Darlington Almost Down and Out

[Barry Izbak]

I feel sorry for Darlo, and the other clubs imploding, but everyone knows the game is entirely responsible for its own calamities with dodgy finances, fiddled taxes,unrealisable assets and profit and loss lines that look more like roller coasters than financial statements. They are businesses at the end of the day and, those that can't make a profit, should, and will, fold. The big difference is that there are supporters involved who quite literally LOVE their clubs so their demise is so much more heartbreaking than if sock shop or woolies go under.

Everyone in Darlingtons position should look at what AFC Wimbledon have achieved, since The Dons went to the wall, and build up again from the bottom.

All good points, but what about if rather than looking at AFC Wimbledon who have a higher average gate than Darlo, they look closer to home at another north east coast club, Scarborough.

It is sad to see them go down the drain.

 

[Storer68]

Should be a salient warning for all those wanting Dick out!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

If Darlo fold in the summer then Chester would be reinstated. Chester are also in difficulty and by going into administration will have points deducted which leads to a scenario where they could fold as well. What happens then ? If the season has already started then L2 will only have 23 clubs and Chester's results will be expunged. If the season hasn't started will the Conference play off finalists both be playing in L2 ?

 

[surrey jim]

If Darlo fold in the summer then Chester would be reinstated. Chester are also in difficulty and by going into administration will have points deducted which leads to a scenario where they could fold as well. What happens then ? If the season has already started then L2 will only have 23 clubs and Chester's results will be expunged. If the season hasn't started will the Conference play off finalists both be playing in L2 ?

If Chester and Darlo fold then I beleive Luton would be reinstated

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

If Chester and Darlo fold then I beleive Luton would be reinstated

Quite correct Jim , a subtle point I overlooked

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

All good points, but what about if rather than looking at AFC Wimbledon who have a higher average gate than Darlo, they look closer to home at another north east coast club, Scarborough.

It is sad to see them go down the drain.

Scarborough are another fine example. The AFCW chairman was on radio london yesterday saying that despite all the heartache of Wimbledon that the rebuilding process had been a fantastic adventure for him and the fans..hopefully their experience will remind football what the game is really all about..that is a sport played by a team that is accessible to the people who support it who play for pride and a sense of self rather than £100k a week and for fans who appreciate success far much more than watching a bunch of foreign mercenaries diving and cheating from an air conditioned sterile seat at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge.

Good luck Darlo.

 

[surrey jim]

1988 FA Cup Semi Final Luton v Wimbledon, Next season that will be a fixture in the Blue Square Premiership.

 

[Alan Gilliver]

1988 FA Cup Semi Final Luton v Wimbledon, Next season that will be a fixture in the Blue Square Premiership.

It also had the lowest FA Cup semi final gate ever

 

[surrey jim]

Things not looking better

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/darlington/8039511.stm

Quakers forced to release players
Darlington's administrators Brackenbury Clark and Company have released the "majority of the first-team squad" from their contracts to cut costs. A statement said the decision was made to extend the life of the business and "allow any potential buyer as much time as possible in order to make an offer".
In a further move to save money the administrators confirmed no interim team manager will be appointed.
Craig Liddle and Neil Maddison will take temporary charge of team affairs.
Earlier this week assistant boss Martin Gray and his colleagues in the club's coaching staff were also released, as were administrative staff.
The Quakers entered administration in February, and have failed in two attempts to find a buyer for the club and the separately-owned assets such as the stadium and surrounding land

 

[wigman]

What ever happened to GEORGE REYNOLDS?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

What ever happened to GEORGE REYNOLDS?

Not his fault, apparently.


FORMER Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds last night denied that the club’s current financial problems were in anyway his fault.

The former safecracker rejected the allegation that the development of a 27,500-seater stadium had been too ambitious and had been a burden to the club.

Speaking from his Durham home, Mr Reynolds said: “Let me tell you something, some people said it was too big.

“But how could they have put an Elton John concert on if it had been small?

“They chuck red herrings and say it was too big, but it wasn’t too big.”

Instead, he said Darlington Council and The Northern Echo were to blame for the club’s problems.

“If they had left me alone and supported me I could have put a concert on there every second month, I could have put on car boot sales on, I could have put computer fares on,” he said.

“I put £37m into the club and all I got was criticised.”

Mr Reynolds’ time in charge ended in December 2003 when the club went into administration, owing the Inland Revenue more than £400,000.

He was subsequently jailed for tax evasion. The businessman claimed that the club’s main problems was that it no longer attracted large crowds.

He said: “When I was there I was getting nearly 7,000 and I was third off the bottom of the league.

“When someone else took over they were getting 2,600.”

Asked if he would ever consider returning to the club, he said: “I’m booming, I’m making mega bucks and I don’t need it.

“Although, there’s a lot of the fans who would welcome me back.”



If ever there was a case for redeveloping parts of the Feethams and investing his money spent in the team... Didn't he try and sign Asprilla? If ever there was a fantasist...

 

[wigman]

Not his fault, apparently.


FORMER Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds last night denied that the club’s current financial problems were in anyway his fault.

The former safecracker rejected the allegation that the development of a 27,500-seater stadium had been too ambitious and had been a burden to the club.

Speaking from his Durham home, Mr Reynolds said: “Let me tell you something, some people said it was too big.

“But how could they have put an Elton John concert on if it had been small?

“They chuck red herrings and say it was too big, but it wasn’t too big.”

Instead, he said Darlington Council and The Northern Echo were to blame for the club’s problems.

“If they had left me alone and supported me I could have put a concert on there every second month, I could have put on car boot sales on, I could have put computer fares on,” he said.

“I put £37m into the club and all I got was criticised.”

Mr Reynolds’ time in charge ended in December 2003 when the club went into administration, owing the Inland Revenue more than £400,000.

He was subsequently jailed for tax evasion. The businessman claimed that the club’s main problems was that it no longer attracted large crowds.

He said: “When I was there I was getting nearly 7,000 and I was third off the bottom of the league.

“When someone else took over they were getting 2,600.”

Asked if he would ever consider returning to the club, he said: “I’m booming, I’m making mega bucks and I don’t need it.

“Although, there’s a lot of the fans who would welcome me back.”



If ever there was a case for redeveloping parts of the Feethams and investing his money spent in the team... Didn't he try and sign Asprilla? If ever there was a fantasist...

Thanks for that mate; its nice to see he hasnt lost his sense of humour!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I am sure the Darlington fans would be beside themselves if they had not been able to host Elton John in their arena. One Elton John concert vs Bankruptcy and starting again in the Hubba Bubba Northern Veterans Division Seven.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Instead, he said Darlington Council and The Northern Echo were to blame for the club’s problems.

“If they had left me alone and supported me I could have put a concert on there every second month, I could have put on car boot sales on, I could have put computer fairs on,” he said.

What he says is true , a football stadium has to bring in additional revenue streams. The stadium was only filled to capacity once with the Elton John concert , another 5 concerts that year would have brought in loads of dosh. Computer fairs and Toy/Hobby fairs also bring in the punters. Likewise with car boot sales every Sunday but Darlo council imposed parking restrictions near the stadium.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

What he says is true , a football stadium has to bring in additional revenue streams. The stadium was only filled to capacity once with the Elton John concert , another 5 concerts that year would have brought in loads of dosh. Computer fairs and Toy/Hobby fairs also bring in the punters. Likewise with car boot sales every Sunday but Darlo council imposed parking restrictions near the stadium.

Should he not have checked that out before building the stadium?! Fair enough that the council are looking out for their citizens.

 

[Gully]

Should be a salient warning for all those wanting Dick out!

I can't see there being big protests at our games either for or against our Chairman...

One set of fans singing "Dick out, Dick out" and the other "we want Dick, we want Dick"...wouldn't happen, would it!!!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Should he not have checked that out before building the stadium?! Fair enough that the council are looking out for their citizens.

He believed he could bring in football fans living in Darlo and the surrounding area to watch them instead of Middlesbrough , Sunderland & Newcastle. The stadium was built outside of the town and difficult to get to using public transport. We can all look back in hindsight and work out where it all went wrong but you dont know at the time that you've made an almighty cock up.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

...but you dont know at the time that you've made an almighty cock up.

You do if you don't consult the local council and various restrictions that will be put in place. A prime example of an ego getting ahead of itself.

 

[Slough Seagull]

He believed he could bring in football fans living in Darlo and the surrounding area to watch them instead of Middlesbrough , Sunderland & Newcastle. The stadium was built outside of the town and difficult to get to using public transport. We can all look back in hindsight and work out where it all went wrong but you dont know at the time that you've made an almighty cock up.

the previous 126 years of Darlington's history may have been a clue as to why it was never going to work...

 

[perseus]

He believed he could bring in football fans living in Darlo and the surrounding area to watch them instead of Middlesbrough , Sunderland & Newcastle. The stadium was built outside of the town and difficult to get to using public transport. We can all look back in hindsight and work out where it all went wrong but you dont know at the time that you've made an almighty cock up.

Might be potential there. If you lived in Darlington would you want to watch the other three teams lose every other week?