Darlington
Formed 1883
Founder member of Division Three (North) 1921. Relegated to the Conference 1989
Promoted to Division Four 1990. Relagated to the Blue Square Conference 2010.
Kit History
1888 w
1889 w
1890-1910
1910-1911 x
circa 1911 s
1921-1936 a j
1937-circa 1939 a
1947-1950 k v
1950-1951 y
1951-1957 r
1957-1958 v
1958-1959 b
1959-1965
1965-1966 v
1966-1969 a c
1971-1972 d
1972-1975 p
1975-1976 p
1976-1977 early p
1976-1977 late p
1977-1979 e p
1979-1980 p
1980-1981 l p
1981-1982 f
1982-1984 t v
1984-1987 e m n p v
1987-1988 l m
1988-1989 f m
1989-1991 c g
1991-1993 i m
1993-1995 b m
1995-1996 m
1996-1997 b m u
1997-1998 b u
1998-1999 b m u
1999-2000 b m
2000-2002 b m
2002-2003 b m
2003-2004 b m
2004-2005 g m
2005-2006 h m
2006-2007 h m
2007-2008 q
2008-2009 u
2009-2010 q
2010-2011 q
Background
In July 1883 representatives of the various amateur clubs playing
in the area met at the local grammar school and decided to form a single
senior club to represent the town. Two years later Darlington entered
the FA Cup for the first time only to be given an 8-0 hiding
by Grimsby Town. In 1889, Darlington became founder members of the Northern
league, which they won in 1896 and 1900.
Darlington turned professional in 1908 and joined the North Eastern League, winning the championship in 1913. The Great War almost brought the club to extinction but they were bailed out by a works side, Darlington Forge Albion, whose chairman, JB Haw, paid off their debts and financed the completion of a new grandstand at the club’s Feethams ground.
Having finished as North Eastern League runners-up in 1920 and champions in 1921, Darlington were offered a place in the new northern section of the Football League Third Division. In 1925 they won the championship and promotion to Division Two, only to be relegated two years later. They have yet to return to this level.
The club remained rooted in the lowest division and in 1958 they became
founder members of the new Fourth Division. Their first promotion 
for 40 years finally came in 1966 when they finished as runners-up and were
promoted. The following season, however, they finished in 22nd place and
went straight back down. Between 1970 and 1980, “Darlo” had
to apply for re-election no fewer than five times and they were lucky
to retain their place in the League. During this period a simple monogramme was often worn on the shirts, as was fashionable at the time. This was embroidered in red although when the club switched to Bukta late in the 1976-77 season, it appeared in black just below the collar.
During the 1980s results on the pitch improved but Darlington were in a financial mess: at one stage supporters and local people raised £50,000 in just six weeks to stave off closure. Their efforts were rewarded with promotion in 1985 and this time they stayed up for two seasons.
In 1987 the club adopted a new crest, which became a permanent feature from then on. The design consisted of a shield, divided diagonally white over red (red having become the favoured accent colour since 1975) supported by oak leaves (symbolising strength). The motifs on the shield are a Quaker hat, representing the important role of the Religious Society of Friends in the development of the town, and George Stephenson's Locomotive No 1, which hauled the first steam train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. This excellent design sums up the importance of the Quaker movement (from whom the club takes its official nickname) and the railways in the history of the town.
In 1989 Darlington finished bottom of the League and were relegated to the Conference. They were back after only one season, having won the Conference title and the following season they won the Fourth Division championship, only to be relegated yet again after a single season. Since then, Darlington have remained in the lowest tier, occasionally challenging for promotion.
Off the field, however, things have been rather more lively since former safe-cracker “Gorgeous George” Reynolds became chairman in 1999. He paid off the club’s debts, rumoured to be around £5m and financed a new all-seated stadium, which the club moved into in 2003. The costs drove Darlington into administration in December 2003 and, after a bitter struggle, Reynolds finally relinquished control to the club’s main creditors, the Sterling Consortium.
In 2010 Darlington finished bottom of League Two and were relegated to the Conference for the second time.
Sources
- (a) Club Colours (Bob Bickerton)
- (b) empics
- (c) Football Focus
- (d) Football Cards
- (e) Aldershot Has It
- (f) Crewe Alexandra FC (Images of Sport) Harold Finch 2001
- (g) Classic Kits
- (h) This is the North East Website
- (i) Premier Shirts
- (j) The Football Encyclopaedia (Associated Sporting Press 1934) Information provided by Arthur Fergus
- (k) Geoff Charles Collection at the National Library of Wales
- (l) Pete's Picture Palace
- (m) Darlington Rivals part of the Rivals network with a fine collection of shirts since the 1970s.
- (n) jumpers4goalposts
- (o) David King
- (p) Alick Milne
- (q) Darlington FC Official Website
- (r) Toffs
- (s) Durham Museum
- (t) Scunthorpe United - A Pictorial History (John Staff 2007)
- (u) Paul Reid
- (v) Ralph Pomeroy
- (w) Kjell Hanssen
- (x) Durham Record Website provided by Simon Monks
- (y) Keith Ellis