Darlo’s worst XI

[Spyman]

Surprised Craig Russell hasn't had a mention either - not that I'd put him in a worst XI, but he was an unpopular player.

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[theoriginalfatcat]

Kirk Jackson... enough said !!!

I'd forgotten about Kirk. 21 games and one goal.

This would be one more goal than I would have scored if I'd played 21 games for Darlo - or perhaps not

There was another struggling striker from around this time too, I can't remember his name but I think he might have been involved with G.R's daughter at some point. Williamson perhaps?

[theoriginalfatcat]

DBL post.

[Spyman]

Kirk Jackson... enough said !!!

I'd forgotten about Kirk. 21 games and one goal.

This would be one more goal than I would have scored if I'd played 21 games for Darlo - or perhaps not

There was another struggling striker from around this time too, I can't remember his name but I think he might have been involved with G.R's daughter at some point. Williamson perhaps?

Adam Marsh? I think he was signed from Worksop along with Jackson.

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[Spyman]

Having just looked up Kirk Jackson, I discovered that he had a very successful strike partnership at Yeovil after he left us with none other than Kevin Gall!

34 goals between them in Yeovil's conference-winning season!

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[Lawman3]

Kirk Jackson... enough said !!!

I'd forgotten about Kirk. 21 games and one goal.

This would be one more goal than I would have scored if I'd played 21 games for Darlo - or perhaps not

There was another struggling striker from around this time too, I can't remember his name but I think he might have been involved with G.R's daughter at some point. Williamson perhaps?

I remember some rumours about Martin Carruthers and Reynolds' wife around that time but can't recall the details.

[theoriginalfatcat]

Kirk Jackson... enough said !!!

I'd forgotten about Kirk. 21 games and one goal.

This would be one more goal than I would have scored if I'd played 21 games for Darlo - or perhaps not

There was another struggling striker from around this time too, I can't remember his name but I think he might have been involved with G.R's daughter at some point. Williamson perhaps?

Adam Marsh? I think he was signed from Worksop along with Jackson.

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No, I don’t think it’s him I’m thinking of, i think he had the nickname of “Willow” or something and I remember seeing him play for us away at Chesterfield once.

[Santino]

Plenty of contenders from the Staunton era but Keith Gillespie's brief cameo is still burned into my mind.

[Spyman]

Kirk Jackson... enough said !!!

I'd forgotten about Kirk. 21 games and one goal.

This would be one more goal than I would have scored if I'd played 21 games for Darlo - or perhaps not

There was another struggling striker from around this time too, I can't remember his name but I think he might have been involved with G.R's daughter at some point. Williamson perhaps?

Adam Marsh? I think he was signed from Worksop along with Jackson.

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No, I don’t think it’s him I’m thinking of, i think he had the nickname of “Willow” or something and I remember seeing him play for us away at Chesterfield once.

Maybe Gary Williamson then? Came through our youth team I think, wasn't great but don't think he was terrible either. I think he was part of the same crop as Paul Campbell and Mark Kilty who both did relatively well until injury curtailed Kilty's career.

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[real_darlo_85]

Plenty of contenders from the Staunton era but Keith Gillespie's brief cameo is still burned into my mind.

Noel Whelan is probably who you are thinking of from that infamous season. Keith Gillespie had a months stint in Mark Cooper's first season I think, though didn't pull up any trees either.

[theoriginalfatcat]

Spyman - Garry Williamson, that's him. He changed his name for some reason then played on. He was okay really, possibly a bit young and raw for what was expected or hoped of him via G.R's "new and improved Darlo" G.R's words not mine. Thrown in at the deep end. if you like.

FROM WIKI.

"Barnes was born in Darlington and joined his home-town club in 1997. Then known as Garry Williamson, he turned professional in 2000[2] and made his Football League debut for Darlington on 12 August 2000 as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 draw away at Rochdale. He made five more appearances in League Two, and four in cup competitions,[1] and spent some time on loan at Northern Premier League club Spennymoor United.[3]"

"At the end of the 2000–01 season, Williamson turned down Darlington's offer of a contract extension, preferring to move to the United States to take up a scholarship at Yavapai College, Arizona,[2] where he led the 2001 offensive rankings for Division 1 of the National Junior College Athletic Association.[4]"

"He returned to England and, by then using the surname Barnes,[5] signed for Shildon of the Northern League, for whom he scored 53 goals in 52 appearances in the 2003–04 season, a performance which earned him the award of Northern League Player of the Year, and his 34 league goals made him the season's top scorer.[6] In the same season, Shildon reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup,[5] only to be beaten by Notts County of Division Two – five levels above Shildon – 7–2; Barnes, who had scored eight goals during the qualifying rounds, added a 63rd-minute penalty.[7][8]"

[shildonlad]

Spyman - Garry Williamson, that's him. He changed his name for some reason then played on. He was okay really, possibly a bit young and raw for what was expected or hoped of him via G.R's "new and improved Darlo" G.R's words not mine. Thrown in at the deep end. if you like.

FROM WIKI.

"Barnes was born in Darlington and joined his home-town club in 1997. Then known as Garry Williamson, he turned professional in 2000[2] and made his Football League debut for Darlington on 12 August 2000 as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 draw away at Rochdale. He made five more appearances in League Two, and four in cup competitions,[1] and spent some time on loan at Northern Premier League club Spennymoor United.[3]"

"At the end of the 2000–01 season, Williamson turned down Darlington's offer of a contract extension, preferring to move to the United States to take up a scholarship at Yavapai College, Arizona,[2] where he led the 2001 offensive rankings for Division 1 of the National Junior College Athletic Association.[4]"

"He returned to England and, by then using the surname Barnes,[5] signed for Shildon of the Northern League, for whom he scored 53 goals in 52 appearances in the 2003–04 season, a performance which earned him the award of Northern League Player of the Year, and his 34 league goals made him the season's top scorer.[6] In the same season, Shildon reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup,[5] only to be beaten by Notts County of Division Two – five levels above Shildon – 7–2; Barnes, who had scored eight goals during the qualifying rounds, added a 63rd-minute penalty.[7][8]"

Theres quite a bit on barnes in ray gowans book. He literally just rocked up at shildon and asked for a trial, was a top player in one of the best shildon squads ever and suprised he never played hightwe after scoring all them goals, maybe he had a good day job. Was never explained why he changed his name, normally a thing actors and pop stars do

[shildonlad]

Plenty of contenders from the Staunton era but Keith Gillespie's brief cameo is still burned into my mind.

Noel Whelan is probably who you are thinking of from that infamous season. Keith Gillespie had a months stint in Mark Cooper's first season I think, though didn't pull up any trees either.

Never realised keith gillespie played for darlo, presume you mean the ex newcastle and man u guy

[tdk1]

Yeah, he played for us in our first conference season. Wasn't bad by any stretch, but I think I was hoping he'd be a bit more productive than he was.

[Mullet69]

I think to make this thread more about genuinely bad players, it should be a case of only counting those who made, say 10 appearances or more for the club rather than those who might have played 20 minutes off the bench in the Lux Familiar Cup in the late 80s.

Mind, if that was the case Noel Whelan would have to be the Manager.

Spending a lot of time trawling through Old Quaker TV on Youtube at the moment and have got to the end of post-Platt Hodgy season - must admit i genuinely had no idea that Gary Twynham actually did anything other than come off the bench, let alone scored a few goals. He would have been in my list, but it's funny what the years do to your memory.

Using my above criteria, Flapper Newell was one of the worst keepers i saw that earned a contract but then he was partial to a few saves too.

[feethams]

Using my above criteria, Flapper Newell was one of the worst keepers i saw that earned a contract but then he was partial to a few saves too.

I always thought Newell was pretty decent considering he was in goal for our first Wembley trip!

[feethams]

Werling didn’t even play did he?

Was meant to be signing for us when Simon Davey joined us briefly...until he promptly resigned by email at the end of season 09/10 whilst on holiday.

Then re-appeared magically with Davey at Hereford the next season!!

[shildonlad]

Yeah, he played for us in our first conference season. Wasn't bad by any stretch, but I think I was hoping he'd be a bit more productive than he was.

Always thought he was one of those players who peaked too young

[Ghost_Of_1883]

Kirk Jackson... enough said !!!

I'd forgotten about Kirk. 21 games and one goal.

This would be one more goal than I would have scored if I'd played 21 games for Darlo - or perhaps not

There was another struggling striker from around this time too, I can't remember his name but I think he might have been involved with G.R's daughter at some point. Williamson perhaps?

Adam Marsh? I think he was signed from Worksop along with Jackson.

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No, I don’t think it’s him I’m thinking of, i think he had the nickname of “Willow” or something and I remember seeing him play for us away at Chesterfield once.

Adam Marsh, Spyman is correct about him and Jackson. Both signed at the same time, Marsh had even less impact than Jackson.

And yep, Williamson too.

[lo36789]

Yeah, he played for us in our first conference season. Wasn't bad by any stretch, but I think I was hoping he'd be a bit more productive than he was.

Always thought he was one of those players who peaked too young

There was a documentary about him and how good he was, it may be over simplifying it but it can across that his battle with gambling addiction created a conflict with fulfilling his potential...I mean he was betting against his own team at some points and said he couldn't concentrate as a result.

[Spyman]

Yeah, he played for us in our first conference season. Wasn't bad by any stretch, but I think I was hoping he'd be a bit more productive than he was.

Always thought he was one of those players who peaked too young

He featured quite prominently in one of the episodes of the BBC documentary about the early days of the Premier League that was shown last year - essentially he was part of that group with the Neville's, Giggs, Beckham etc and they all socialized together - he had come over from Ireland at a young age and so they were his support network.

Then all of a sudden he was told he was off to Newcastle as part of the Andy Cole transfer - he was very young, moved to a new city where he knew nobody and all he knew to do after training was go to the bookies, so his gambling spiraled massively out of control, and his career went with it. Quite a sad story really.

[lo36789]

I think that's what I watched to the point I thought it was actually a documentary about him!

[Makka Pakka]

There's no contest for the striking role, Mor Diop, he looked like he'd never heard of football before, never mind played it. Special mention for Drewe Broughton, although to be fair, he wasn't exactly in his prime. In fact he'd retired some time earlier and only came to us because the Conference wouldn't let us sign anyone "good".

[theoriginalfatcat]

I think Drewe played for free. If so we need to give him the benefit of the doubt - also he was playing in a poor team, which doesn't make things any easier.

[lo36789]

I think Drewe played for free. If so we need to give him the benefit of the doubt - also he was playing in a poor team, which doesn't make things any easier.

Can't remember the specifics but weren't we beyond the player registration deadline so all our signings needed special dispensation.

Broughton will have been allowed if playing for free as wouldn't have incurred any additional financial liability.

[tdk1]

I really don't think you can hold anything against Broughton. He came in at the worst point in the club's history and gave it a go. He scored a goal, a right scuffer, against Telford, and was surrounded by teenagers who were completely unprepared for the circumstances they found themselves in.

Diop was also not much cop but he scored a couple, including the winner at Shrewsbury in a season when we didn't score many winners full stop. Not in the same league of badness as Whelan or the one we signed from Scotland who played twice, was crap, and stropped off.

[Spyman]

I really don't think you can hold anything against Broughton. He came in at the worst point in the club's history and gave it a go. He scored a goal, a right scuffer, against Telford, and was surrounded by teenagers who were completely unprepared for the circumstances they found themselves in.

Diop was also not much cop but he scored a couple, including the winner at Shrewsbury in a season when we didn't score many winners full stop. Not in the same league of badness as Whelan or the one we signed from Scotland who played twice, was crap, and stropped off.

Paddy Deane?

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[EDJOHNS]

By no means the worst we have ever had, but by far the biggest disappointment in my eyes was Nick Pickering.
An England international with tons of top level experience I was expecting a lot more than the very average player we witnessed.

[Makka Pakka]

I think Drewe played for free. If so we need to give him the benefit of the doubt - also he was playing in a poor team, which doesn't make things any easier.

Can't remember the specifics but weren't we beyond the player registration deadline so all our signings needed special dispensation.

Broughton will have been allowed if playing for free as wouldn't have incurred any additional financial liability.

Yes, special dispensation was needed but I believe we requested it to sign Adam Boyd on loan and it was turned down because he was too good in their opinion. They didn't want to chance us having an upturn in results and avoid relegation at the expense of another club if it came about because they let us sign good players when we should not have been allowed to sign anyone.

[lo36789]

I think Drewe played for free. If so we need to give him the benefit of the doubt - also he was playing in a poor team, which doesn't make things any easier.

Can't remember the specifics but weren't we beyond the player registration deadline so all our signings needed special dispensation.

Broughton will have been allowed if playing for free as wouldn't have incurred any additional financial liability.

Yes, special dispensation was needed but I believe we requested it to sign Adam Boyd on loan and it was turned down because he was too good in their opinion. They didn't want to chance us having an upturn in results and avoid relegation at the expense of another club if it came about because they let us sign good players when we should not have been allowed to sign anyone.

Surely it was more about whether they were contracted senior professionals versus a judgement of whether they are too good.

If Boyd had been uncontracted at the close of the transfer window, and willing to play for free we would have been 'allowed' to sign Boyd.

I mean the outcome is the same. The talent pool of players good enough for professional football who aren't contracted and are willing to play for free would be pretty slim pickings.