Martin Gray and the team ...

Open now for discussion of all things Darlo!

Moderators: mikkyx, uncovered

Post Reply
User avatar
theoriginalfatcat
Posts: 6719
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Sun Mar 13, 2016 12:34 pm

:clap: :clap:

Martin Gray really has found his feet since December.

Since then we've played 14 games and dropped only 5 points. Comparing that to Blyth's last 14 (dropped 15 points) and Salford's last 14 (dropped 19 points) that's amazing form.

And re Salford, on paper they would seem a big threat as they seemingly have more money for players and a bigger better pool in which to find them, but Gray and his team seem to have outsmarted them by making sure that every new signing is a good one, not only in a footballing way, but how the new players fit in and become part of the unit.

It seems that the higher up the leagues we get ,the more Gray's wealth of experience tells, and whilst the managers of our competitors are striving hard to get somewhere new, Gray's already been there and learnt from his experiences.

I'm impressed by the players discipline too :thumbup: - we had more stupid sendings off when we were a league team.

If we can keep this going and finish top it will be an incredible achievement.
Profile pic ↗️
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!

onewayup
Posts: 2852
Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:02 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by onewayup » Sun Mar 13, 2016 1:22 pm

Darlington fc as a whole stems from a very good foundation laid down when it became a fan owned club under our previous C.E.O.,s which led to martin gray signing a 6year contract.this then allowed the manager to.bring his vast knowledge and experience to put us back on the map,the team spirit and bonding is there for all to see at matches .altogether an excellent club,team ,manager and most of all the fans who wholeheartedly put Darlington f.c. where we are today.a very big well done to everyone involved.now let's get back to Darlington,s Blackwell meadow a.s.a.p and carry on up the ladder to where we used to be and further if possible.together it can be done.

User avatar
divas
Posts: 13213
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:38 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by divas » Sun Mar 13, 2016 1:26 pm

Gary Brown's return has had a huge impact IMO - no coincidence we've picked up since he re-signed

User avatar
QuakerPete
Posts: 1196
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:51 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by QuakerPete » Sun Mar 13, 2016 1:40 pm

onewayup wrote:Darlington fc as a whole stems from a very good foundation laid down when it became a fan owned club under our previous C.E.O.,s which led to martin gray signing a 6year contract.this then allowed the manager to.bring his vast knowledge and experience to put us back on the map,the team spirit and bonding is there for all to see at matches .altogether an excellent club,team ,manager and most of all the fans who wholeheartedly put Darlington f.c. where we are today.a very big well done to everyone involved.now let's get back to Darlington,s Blackwell meadow a.s.a.p and carry on up the ladder to where we used to be and further if possible.together it can be done.
Would be good to have the ground deal signed asap, the end of March deadline for fund-raising is creeping ever nearer

princes town
Posts: 4127
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:14 pm
Team Supported: Darlington/Blackburn

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by princes town » Sun Mar 13, 2016 3:15 pm

divas wrote:Gary Brown's return has had a huge impact IMO - no coincidence we've picked up since he re-signed
I'm not sure I could attribute a single causal explanation. Brown and the superb central partnership of Cartman/Gaskill have made a massive difference no doubt. Nevertheless I wold attribute a great deal to the impact of Turnbull not just because he is a talented player but a massive leader on the pitch. He is by far the best signing Darlo have made since the reformation. His technique and reading of the game is exceptional.

A personal view is the presence of Scott in midfield must also not be under-estimated. He isn't the most subtle player I have ever seen but he does a great defensive job and has actually got a decent eye for a pass. HIs pass for the first goal against Matlock shows what he can do and how efficient he is. Gives us muscle in the centre of midfield and I think his performance away at Ilkeston with 10 men was one of the best solo performances I have seen this season. He is a great foil for Turnbull. I would also say that players like Galbraith and Thompson have had exceptional seasons probably now they are fully fit again.

Fantastic effort all round. To Martin Gray we must give the final plaudits.

User avatar
loan_star
Posts: 7106
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:01 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by loan_star » Sun Mar 13, 2016 4:15 pm

QuakerPete wrote: Would be good to have the ground deal signed asap, the end of March deadline for fund-raising is creeping ever nearer
Some news this week I hear......

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14082
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:05 pm

I also agree that Scott has been a revelation this season and having him in midfield with Turnbull it has provided us with a very solid heart of our team. Gray has flourished as we have gone up the leagues, but I also think that Gregan's influence has been significant, as he has stayed with the club from our re-birth.

lo36789
Posts: 10931
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:58 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by lo36789 » Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:26 pm

Darlo_Pete wrote:I also agree that Scott has been a revelation this season and having him in midfield with Turnbull it has provided us with a very solid heart of our team. Gray has flourished as we have gone up the leagues, but I also think that Gregan's influence has been significant, as he has stayed with the club from our re-birth.
and Brian Atkinson?

User avatar
Robbie Painter
Posts: 2289
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:37 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by Robbie Painter » Sun Mar 13, 2016 7:38 pm

loan_star wrote:
QuakerPete wrote: Would be good to have the ground deal signed asap, the end of March deadline for fund-raising is creeping ever nearer
Some news this week I hear......
Hope it is a definitive deal with rugby club on BM ground share.

The time line is getting very tight.

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14082
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sun Mar 13, 2016 8:22 pm

lo36789 wrote:
Darlo_Pete wrote:I also agree that Scott has been a revelation this season and having him in midfield with Turnbull it has provided us with a very solid heart of our team. Gray has flourished as we have gone up the leagues, but I also think that Gregan's influence has been significant, as he has stayed with the club from our re-birth.
and Brian Atkinson?
Yes I agree but I see Gregan having much more of an input during the games than Atkinson does. Gray has done really well to keep his coaching staff intact, that continuity helps the team.

User avatar
D_F_C
Posts: 2054
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:43 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by D_F_C » Sun Mar 13, 2016 8:37 pm

We correctly give great credit but Atkinson and gregan also deserve our praise. Does gregan still live in Preston? If so the commitment is fantastic

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14082
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sun Mar 13, 2016 8:42 pm

I've heard he lives in Fleetwood, which is even further away and he's always there, whatever day or night we are playing.

User avatar
HarrytheQuaker
Posts: 3148
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:57 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by HarrytheQuaker » Mon Mar 14, 2016 6:46 am

D_F_C wrote:We correctly give great credit but Atkinson and gregan also deserve our praise. Does gregan still live in Preston? If so the commitment is fantastic
Yeah he does still live in Preston

tezza
Posts: 1005
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:25 am
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Darlington
Contact:

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by tezza » Mon Mar 14, 2016 9:07 am

divas wrote:Gary Brown's return has had a huge impact IMO - no coincidence we've picked up since he re-signed
Fully agree: Brought the right spirit to a defence that was struggling. Burgess in particular has blossomed. We will be thinking of player of the season soon and his name will be up there with Turnbull & Cartman 2 off the best signings in the last few years.

princes town
Posts: 4127
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:14 pm
Team Supported: Darlington/Blackburn

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by princes town » Mon Mar 14, 2016 2:11 pm

tezza wrote:
divas wrote:Gary Brown's return has had a huge impact IMO - no coincidence we've picked up since he re-signed
Fully agree: Brought the right spirit to a defence that was struggling. Burgess in particular has blossomed. We will be thinking of player of the season soon and his name will be up there with Turnbull & Cartman 2 off the best signings in the last few years.
Burgess has improved massively.

StevieMardenboro
Posts: 1202
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:18 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by StevieMardenboro » Tue Mar 15, 2016 10:49 am

Very general point about our winning run. I don't get to as many games as I'd like but when I have been we look fitter this season. Anyone else noticed this? Some of the late wins maybe bear this out?
Not sure if this is down to Alan White? We definitely look more and more like a pro/semi pro outfit.

jjljks
Posts: 3015
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:25 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by jjljks » Tue Mar 15, 2016 11:17 am

Yes, particularly noticed it with Thommo who looked back to his quickest in the first half v Ilkeston. Back four seem able to cope with most opposition forward lines, midfielders all have good stamina (although would like to see them running at teams more often) whilst Cartman does a lot of off-the-ball chasing and space creating which Gaskell then exploits to good effect. Thanks to better on-pitch discipline and avoiding yellow / red cards, MG has had the luxury of substituting forwards and 'saving legs', whilst avoiding injuries thus giving some squad players valuable playing experience. Coupling all these factors with a 'never say die' attitude, we have been able to pull back from the brink of defeat and go on to take those late wins as the opposition seems to wilt.
The run-in and spell of 3 games a week, will put our fitness to the test (not to mention playing on that excuse for a pitch at HP). MG has been able to select a consistent side either by luck, or more likely good management, and has had the support of a great back-room team. Even the fans have made a valuable contribution (although would like to hear the drum beating when we are not performing to the best of our ability) and hope that during the run-in, people continue to make the effort to go and show, nay voice, their support. Some of the opposition teams are obviously not used to playing in front of such numbers and can be influenced. The only things we haven't got control of are the inconsistency of refereeing and the weather. Hopefully we can avoid the play-offs and go up as champions as this is now in our own hands, then come back to town in triumph and use the summer to create a decent playing surface at Blackwell.

User avatar
theoriginalfatcat
Posts: 6719
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Tue Mar 15, 2016 12:32 pm

jjljks wrote:The run-in and spell of 3 games a week, will put our fitness to the test (not to mention playing on that excuse for a pitch at HP).
So far our luck this season has been pretty good, with (as said above) player injuries/suspensions, and of course the points deduction thing.

Even the long lay off at H.P had the benefit of allowing arguably our best player to recover from his broken jaw, and from that long lay off we've seemed a better team.

The big question now is how we cope with all these fixtures?

Cope well and promotion could well be ours.
Profile pic ↗️
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!

Neil Johnson
Posts: 1260
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by Neil Johnson » Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:52 pm

Never mind the stats, I think I smell promotion, as it seems........

Darlo can both scrap effectively and box clever.

Class players from our level have been attracted in to us, rather than higher level teams.

The adaptability of the squad and avoidance of knocks with the forwards are other factors.

Many players are at peak performance.

Team spirit is high , with no prima-domas.

Regular football with Darlo's crowds & trophy prospects keeps the players with us.

Comes down to good squad management, team development and effective training.

OTT?

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14082
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by Darlo_Pete » Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:56 pm

Nope I agree with all that.

eddie-rowles
Posts: 484
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 7:51 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Martin Gray and the team ...

Post by eddie-rowles » Thu Mar 17, 2016 5:33 pm

This could be a memorable season, another promotion and a return to Darlington. Momentum is always talked about with a winning mentality, we presently have both; there will be a few more twists and turns but I am feeling positivity from the players. If it does go to plan a few more quality players will be knocking at MG door to join the one North East team moving steadily upwards

Post Reply