Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;

[HOWZY]

as a swansea supporter i have been where you are 8yrs ago we were one game away from going out of the league without a pot to piss in , but because of people who loved the club giving a monkeys we fought back . who knows in a few yrs you might be premier league , all the very best to proper supporters ,never give up

[Beaverchops]

Hey a Glasgow rangers fan here, come in peace.

Just had to register after reading that fantastic post by the op. It brought a lump to my throat and to be honest made me want to be with u all. I hope u survive and come back stronger. We have our own financial problems and goes to show it can effect any team.

All the best for Saturday! Long my u survive!!!!!

[PrawnSandwich]

Bristol City fan here.

Posts like that are what football is all about. Maybe one day the FA wll do something worthwhile like imposing ownership and financial criteria over football clubs.

As founder member of football clubs close to extinction we know how it feels. In 1982 we travelled across the bridge to Newport thinking it was the last time we would ever see our team play.

You know the rest, hope it works out the same for Darlington.

[Windsor FC]

Without doubt, one of the very best forum openers I have ever seen. What was posted is the true spirit and meaning of football.

I remember watching Reading get a 0-0 draw at Feethams in 1986 to gain promotion to what was then Division 2. I now follow Windsor FC in Step 5 of the non league pyramid. We were founded in February this year after the demise of Windsor & Eton FC. We are on our way back. Wishing you all the very best for Saturday and the future thereafter.

[100milesaway]

My heart goes out to you and your club. In a age of £250,000 a week wages of top players, Its bordering on criminal that clubs like darlo should be in such a mess, and the clubs fans left wondering if there will be a tomorrow. Many fans of lower league clubs have had to suffer as you are, and as usual it is left to the hard core of the fan base to try and salvage something from the ashes. I do hope that the rest of football is aware of your plight, and as happened many times before rallies round your club in its hour of need, and proves that your passion, love and caring for YOUR towns football team is well worth fighting for. good luck

[palacekev]

Palace Fan here.

Moved by your post; sums up what Football should be all about.
Good Luck on Saturday - and in the future.

Darlington will not die......

[Scfc]

I'm a Stockport County fan and Darlington was my first ever away match in 1988 (I think) sorry to say we beat you 4 -1. I'm absolutely gutted for you and I know all us county fans feel the same. What's happening to us smaller clubs is just terrible. These premiership clubs don't give a damn about the history of these clubs and the lives they effect. I hope that somehow you can rebuild your beloved club, I do believe that if the fans are still there then you'll always have a club, no matter what level they are playing at. We could easily be next. Fingers crossed for some sort of miracle.

[darlo_baron]

Cannot believe the reaction here. Absolutely stunning post MK, I've broken down in front of me mam. Cheers.

[bazinoz]

Gills Fan here (in Australia - news travels)

Saw this thread on the gills365 site
http://gillingham.clubfans.co.uk/forums ... g23729#new

Brilliant posting. Sums up what all our respective football teams mean to us.
To think that a months wages of one Premier League 'star' could probably save Darlo and most other teams that are/were/will be close to going under.

It was us in 1995 and we were saved by the skin of our teeth. But I still get the feeling we are always just a few months away from it happening again.

Best of luck guys. Full voices on Saturday.

[fernandes]

Bristol City season ticket holder and Benfica & Portugal fan from birth. Stayed in Darlo a bunch of times when working at Orange around when the new stadium opened. Lovely town and nice people. Crying shame what is happening and not what football is about.

Everything the Premiership does is not football. Football is a sport played by people who actually believe in the shirt they pull on and watched and supported by their local people in the flesh, not on television. Darlington in this moment exude what football IS about.

I hope some people who make a fortune from this game, leeching off the plastic soulless fans around the country buying meaningless shirts and even more meaningless causes, man up and put the money behind a club trying to carry on a simple vital local tradition.

Let the football leeches sit on their hands until they're the ones in need: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came

p.s. where is Steve Mardenborough?

[fleetwoodseasider]

Blackpool fan here, I'm sure I speak for all true Seasiders and wish everyone one of you the best of luck in the comming days,weeks,then months, hopefullly years.
This time next year I hope you are all saying "wow, that was close".

I hope the OP doesn't mind but I have copied the post onto the Footballgroundguide forum page.
Good luck from us all on the Fylde coast

[acciesfan]

Hamilton Accies fan here. I posted the link on the Accies site, the more people know about this the better. Some great responses so far on here, not much to add except to wish you all well and if the worst comes to the worst, I hope you will look to do a Wimbledon or even a Halifax. Made a small donation. Hope some Premiership footballers are moved/shamed into donating some of their riches.

I think the Barrow treasurer must be beside himself with glee!

[Snookmeister]

Latics fan here. Having been in a similar position ourselves ( as have many of the fans of other clubs who have posted on this thread) I know how heartbreaking it is to wonder if you're going to have a team to support in a few weeks time. Judging by the overwhelming reaction you've received over the last couple of days, I'd say most real footy fans are right behind you.

I'd just like to echo the sentiments of everyone else and wish you nothing but the best of luck. I'd love to join you all on the terraces at Barrow for good old sing-song, I'd imagine the atmosphere will be awesome - there's nothing like a lower-league away day!!!

A fantastic heartfelt OP and just shows that there are some real fans left in football.

Everything crossed for Saturday and beyond.

OWTB

P.S. Somebody had better tell Barrow to get some more pies in for the game!!!!

[realmadrid]

St Johnstone fan here and like the member above I have posted a link onto our club forum and hope this helps.

I have followed your results for the last 12 years after my sister and brother in law moved to Darlington for a few years. I regret never getting to a game before the moved and only managing a tour of the ground and buying some items from your old club shop

Good luck on Saturday and where ever you go after this.

[PNEFC]

This was posted on a PNE forum and what a top class post it was.

Every credit MKD, you had a tear in my eye.

All the best for the future Darlington FC, I really hope you get out of this mess.

[leedstownfan]

I was so moved by the OP.

As some of you will remember, I've lurked on here occasionally for a few years and posted now and again. I've been following news on this site for the last few days and can't believe you're in this position again. What amazing real football supporters you all are.
You deserve a future and I really hope some sort of miracle occurs for your club.

[crabbycanary]

WOW! Can't really add to what has been said by all the others on here.
Reading that made complete sense to me, as a long time Norwich fan, but never in a month of Sundays could I have put it so elequently as that, OP. The passion, the meaning of my Club, the effect it has on me until the day I leave this Planet, it's part of me and my soul, but I never felt it was possible to put into words to explain it all to a 'non-footballing' person, but in the future, I will get them to read this!

All the best to Darlington FC and all its fans

Can someone please ask all the Premier League players for 1 hours worth of their wages?

[Cameraman]

As a Darlington fan of many years I would like to thank all who have replied to this thread agreed it is one in a million lets keep the faith go on saturday with our heads held high.
Thanks to all .
Darlo will live on .

[portlandafc]

Really hope your team survive. Made a small donation, really hope it helps. All the best for whatever the future holds.

[thetty65]

There is nothing i can say that hasn't already been said but I can wish you all at Darlington fc the very best of luck for the future and assure you that every genuine football fan the length and breadth of Britain will be behind you this weekend. Good luck guys from us here in Norfolk.

[Shamrock Rovers]

Shamrock Rovers here. One of the greatest posts I have seen on the internet. We too have been up s*** creek but we came back stronger and look at us now. While I'm not saying you will be in the Europa League anytime soon, it shows that hard work, commitment and passion for your club can go a long way in football. YOU WILL BE BACK! GOOD LUCK!

[MKDarlo]

.I would just like to say that I have been amazed, staggered and not a little moved by the overwhelming response to this thread. I never, for one moment, expected things to turn out like this.

I wrote the thread to try and rally people for the game on Saturday and maybe persuade a few more to make the journey over. I dodnt think I could afford the game and had said my goodbyes at the Cambridge game. Then I started to think about what DFC meant to me and felt I couldn’t sit back and miss this one. I thought there might be others out there in the same boat and perhaps others needed a little prod! I wanted to express what the club meant to me, what to meant to support the club, how we all came to be stood on that terrace at Feethams or in the seats at the Arena, how we felt during the bad times (and also the good) and how we might not see the like again.

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect things to go so insane! First there was a wave of Darlo fans, then a few fans from other clubs and now people from all over the world have been looking at this thread and finding it through Twitter and Facebook and other boards.

The thread has had almost 45000 views and 7 pages of comments. To put that in context two seasons worth of Darlo home gates have looked at this thread in 24 hours (ish!) That is simply amazing. I thought at one point the server had crashed and I would be in trouble with the owners! (I hope you didn’t have a limit on your hits!)

The thread has now been picked up by various media outlets, local and national, which has really knocked me for 6! Loads of people have retweeted it, posted links on facebook and it is running on football and non football boards all over the country!

THEN people have clicked onto the board and handed over money! People with no connection to this football club, people who have never seen us play, never been near Darlo, and live hundreds of miles away but who have felt it appropriate to hand their hard earned over cash to us. I am staggered that a small club on its uppers could move people so much.

It is one thing for Darlo supporter to contribute, something else entirely for a fan of Norwich or Wycombe or Hamilton and the rest to hand over their cash. I am staggered and so very grateful that you all felt you could spare us some of your time and money - Thank you!

Please continue to read, comment, repost, retweet, rebroadcast, repost and if you can contribute. This has shown what football means not only to us but to 1000's of other fans. It shows you what the "little" clubs are all about and that there is still something good about football and that there is a family of football fans out there who will stand with you when the chips are down,

From the bottom of my heart

THANK YOU!
#youaremydarlo

[ScunnyJambo]

Bloody hell! Best post I think I have ever read on a forum anywhere about any team or topic! My club (Hearts) is going through all manner of cr@p at the moment but we ain't yet (quite!) where you guys are at present. Amazed at all the publicity generated in one day and it shows what fan power can do. Hats off to MKDarlo for starting the ball rolling - someone has to do it but often no-one steps up to the plate. Am now on a mission to persuade wife and kids (all girls!) to make the trip from Scunny to Barrow on Saturday to support you guys! Even if we don't make it I hope to hell you guys do...

All the very best!

Scunny Jambo

ps forgot to mention I have used my various social media guises to publicise your cause!

[Fat Pete]

Another Palace fan here and like everyone else who has posted I just wanted to say what an absolutely fantastic opening post and also to pass on my best wishes that a happy ending can be found to ease your current woes.

I admit a big part of this is selfish as I have wanted to see Palace play at Darlington for many years. While it was great seeing our little club win at Old Trafford a few weeks ago some of my favourite memories of following Palace over the last 30 years have been at the likes of Grimsby, Oldham, Wrexham etc etc. Proper clubs, with proper fans just like Darlington.

I saw you play at Aldershot many years ago (4-3/3-4??), and have stood on Darlington station many times waiting to change for Boro but so far have never been to your ground. I sincerely hope that will change in the future but taking off my selfish hat I hope more that there is a Darlington FC to dream of visiting even if I never see Palace play there.

The closest I ever got to Feethams was when I suggested going there to a girl I was visiting from Eaglescliffe, who I had met after going to Boro. She thought I was joking and suggested we have sex instead, I'm sure we both look back and feel we came to the wrong decision!!

Seriously good luck for Saturday and for whatever lies ahead.

[funksoul]

dunno where my post went so il repeat.
im so awestruck by the power of that piece that it meant so much to so many across uk and the world, i wanna thank mk for writing it and thank everyone worldwide for helping the cause. i hope no club goes through what we have over the last ten years or so and up to now. but its good to see that asa footballing community we can do so much together, even tho people outside of football see us as thugs and thickos. look what we can do when we come together. once again thanks everyone for helping spread the word and/or donating

[Free_Transfer]

James Vincent McMorrow - Higher Love...

[CSJambo]

I don't have much to say, except thank you for MKDarlo for putting in words exactly what it is to be a football fan and what it is like to be a football fan. And getting football fans working together for one team.
For you to watch Darlington suffer being in administration 3 times in 10 years must be horrendous.
So all I'll say now is good luck and hope you beat Barrow and that going forward you survive in some shape or form.

[BuryFC]

Another Bury fan here, superb OP and I can only echo what others have said on this topic. Always sad to see a football club in the situation that Darlo are in right now.

Looked into travelling up to Barrow on saturday in my Bury colours, and strangely enough I also attended Accrington Stanley Vs. Darlington (2-1 Stanley?) 2 and a bit years ago to help Stanley when they were on the brink.

If I'm unable to make it I wish all you Darlo fan the best of luck on saturday and in the future, I'm sure every other shakers fan along with myself hope that something happens at the 11th hour for you lads.

[patrick_cfc]

Chelsea fan here, in peace,

I'm not sure if my comments are welcome, considering I support the club that really started this "modern football" madness, but MKDarlo's post moved me so much, that I had to post something. Obviously our clubs are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum financially, so it is silly for me to say I know what you are going through. I have posted this on to one Chelsea forum, and will be posting it on another very shortly. The message that I conveyed on the CFC forums is simple, and one that I think resonates with everyone, what if it was my club? However, in the face of adversity, the strength that your supporters are showing is amazing, it truly left me with tears in my eyes. Everyone here has had similar sentiments to mine, this is what football is all about, in the world of 50m+ transfers and 120,000k a week wages, this post has brought me back to reality.

The days ahead will be tough for you guys, no doubt, but after reading through all 200+ posts on this thread, I am certain of one thing, although the club may disappear, its spirit will never die.

All the best, I truly hope someone saves your club; with supporters like this, you certainly deserve it.

-Patrick

[Sligo Rovers Fan]

Sligo Rovers supporter here (Ireland)

That opening post was really touching, Darlo fans must be going through such a difficult time so i hope the small contirbution made helps in some small way. I would love to be standing with ye on Saturday as part of the football community. I hope the people of Darlington realise the town needs it's football club as it's part of it's identity. Keep the fight going and never give in and you will survive. I know all Rovers fans will wish you luck

All the best from a fellow football fan.

Darlington FC - Forever