 6717
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:55 am

Yes, they did have a couple.
Profile pic ↗️
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!

jjljks
Posts: 3014
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:25 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by jjljks » Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:26 pm

ShakerFan wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:24 am
theoriginalfatcat wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:31 am
jjljks wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 pm
We know your pain, Shakerfan but you will enjoy the revival of your historic club. Stay strong in that dream

Well this is it in a nutshell really.

Personally If Darlo had been taken over by yet another nutty, self centred "millionaire" then subsequently plunged into administration (again) I think I would have lost interest. As a fan you put a lot into your club, time, money and other stuff, and it all adds up, yet in general as a fan you have no say whatsoever.

I decided years ago that if the trade off of being fan owned means playing in non league pretty much forever, then so be it.
Our fan division hit new lows back in January when that bloke from Ilkeston, Hilton (though not his real name) was sniffing around. He was yet another self confessed entrepreneur, but a bit of very basic research revealed he had at best questionable 'business' history and little in the way of wealth. In fact it emerged at the time as well that he is in fact a convicted criminal. He suddenly appeared on twitter and among other things called one fan a wanker for asking a perfectly good question, called AFC fans cancers and said it was no wonder previous owners had failed (IE Day and Dale, the men who caused this mess), because we had fans like that who could just abandon the club.
The saga dragged on for around a week, during this time it was revealed said would be owner had been threatening the bloke who ran the Bury FC/AFC MB and the small but vocal anti AFC brigade latched on to this chancer like a fly around crap, issuing a few threats of their own. You would not have believed some of the comments fans were coming out with, 'give him a chance, he might have changed,' 'just because he's been to prison doesn't mean he isn't a good businessman' many others, some much worse than this, but you get the idea.
Another thing Hilton was claiming was he had a deal done, the money was there and he had a place secure in the Conference North, something that could not have possibly been true. He also stated from the off there would be absolutely no fan involvement and he'd be sole owner and mocked the AFC business model. This being the same business model that had churned out monthly profits during a pandemic and whilst playing a handful of games with limited crowds.

At that moment I said if this deal goes through and AFC fold so another crook can bleed the original club dry, then I'd be done with it all.

Predictably the deal fell through, the chancer blamed AFC claiming they held sway with the FA and that he'd have easily passed the fit and proper test but seemed he was too upset to prove everyone wrong. Shortly after he made more claims which were deemed libel as someone threatened him with legal action and he quickly vanished from social media.

I do wonder if post 2012 Darlington have had any such chancers sniffing around?
Yes, mostly put off by strong fan reaction & lack of physical assets like a ground with potential for property development. We had a string of people pre and post Reynolds, worst being Raj Singh who is now salivating over Hartlepools promotion but overlooking a debt mountain. Most of us remember his promises and are hoping he will pull the rug from under Poolie when he gets the right offer. I just hate to see clubs being subject to the whim of any single person who can plunge them into Administration, even Poolie.

Emdubya
Posts: 1117
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:31 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by Emdubya » Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:40 pm

jjljks wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:26 pm
ShakerFan wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 11:24 am
theoriginalfatcat wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:31 am
jjljks wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:48 pm
We know your pain, Shakerfan but you will enjoy the revival of your historic club. Stay strong in that dream

Well this is it in a nutshell really.

Personally If Darlo had been taken over by yet another nutty, self centred "millionaire" then subsequently plunged into administration (again) I think I would have lost interest. As a fan you put a lot into your club, time, money and other stuff, and it all adds up, yet in general as a fan you have no say whatsoever.

I decided years ago that if the trade off of being fan owned means playing in non league pretty much forever, then so be it.
Our fan division hit new lows back in January when that bloke from Ilkeston, Hilton (though not his real name) was sniffing around. He was yet another self confessed entrepreneur, but a bit of very basic research revealed he had at best questionable 'business' history and little in the way of wealth. In fact it emerged at the time as well that he is in fact a convicted criminal. He suddenly appeared on twitter and among other things called one fan a wanker for asking a perfectly good question, called AFC fans cancers and said it was no wonder previous owners had failed (IE Day and Dale, the men who caused this mess), because we had fans like that who could just abandon the club.
The saga dragged on for around a week, during this time it was revealed said would be owner had been threatening the bloke who ran the Bury FC/AFC MB and the small but vocal anti AFC brigade latched on to this chancer like a fly around crap, issuing a few threats of their own. You would not have believed some of the comments fans were coming out with, 'give him a chance, he might have changed,' 'just because he's been to prison doesn't mean he isn't a good businessman' many others, some much worse than this, but you get the idea.
Another thing Hilton was claiming was he had a deal done, the money was there and he had a place secure in the Conference North, something that could not have possibly been true. He also stated from the off there would be absolutely no fan involvement and he'd be sole owner and mocked the AFC business model. This being the same business model that had churned out monthly profits during a pandemic and whilst playing a handful of games with limited crowds.

At that moment I said if this deal goes through and AFC fold so another crook can bleed the original club dry, then I'd be done with it all.

Predictably the deal fell through, the chancer blamed AFC claiming they held sway with the FA and that he'd have easily passed the fit and proper test but seemed he was too upset to prove everyone wrong. Shortly after he made more claims which were deemed libel as someone threatened him with legal action and he quickly vanished from social media.

I do wonder if post 2012 Darlington have had any such chancers sniffing around?
Yes, mostly put off by strong fan reaction & lack of physical assets like a ground with potential for property development. We had a string of people pre and post Reynolds, worst being Raj Singh who is now salivating over Hartlepools promotion but overlooking a debt mountain. Most of us remember his promises and are hoping he will pull the rug from under Poolie when he gets the right offer. I just hate to see clubs being subject to the whim of any single person who can plunge them into Administration, even Poolie.
You hope Singh pulls the rug from under Hartlepool yet you hate to see clubs at the whim of a single person,even Harllepool. :roll: .Think you need to make a decision.

tdk1
Posts: 2479
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:21 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by tdk1 » Tue Jul 27, 2021 7:40 pm

I read that as a slight misuse of the term, and that he means he withdraws from pools if he get the right offer.

I don't want pools to go bust. I just want them to resume their traditional historic role as football's utter no hopers.

quaker4life
Posts: 2786
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 9:24 pm
Team Supported: Darlington
Contact:

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by quaker4life » Wed Jul 28, 2021 12:07 am

ShakerFan wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 3:51 pm

A couple of days after the expulsion I bumped into a Spurs fan at work, someone I'd always got on with fairly well with, but someone who always chided me for being a Bury fan. He's from Cheshire and has no links to North London at all and in the ten years I'd known him I never knew him to attend a game, not even against northern opposition, ie sitting in the home end at Old Trafford or the Etihad. He saw me and grinned smugly and came right up to me and laughed in my face over what had happened to Bury then threw a couple of other jibes at me before walking off giggling as he told his manager what he was laughing at, she laughed as well. So I think combining all these elements listed above and knowing even tier ten football would not be coming for around 10 months (prior to covid all this) and utterly exhausted after 6 months of constantly disturbed nights, it is a period I remember very bleakly.
Let's be clear here, this spurs "fan" is not a fan at all he is among a large group of people across the country who think sitting in a pub with their mates wearing the colours of clubs they've never been to see as Jeff Stelling barks out scores at them counts as being a supporter, their opinions are as baseless as they are worthless. I remember being told many times by so called Man Utd fans that I supported a rubbish team and that I should support a "proper" team like United, however whenever I asked them when they last went to Old Trafford they all seemed to get confused and flustered.

I'd like to see how loyal this so called spurs fan would be if the same awful fate befell them.
love it! wrote:Considering we are Darlington 1883 I'm happy that we are named correctly

jjljks
Posts: 3014
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:25 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by jjljks » Wed Jul 28, 2021 4:18 am

tdk1 wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 7:40 pm
I read that as a slight misuse of the term, and that he means he withdraws from pools if he get the right offer.

I don't want pools to go bust. I just want them to resume their traditional historic role as football's utter no hopers.
Spot on👍

Hope Shakerfan bumps into that Spurs fan when Harry Kane cashes out.

ShakerFan
Posts: 38
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:28 am
Team Supported: Bury

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by ShakerFan » Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:26 am

Thanks everyone, some great posts here that I have really enjoyed reading and they have helped to wet the old appetite for tomorrow. It is fair to say I am really excited. Not felt like this regarding a new season in a long time. :)

As ever thanks for the support and I really hope our clubs meet again soon and we can share a beer and rant about bent owners, the incompetence of the EFL/FA, the joke that is Salford City (watched the highlights of that 4-3 win on youtube btw) and share in stories of rising from the ashes.

Regarding the Spurs fan since said incident which is now nearly two years ago I have made a point of blanking him everytime I have seen him since which is good because he always makes a point of trying to say hello to me. I am sort of waiting for the day when he emails me asking if he's offended me in someway, then I can explain to him how cruel and thoughtless his jibes were back in August 2019.

Up the Shakers and Up the Quakers

ShakerFan
Posts: 38
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:28 am
Team Supported: Bury

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by ShakerFan » Fri Oct 29, 2021 12:25 pm

So any Darlo fans reading I will have to get your take on this -

You all may or may not have seen in the news that a group of supposedly wealthy Bury fans are on the verge of 'saving' the club.

Now, before I will go any further, I want to point out that what the media is reporting is simply not true, because for Bury FC to survive this group will need to purchase the club's shares off Steve Dale for however much he wants, before paying off all footballing debts and other creditors, something that this group simply doesn't have the money for. People on social media and our message board are believing this stuff indefinitely, simply because its reported in the media. Something worth adding as well, all that has been agreed is heads of terms, nothing more, but it is being announced and worded like it is a done deal.

The group are also apparently trying to get the rights to use the name Bury FC and create a newco, a name they will not be able to use for several years if I am correct, not unless all football creditors are paid off and none creditors are paid off in one of those penny to the pound schemes, something this consortium simply don't have the money for. Also, owing to what happened to Macc, I'd imagine any newco will go in no higher than tier 9.

Now, from what I gather, this media splurge about us is likely a publicity thing in order to drum up support and bring more money men to the table, as apparently this group don't even have half the amount to get hold of Gigg Lane and the naming rights for Bury FC. Also, even if they do pull this off then they will need money, infrastructure and volunteers, (their business plan is 51% fan ownership but apparently something will be written down that this can never be any less, with the other investors owning 49%).
So the unthinkable scenario is a newco Bury gets a team of its own at Gigg Lane and we have two football clubs in Bury.

The likely scenario from what I gather is this will not succeed.

The other and most ideal scenario is that Bury AFC take up the 51% of the shares and move into Gigg Lane next season. If this happens we will have a squad, manager, community trust, money raising projects, hundreds of thousands in the bank and our ground back and fans reunited and the naming rights available whenever we want to take back the old name. Assuming promotion is achieved this season we will be in at tier 9 next season which to my mind is where a newco will go anyway.

Also if it comes off part of the plan is the government/council helping to turn gigg into a profitable council hub (too much reliance on this and money pledged to Bury has already gone to the market and Radcliffe, so part of the plan has already failed in my eyes).

So yes, never a dull moment. I was stressed about this last week but AFC have agreed to work with this group and put the 51% AFC proposal to them, for me its a no brainer, otherwise any newco is starting with a blank canvas, no money in the bank and just blindly hoping fans will come running back to Gigg Lane. The people behind this have been very stubborn in the past and refused to work with us in anything, however there have been a lot of positive noises from all parties this week regarding working together.

I suppose, if you can decipher the complex situation I have badly explained above, then can you tell me what you'd do if Darlington could get Feethams back and make it profitable, would you give up 49% of your fan ownership?

As you can see, I am at best cynical that this will happen, but thought I'd get your take on it.

Vodka_Vic
Posts: 2473
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:27 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by Vodka_Vic » Fri Oct 29, 2021 1:05 pm

From what I remember we had 2 sepaprate supporter groups who came together to form the DFCSG and put us in a stronger position in terms of numbers as a fan owned club. They weren't ever opposed to each other, but it just made things easier. If you do this then you'll be in a stronger position together, especially back at Gigg Lane, instead of one group chasing rainbows.
Funny to see the media news about you guys, simply because Marcel, your chairman, was a mate of mine at Uni, as was Johnny Walsh, who I think is involved too. Back in those days I don't think any of us lot envisaged where we'd be today.

MB86DFC
Posts: 791
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 6:50 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by MB86DFC » Fri Oct 29, 2021 1:07 pm

ShakerFan wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 12:25 pm


I suppose, if you can decipher the complex situation I have badly explained above, then can you tell me what you'd do if Darlington could get Feethams back and make it profitable, would you give up 49% of your fan ownership?
Instantly

User avatar
theoriginalfatcat
Posts: 6717
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Some questions about following Darlo in none league

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Fri Oct 29, 2021 1:41 pm

MB86DFC wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 1:07 pm
ShakerFan wrote:
Fri Oct 29, 2021 12:25 pm


I suppose, if you can decipher the complex situation I have badly explained above, then can you tell me what you'd do if Darlington could get Feethams back and make it profitable, would you give up 49% of your fan ownership?
Instantly
I'd love to go back to Feethams too but the way in which this question is worded makes it impossible to answer.

If the question is "would you do everything possible to keep Gigg Lane?" the answer would be yes. Our present ground share is arguably our biggest problem.
Profile pic ↗️
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!

Post Reply