Darlington V Spennymoor

[Darlopartisan]

Got this one in early before NY Celebration, hopefully the game goes ahead.
For me same team that played at Spenny, high intensity , (sadly lacking in the Gateshead game) yep I can appreciate the reasons, but didn’t really happen in the first half, they were basically allowed to play from the back, anyway that games gone.
They will probably try the dark arts again. so the lads need to to be aware and not get sucked into any shenanigans, hopefully we get a referee on par with the Gateshead game.

[D_F_C]

Is Cooper's loan now up? Not seen anything about extending yet. Also when does Lawlor's finish?

[Lallacab]

I hope Hatfield is back , we really need his energy in the middle of the park

[don'tbuythesun]

Well Will is back and the news article on the official site gives updates on injuries etc.

[AndyPark]

Gutted I can’t make this as COVid has finally caught up with me.

But we need a win, hopefully we play like we did like Spenny away and having Cassidy there will help that.
I’d have Dos Santos on the wing instead of Mondal like.

[Quakerlad]

Difficult call for who plays up front for me.
Hatfield has to play and I think we do much better when we have 3 in midfield, Hatfield further forward. Does mean though that either Charman plays wider, like Sat, which for me is a bit of a waste or Cassidy doesn’t play. Just think 424 to accommodate them both leaves us outnumbered most times in midfield. Sure Rivers and or Santos will play.

On a separate point, unfortunately looks much like the gamble ( a right one at time) on Nelson is pointless. If still same injury after 6 mths to try and get fit then how far do we take it?

[super_les_mcjannet]

Difficult call for who plays up front for me.
Hatfield has to play and I think we do much better when we have 3 in midfield, Hatfield further forward. Does mean though that either Charman plays wider, like Sat, which for me is a bit of a waste or Cassidy doesn’t play. Just think 424 to accommodate them both leaves us outnumbered most times in midfield. Sure Rivers and or Santos will play.

Yep this is the biggest question for me. We look better in my opinion 4-5-1 but to fit Cassidy and Charman in the right positions you probably have to play 4-4-2. Playing Charman wide isn't best but I like Cassidy playing as well.

Over to AA to sort that one out.

[theoriginalfatcat]

Gutted I can’t make this as COVid has finally caught up with me.

Best wishes to you Andy, take it really easy - rest up.

[don'tbuythesun]

I hope you're okay Andy. You didn't get pneumonia after that Chorley game dressed only in a shirt so you must be made of stern stuff!

[Darlo_Pete]

Gutted I can’t make this as COVid has finally caught up with me.

But we need a win, hopefully we play like we did like Spenny away and having Cassidy there will help that.
I’d have Dos Santos on the wing instead of Mondal like.

Good luck Andy, hopefully you'll not have too many symptoms. It's good to see you're doing the sensible thing and staying away, I'm sure there will be some who will turn up, even when they have had a positive covid 19 test result. Hopefully you'll make the game a week tomorrow, just remember to stay off the pitch this time.

[Vodka_Vic]

I wonder if we'll count Andy Park in our matchday attendance tomorrow like Spennymoor do.

[Darlogramps]

Hatfield and Rivers are back today. Still no Wheatley (Covid) or Cooper (hamstring).

[Darlo_Pete]

I see one of the middle floodlights isn't on properly, opposite the bar. Looks like a big crowd, but disappointing turnout from the pride of Durham.

[theoriginalfatcat]

COME ON DARLO.

Let's show them how to win fair and square.

[Darlopartisan]

1 1 brilliant goal Charman to bring us level

[Darlo_Pete]

There keeper should have done better, we deserve to be in front 1-1 HT

[Darlo_Pete]

Just heard about the ref complaigning about the lack of floodlighting. Well it's not going to improve.!

[AndyPark]

219 away fans Pride of absolutely fuck all.

[darlo reborn]

Did`nt think either side deserved to win it we just played it long to much as that`s what they were doing never mind a point is better than nothing.

[Old Git]

Did`nt think either side deserved to win it we just played it long to much as that`s what they were doing never mind a point is better than nothing.

Fair comment. To be honest it was an average game between two average mid table teams Both sides have a good striker but take Charman and Taylor out of the teams and they would both struggle to score.

[Quakerlad]

Average game by two mid table teams I reckon. Probably the worst Spenny team for many a year yet didn’t really look like beating them in either game.
As usual we have to score a worldly after allowing the best finisher in non league to be completely unmarked. Surely AA tells one of the defenders to stick close to Taylor and agree who marks him from corners.....surely? Even if he doesn’t, our defence must have well over 1000 games at this level or higher, no excuse.
Worrying for me is that in last 5 games we have only scored 5 goals and every one by the the same player, a number he basically created himself. Spenny could not get anywhere near him in first half.
Like Cassidy, and his work rate is fantastic but we revert to long balls when he plays. What happened to the building from the back with nice football. A conundrum for AA to sort out.
Anyway, Good luck to the lad, reckon with full time training somewhere he can become even better. Good sell on clause I am sure!

[darlo reborn]

Heard in the bar that 3 clubs are after him let the bidding begin ??

[QUAKERMAN2]

Heard in the bar that 3 clubs are after him let the bidding begin ??

Hopefully not just Bradford City as has been mentioned.Wonder if Poolies are one of them as they are struggling to score goals but certain Luke will be a good signing for whoever gets him.He will only get better with FT training.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[super_les_mcjannet]

Rochdale are interested also and National League team showed interest previous and one in our division.

I would assume they will be plenty more for a player who can score goals with feet or head, close, outside the box and no doubt left foot/right foot. His work rate is outstanding and the fact he was doing a job at full back a few times today shows how good he is, he even won the ball and covered well.

Charman is better than any other player we have had at this level, with full time training, right club and manager he will do fantastic as we all probably know. All about the right choice for both club and player now, we need the right deal and he needs the right club.

I hope we get a good deal and he fulfils his potential, best player I have seen for some time.

[real_darlo_85]

Rochdale are interested also and National League team showed interest previous and one in our division.

I would assume they will be plenty more for a player who can score goals with feet or head, close, outside the box and no doubt left foot/right foot. His work rate is outstanding and the fact he was doing a job at full back a few times today shows how good he is, he even won the ball and covered well.

Charman is better than any other player we have had at this level, with full time training, right club and manager he will do fantastic as we all probably know. All about the right choice for both club and player now, we need the right deal and he needs the right club.

I hope we get a good deal and he fulfils his potential, best player I have seen for some time.

Although I agree financially it may help the club, in the longer run at some point if we want to make the leap in terms of promotion then we also need to gamble keeping better players. It's a fine balance but there are no guarantees that we will always successfully replace quality such as Charman, Donowa etc. and as mentioned if it wasn't for his goals this season it's concerning where we could have been. It's a balance between financial stability and sustainability but we need to keep better players to help the club maintain this ambition because it's not a secret that promotion is a target and without it support will not grow and likely shrink.

[LoidLucan]

AA deserves a lot of credit for unearthing a player like this and then getting him tied up on a two-year extension last summer. I seem to remember when he first signed most fans thought he would be just a squad/back-up player. But his technique, attitude and work-rate are all first class.

He deserves his second chance at the full-time game after no doubt being devastated after being released following around 7 years with Newcastle. AA promised him he would get him a second chance if he got his head down and worked and this will also enhance our reputation as a club where you can get things back on track, get noticed and progress.

Hopefully there'll be a right bidding battle which we'll benefit from and no doubt AA will have some great sell-on clauses etc that we may well benefit from going forward.

[quaker4life]

I think it's safe to say today's game won't live long in the memory and a draw was probably the right result, there was little to pick between the two sides in the end.

I heard a comment afterwards saying "two midtable teams with good strikers" and I'd say it's an accurate summary, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a sense of trepidation when we equalised. It panned out similar as it did against Gateshead on Tuesday gave a soft goal away and got a quickfire equaliser but thankfully this time there was no repeat and neither team looked like scoring after that, although we had a good spell towards the end of the first half Dale Eve in the Spennymoor goal wasn't overly worked and neither Was Tommy Taylor at the other end a good save aside shortly before we scored.

If the murmurings coming out about Charman leaving are true then it is a big blow and there's going to be a big pair of boots left to fill so hopefully Tyrone O'Neil can recapture some of the form he had when he joined us the first time although there's no questioning Cassidy's workrate we cannot rely on him for goals, hopefully we can also get Jake Cooper and Jake Lawlor's loans extended as well.

[Old Git]

As well as Bradford City I heard that Wrexham and Rotherham are also in the running to sign him. Won’t have done his prospects of getting a move any harm with today’s performance and hopefully if several clubs are interested in him we can secure a good deal.
It is inconceivable that we can prevent a player moving into the full time game if he gets an offer to do so and we can get a transfer fee for him. Of course it is difficult to build a team when your best players may get lured away but that is just a fact of life at our level.

[Darlogramps]

Rochdale are interested also and National League team showed interest previous and one in our division.

I would assume they will be plenty more for a player who can score goals with feet or head, close, outside the box and no doubt left foot/right foot. His work rate is outstanding and the fact he was doing a job at full back a few times today shows how good he is, he even won the ball and covered well.

Charman is better than any other player we have had at this level, with full time training, right club and manager he will do fantastic as we all probably know. All about the right choice for both club and player now, we need the right deal and he needs the right club.

I hope we get a good deal and he fulfils his potential, best player I have seen for some time.

Although I agree financially it may help the club, in the longer run at some point if we want to make the leap in terms of promotion then we also need to gamble keeping better players. It's a fine balance but there are no guarantees that we will always successfully replace quality such as Charman, Donowa etc. and as mentioned if it wasn't for his goals this season it's concerning where we could have been. It's a balance between financial stability and sustainability but we need to keep better players to help the club maintain this ambition because it's not a secret that promotion is a target and without it support will not grow and likely shrink.

I don’t agree on the crowds will shrink argument.

We’ve been at this level for six seasons now, and only one of those were we genuinely in with a shot of promotion (the first year, when SeatGate prevented us making the play-offs). Our crowds have held relatively steady in that time so there’s no evidence I can see for the “crowds will shrink without promotion” argument.

People will turn up if they think you can win a football match. It’s only when we have utterly disastrous seasons where we’re losing week in, week out, that will see attendances drop off.

Ultimately our model needs to be about identifying talented players (be they EFL cast-offs such as Charman or talented players from lower down such as Sousa), getting the best out of them and selling them on to a higher level for profit and reinvesting. That’s where we’ll make our money to keep us going.

It’s worked for us with the likes of Heaton, Donawa and now hopefully Charman (it was so frustrating Sousa was able to go for nothing). Players like Lambert and maybe with some more development Dos Santos will also fit this mould.

So actually I’d argue the opposite to you, we won’t progress if we don’t sell and then reinvest.

Also, there’s no way we, as a part-time non-league club, can stand in the way if a full-time EFL side comes knocking for a young player. That would be true even if we were top of the league. Being 1st or 14th wouldn’t stop Charman leaving us.

[JE93]

Rochdale are interested also and National League team showed interest previous and one in our division.

I would assume they will be plenty more for a player who can score goals with feet or head, close, outside the box and no doubt left foot/right foot. His work rate is outstanding and the fact he was doing a job at full back a few times today shows how good he is, he even won the ball and covered well.

Charman is better than any other player we have had at this level, with full time training, right club and manager he will do fantastic as we all probably know. All about the right choice for both club and player now, we need the right deal and he needs the right club.

I hope we get a good deal and he fulfils his potential, best player I have seen for some time.

Although I agree financially it may help the club, in the longer run at some point if we want to make the leap in terms of promotion then we also need to gamble keeping better players. It's a fine balance but there are no guarantees that we will always successfully replace quality such as Charman, Donowa etc. and as mentioned if it wasn't for his goals this season it's concerning where we could have been. It's a balance between financial stability and sustainability but we need to keep better players to help the club maintain this ambition because it's not a secret that promotion is a target and without it support will not grow and likely shrink.

I get the sentiment. But in reality there's only maybe 4 or 5 clubs in the UK who aren't 'Selling Clubs'. Bringing in revenue through player sales is part and parcel of football for the vast majority of clubs. there are plenty of good players available each year either via the loan market or those released. Look at other teams in the league this season, Cedwyn Scott and Macauley Langstaff at Gateshead or Ollie Hulbert on loan at Gloucester. The first 2 picked up on frees in the summer. All could well be heading towards 20+ goals for the season.

Sales like this and FA cup runs are what help to secure the financial future of the club. If we can get 100k for Charman that's probably around 1/3 of next seasons playing budget. If we can get further money from sell ons, that's potential infrastructure developments etc. It will be tough to replace him no doubt, but if we can demonstrate we have a track record of getting players into full time football we'll be better able to attract similar talents in the future.

As for the game today, only listened on the radio so hard to comment too much but it sounded like it matched the comments above. Two sides with star players who lived up to their billing by getting goals and the rest could have gone either way but neither side really showed the killer touch. Not a great christmas for us, 2 points from 3 games. Really need to be winning 3 of the next 4 in January if we want to prove we can mix it for the final playoff position.