Back From The Dead

by Scott Thornberry - 18th January 2012

back from the dead

 

Whatever happens in the coming weeks, today will go down in history for Darlington Football Club as the most emotional rollercoaster of a journey ever.
The deadline for Harvey Madden, the administrator, had made was noon.  Craig Liddle and his players, who had all been sacked on Monday, arrived at the Arena to learn the clubs fate.  After the meeting the news was not good, they had been told that the club was to be liquidated.  Harvey Madden, who seems to be an administrator from the good side, said that it was the worst thing he has had to do in his life.  Craig Liddle said he was sick to the stomach.

 

Whatever happens in the coming weeks, today will go down in history for Darlington Football Club as the most emotional rollercoaster of a journey ever.

The deadline for Harvey Madden, the administrator, had made was noon.  Craig Liddle and his players, who had all been sacked on Monday, arrived at the Arena to learn the clubs fate.  After the meeting the news was not good, they had been told that the club was to be liquidated.  Harvey Madden, who seems to be an administrator from the good side, said that it was the worst thing he has had to do in his life.  Craig Liddle said he was sick to the stomach.

 

 

 

John Foster from BBC Tees had text me the night before to see if I would be available for a chat around lunchtime, no problem.  So there I was in Sainsburys in Durham and the phone goes.  I was put on hold and listened to Mark Drury who was at the ground explaining what had happened.  The players had been informed the club was going to be liquidated, my heart sank.  Then all hell broke lose, well I don't mean hell but all I could hear was Mark Drury saying that a car had just raced up to the front of the stadium and two men were banging on the front door.  There were muffled noises and then I could hear Shaun and Doug from the DFCRG shouting that they had the money and they can't close down the club.
Emotions were now high and I hadn't got a clue what was going on.  Aaron Brown was next, he came on next to say that he was leaving the club, all the best aaron, and good luck in the future.  It still didn't look too good in my eyes, then John Foster told me that £150k had been offered from overseas and the club might be saved. WTF?!?!?  I was dazed on confused.  One minute I was on the radio discussing the death of Darlington Football Club after 128 years, then litterally 4 minutes later a meeting was going to take place to possibly rescue the club.  Then it came to light that the DFCRG were to meet up with Harvey Madden at a secret location.  I will be honest, and you probably saw from my tweets, I thought we had gone.  There was no way back from this.
Inside the stadium there was confusion, despair, delight, optimism, every emotion you can think of.  Club Secretary Colin Galloway told me "The administrator told us all that the club was going to fold and we couldn't believe it.  The lads were hugging each other and were just speechless.  We couldn't believe that the football club was gone.  Then my mobile phone rang and it was Steve Weeks from the DFCRG.  He asked if I knew how to get in touch with Harvey Madden as they wanted to speak to him urgently.  The next thing we know there is the possibility of us plying this weekend."
It was back to work so was unsure of what was going on, but about an hour later I receive a phonecall from a person from within the club.  The question was asked, if the game went ahead on Saturday would the Darlo Uncovered Fighting Fund (DUFF) be made available to pay the players.  Wow, this was a surprise, behind the scenes people all over were and still are working their arses off.  Anyway I made an executive decision and I am sure all who donated would agree, well I hope they would.  The purpose of the fund was and is to keep the current Darlington Football Club alive if possible.  So I agreed to the release of the DUFF fund which alone has now raised over £11000.  The Supporters Club who along with members of Uncovered FC, collected over £5000 on Saturday outside Middlesbrough Football Club are also donated that money.  So in the last two weeks the football family, normal working men and women with just football in common have already chipped in with over £16000.
So where are we at now, well I tell you where I am at.  I am obviously hard as owt, but tonight I went to fill up the car and listened to BBC Tees who were reliving the days events.  I only started crying!  Garry Mann would have been proud! 
The club is funded until the end of the month, within that time we hope that investors will have time to carry out their due diligence.  Hopefully this stay of execution is enough, if not then the people of Darlington and the surrounding area cannot say  that they let their club die without a fight.
Well done to all the DFCRG today, BBC Tees for their coverage, the Supporters Trust who threw in £10k this morning and all of the footballing world for caring about our club, Darlington Football Club.  The next few years are going to be hard for us whatever happens, but we are now unity with one focus, to create a community club which the town can be proud of!

 

John Foster from BBC Tees had text me the night before to see if I would be available for a chat around lunchtime, no problem.  So there I was in Sainsburys in Durham and the phone goes.  I was put on hold and listened to Mark Drury who was at the ground explaining what had happened.  The players had been informed the club was going to be liquidated, my heart sank.  Then all hell broke lose, well I don't mean hell but all I could hear was Mark Drury saying that a car had just raced up to the front of the stadium and two men were banging on the front door.  There were muffled noises and then I could hear Shaun and Doug from the DFCRG shouting that they had the money and they can't close down the club.

Emotions were now high and I hadn't got a clue what was going on.  Aaron Brown was next, he came on next to say that he was leaving the club, all the best aaron, and good luck in the future.  It still didn't look too good in my eyes, then John Foster told me that £150k had been offered from overseas and the club might be saved. WTF?!?!?  I was dazed on confused.  One minute I was on the radio discussing the death of Darlington Football Club after 128 years, then litterally 4 minutes later a meeting was going to take place to possibly rescue the club.  Then it came to light that the DFCRG were to meet up with Harvey Madden at a secret location.  I will be honest, and you probably saw from my tweets, I thought we had gone.  There was no way back from this.

Inside the stadium there was confusion, despair, delight, optimism, every emotion you can think of.  Club Secretary Colin Galloway told me "The administrator told us all that the club was going to fold and we couldn't believe it.  The lads were hugging each other and were just speechless.  We couldn't believe that the football club was gone.  Then my mobile phone rang and it was Steve Weeks from the DFCRG.  He asked if I knew how to get in touch with Harvey Madden as they wanted to speak to him urgently.  The next thing we know there is the possibility of us plying this weekend."

It was back to work so was unsure of what was going on, but about an hour later I receive a phonecall from a person from within the club.  The question was asked, if the game went ahead on Saturday would the Darlo Uncovered Fighting Fund (DUFF) be made available to pay the players.  Wow, this was a surprise, behind the scenes people all over were and still are working their arses off.  Anyway I made an executive decision and I am sure all who donated would agree, well I hope they would.  The purpose of the fund was and is to keep the current Darlington Football Club alive if possible.  So I agreed to the release of the DUFF fund which alone has now raised over £11000.  The Supporters Club who along with members of Uncovered FC, collected over £5000 on Saturday outside Middlesbrough Football Club are also donated that money.  So in the last two weeks the football family, normal working men and women with just football in common have already chipped in with over £16000.  Best phone the bloody bank up again, I am sure they are gonna pull me in for money laundering!  

So where are we at now, well I tell you where I am at.  I am obviously hard as owt, but tonight I went to fill up the car and listened to BBC Tees who were reliving the days events.  I only started crying!  Garry Mann would have been proud! 

The club is funded until the end of the month, within that time we hope that investors will have time to carry out their due diligence.  Hopefully this stay of execution is enough, if not then the people of Darlington and the surrounding area cannot say  that they let their club die without a fight.

Well done to all the DFCRG today, BBC Tees for their coverage, the Supporters Trust who threw in £10k this morning and all of the footballing world for caring about our club, Darlington Football Club.  The next few years are going to be hard for us whatever happens, but we are now unity with one focus, to create a community club which the town can be proud of!