£2.50 >> THE MATCH DAY PROGRAMME OF DARLINGTON FOOTBALL CLUB VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH DARLINGTON V STOCKPORT COUNTY SATURDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2017 | KICK OFF 3.00PM | BLACKWELL MEADOWS Official Benchwear and NATIONAL Match Ball Sponsor LEAGUE “FOR FANS, FOR FOOTBALL, FOR EVER” Welcome to a new era V STOCKPORT COUNTY at Darlington FC Directors Chief Executive Officer: David Johnston John Tempest Good afternoon, and welcome to a Darlington 1883 Supporters Society Limited new era at Darlington Football Club. Football Joint managers: Brian Atkinson It’s been a very eventful week at Darlington FC following and Sean Gregan Martin Gray’s resignation, with all sorts going on which Scout: Harry Dunn has meant a lot of hard work, several meetings and long Psychologist: Darren Sutton Kit Manager: Bradley Blythe hours for many people behind the scenes at the club. Assistant Kit Manager: Gary Smith DARLINGTON’S PREMIER LEISURE SCHEME Martin did a fantastic job for this club, helping us win Physios: Jimmy Nesbitt three promotions that have lifted us from the Northern Darlington Football Club Officials League to the National League North, and for that we Club Secretary: Jonathan Jowett must always be grateful. We will always have some great Matchday secretary: Rob Jones memories of the last five years. Communications and Media manager: Ray Simpson But now is the start of a new era for the club, and we Safety Officer: Graham Reeves must now forget the past and concentrate on the future Accounts: Malcolm Davison by supporting the lads today. This is the kind of day that Hospitality: Joanne Cameron we’ve all experienced in the past at Darlo, when we’ve Retail Manager: Lynn Jasper had a bit of a tumble, and everybody recognises the need Football in the Community Lead coach: to support the players on the field. Deano Browne Boardroom Host: Colin Ward You are probably aware that we have joined forces with Match Officials Host: Terry Farley MBE Non League Day and Prostate Cancer UK this afternoon. Photographers: Nick Burton Non League Day is an annual occasion, on which fans of Media/Video: Kevin Luff Premiership and Championship clubs are encouraged to Media/Fans’ Radio: Andrew Simpson go to a non league game instead, and Non League Day To contact the club, send an email to has linked up with the charity Prostate Cancer UK. [email protected] [email protected] There are representatives from Prostate Cancer UK at the [email protected] game today, and they will be situated next to the DFCSG Website: darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk table in the bar, and they will also be circulating leaflets around the ground. Programme Team Ray Simpson (editor), Craig Stoddart, There will also be a bucket collection for the charity, and Simon Weatherill, Lynn Jasper, Chris Prostate Cancer UK badges will be available to purchase. Sykes, Steve Rees, Kevin Luff, Neil Raper, Peter Haygarth, Frank Tweddle, Joanne You may remember that Jeff Stelling from Sky Sports Cameron, John Tempest, Simon Hahn, walked the length and breadth of the country last Andrew Alton, Rob Jones, Deano Browne summer in aid of Prostate Cancer UK, and he started his and Leigh Edwards penultimate leg from Darlington on his way to Hartlepool. Darlington 1883 Ltd. is a company limited by share, If you’re a season ticket holder from a Premiership or registered in England and Wales with company number 07914690. Championship club who has taken advantage of our Registered office: Blackwell Meadows, Grange discount admission offer and are visiting us on your “day Road, Darlington, County Durham DL1 5NR off” then welcome to Blackwell Meadows. We’re sure that you’ll have an experience that you will remember for the Accountants: Total Tax Solutions 2 Peel Court, St. Cuthberts Way right reasons. Darlington, Co Durham, DL1 1GB Designed by: KINSHIP, PROUD TO SPONSOR www.designbykinship.co.uk Printed by: MT Print, Darlington DARLINGTON FC This page is sponsored by www.mtprint.co.uk SATURDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2017 > 3 “FOR FANS, FOR FOOTBALL, FOR EVER” Building the For all your vehicle leasing needs, we’ve got you covered. future together >> BY DAVID JOHNSTON Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Blackwell Meadows for today’s game. VANS This has been an extremely We have a number of choices; change to the current Articles difficult week for the club • Establish our own academy. of Association. Any private following last weekend’s defeat individual investing into the club to Curzon. Martin called me early • Negotiate a professional will naturally want a say in how CARS on Sunday morning requesting commercial agreement with the club is run and this remains a meeting and made it clear an external provider such as the dichotomy for the Board. that he wished to resign from MGFA to provide an academy It is quite clear that the clubs PICKUP TRUCKS his position as manager with service. with private backing have a clear immediate effect. He believed • Decide to operate without advantage over Darlington at that he had taken the club as an Academy until the League the current moment, several of far as he could given the current requirements dictate. them operating with full time INSURANCE structure and funding, and These options will be discussed playing staff. The Board will once his mind was made up, we by the Board in conjunction with however discuss the different had little option but to accept the DFCSG and we will keep options around investment with his resignation. At this point, I you informed as to progress. the Darlington FC Supporters would like to put on record our Personally speaking, I think Group to determine whether thanks to Martin for his loyalty that separation is in the best there is a viable model to take and service over the past five interests of DFC and gives us the club to the next level. Whilst years and wish him luck in the the opportunity to structure this in ongoing, we will continue future. A compensation package correctly for the future. our discussions with external has been agreed with York City stakeholders that have been whom Martin has subsequently This however is the nature of underway since the start of the joined. football; managers and staff season. I appreciate that this is come and go but the club will taking a significant amount of It is clear, following Martin’s always remain bigger than departure, that there are time but there are issues beyond O�icial spo�sors of the any individual. We have had a the club’s control that dictate potential conflicts of interest disappointing start to the season timescales and need to be between DFC and the Martin following an excellent opening Gray Football Academy which worked through. Your patience four games in which we picked is appreciated. was established prior to him up ten points from a possible joining the football club. The twelve. During this period, the Finally onto today’s game and MGFA operates in 48 schools starting eleven players remained we welcome the Directors, across the region involving the same and that consistency players and fans from Stockport over 4,000 children and has enabled us to perform at the to Blackwell Meadows and staff employed directly and level we expect. Injuries have wish them a safe journey home indirectly to supply coaching however blighted our season to following the game. This should Call us on 01442 838 195 or visit vanarama.co.uk services. Some of these staff date, but we are seeing players be a competitive affair between are also employed directly or return to the first team squad 2 sides with great history and indirectly by DFC and as such and we are looking at shaping heritage. a potential conflict of interest the squad for the remainder of Please get behind the team now exists. After seeking advice, this season. The play-offs remain and give your support to the it is the Board’s view that all a key target for us to achieve. players as we look forward the CARS INSURANCE FROM VANARAMA DIRECT of the current links to MGFA remainder of the season. must now be reviewed over the The issue of club structure vanarama.co.uk/cars vanaramainsurance.co.uk pickuptrucksdirect.co.uk coming days. We now have the and funding remains a key Enjoy the game opportunity to review the correct challenge for Darlington FC. David Autorama UK Ltd, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7DE who also trades as Vanarama, Vanarama Cars, Vanarama Insurance operating structure that benefits As a fan owned club, external Services and Pickup Trucks Direct are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our FCA Register number is us as a club. investment is difficult without a 482841. As a FCA regulated credit broker we can introduce you to a select group of lenders, details of these lenders are available on request. All products are subject to credit acceptance. Our VAT number is 842814720. Please note calls may be monitored or recorded. SATURDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2017 > 5 WWW.DARLINGTONFOOTBALLCLUB.CO.UK “FOR FANS, FOR FOOTBALL, FOR EVER” Coming to Blackwell Meadows today... Stockport County KEY MOMENTS IN THEIR HISTORY Team: Hinchliffe, Cowan, Hampson, Stephenson, Adam Thomas, Bohan Dixon, • Established in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, before 1890 their name was Ball, Smalley (sub Brazel 73), O’Halloran, Tom Walker changed to Stockport County Thomas, Winter (sub McKenna 68), Dixon, Forwards: Jason Oswell, Matty Warburton • Gained admittance to the Football League in 1900 and returned after spending Stopforth, S Walker. one year outside in 1905. Subs: Downing, Ormson, West, Whitty, Jim Gannon • Twice won the Third Division North in 1922 and 1937, and in 1923, finished above Czubik.