The home of DFC

Open now for discussion of all things Darlo!

Moderators: mikkyx, uncovered

Post Reply
User avatar
loan_star
Posts: 7101
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:01 am
Team Supported: Darlington

The home of DFC

Post by loan_star » Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:20 pm

When you consider how much money we have spent upgrading Blackwell Meadows to a decent standard and how they are making money from our fan base, isn't it about time the rugby club let DFC put some signage up to indicate that this is indeed our home too? We haven't even been allowed to put up the "Vanarama Darlington FC" sign either even though the club have one to put up.

And while I'm having a rant, that pitch today was shocking. Do they actually do any work repairing it after playing rugby on it? I would be loathed to spend thousands of pounds relaying the surface if the current groundsman is incapable of looking after it for BOTH sports. It will be wasted money in my opinion.

However the bobbles certainly set the ball up nicely for Phil Turnbulls goal!

al_quaker
Posts: 5942
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:51 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by al_quaker » Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:26 pm

Yep I made a similar point in the match thread. Unless we have completely unreasonable demands about where to put such a sign, then it really is ridiculous we can't have a sign up. Stuff like this really does put doubt into my mind about the long term viability of the ground share. I really hope the relationship improves as time goes on.

User avatar
loan_star
Posts: 7101
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:01 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by loan_star » Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:31 pm

al_quaker wrote:Yep I made a similar point in the match thread. Unless we have completely unreasonable demands about where to put such a sign, then it really is ridiculous we can't have a sign up. Stuff like this really does put doubt into my mind about the long term viability of the ground share. I really hope the relationship improves as time goes on.
So I see! Haven't read that thread since I commented on it.
Apparently there were issues with disabled parking today as well. The rugby club don't want disabled football supporters using the main car park. :?

al_quaker
Posts: 5942
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:51 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by al_quaker » Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:36 pm

loan_star wrote:
al_quaker wrote:Yep I made a similar point in the match thread. Unless we have completely unreasonable demands about where to put such a sign, then it really is ridiculous we can't have a sign up. Stuff like this really does put doubt into my mind about the long term viability of the ground share. I really hope the relationship improves as time goes on.
So I see! Haven't read that thread since I commented on it.
Apparently there were issues with disabled parking today as well. The rugby club don't want disabled football supporters using the main car park. :?
Really?! Didn't know that. That's awful if true. Embarrassing too. Fair enough they will want to keep spaces available for their fans, but I'm sure something could be sorted out for the no doubt handful of fans who need disabled parking.

Some of the things you hear don't quite tally up with the official line about how great and welcoming the rugby club have been...

User avatar
dfc4me
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:03 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by dfc4me » Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:55 pm

Apparently one of the hired stewards tried to tell Glen and Mary they couldn't use the small car park. Think Mary told him what to do!
Also it appears the hired help are trying to be " in charge " by bossing our volunteer stewards around and they are not happy about it. If so this really needs sorting ASAP.

SwansQuaker83
Posts: 696
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 4:46 pm
Team Supported: Swansea (and Darlo of course)

Re: The home of DFC

Post by SwansQuaker83 » Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:13 pm

Who pays for the hired stewards and why do we have them?

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

Re: The home of DFC

Post by HarrytheQuaker » Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:19 pm

SwansQuaker83 wrote:Who pays for the hired stewards and why do we have them?
They do it for free because they love it... Who do you think pays for them I bet it's not the rugby club

jonn
Posts: 170
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2013 2:01 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by jonn » Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:29 pm

As I made my way back to the far car park after the match I came across a woman (in her 70s, I guess) trying to heave her wheelchair-bound husband over a six-inch kerb leading to the slope leading to her vehicle. She would never have managed it without the help of passers-by. She said she was told when they arrived that there was no parking elsewhere for the disabled and no easy access for wheelchairs, etc, to the car park.

This is shameful.

User avatar
mikkyx
Site Admin
Posts: 3741
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:52 pm

Re: The home of DFC

Post by mikkyx » Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:41 pm

SwansQuaker83 wrote:Who pays for the hired stewards and why do we have them?
DFC pays for them because we don't have enough volunteers, I believe.
Darlo Uncovered flux capacitor maintainer-in-chief
Darlo Fans Radio | Official Website

dickdarlington
Posts: 1476
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:12 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by dickdarlington » Sat Jan 14, 2017 11:01 pm

With the proposed return to our rightful name, could it not be that the club is waiting for the start of next season to erect a sign, rather than to fork out twice.

That's assuming everything is above board.

We definitely need a more visible presence though. Both clubs could benefit from some signage on the outside of the ground. One thing at a time though.

shawry
Posts: 2600
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 4:55 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by shawry » Sat Jan 14, 2017 11:11 pm

dickdarlington wrote:With the proposed return to our rightful name, could it not be that the club is waiting for the start of next season to erect a sign, rather than to fork out twice.

That's assuming everything is above board.

We definitely need a more visible presence though. Both clubs could benefit from some signage on the outside of the ground. One thing at a time though.
Well we've been told there is a sign ready to go up, so it can't be that. Plus I'd expect thst any sign that goes up just says Darlington FC anyway.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

super_les_mcjannet
Posts: 5995
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:41 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by super_les_mcjannet » Sat Jan 14, 2017 11:15 pm

dickdarlington wrote:With the proposed return to our rightful name, could it not be that the club is waiting for the start of next season to erect a sign, rather than to fork out twice.
Loan Star has it spot on about the sign, I think the Rugby Club are scared of losing identity or something.

Gow9900
Posts: 351
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:09 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by Gow9900 » Sat Jan 14, 2017 11:28 pm

The lack of signage regarding is playing there is something that I have noticed.

If you walked down to Blackwell on a non match day there is literally nothing that makes it apparent that Darlington Football Club now play there.

Be nice if we could get some signage which not only names us but obviously the rugby club. Don't think our intention has ever been 'to take over', it's a ground share, we know this, any notion of us 'taking over' would be paranoid nonsense in my opinion, but having spent £500,000+ on the development of the shared facility it would be nice if we could have a sign up naming both clubs with the clubs crests on. Because at the moment there is literally nothing.

HarryCharltonsCat
Posts: 1023
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:06 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by HarryCharltonsCat » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:22 am

super_les_mcjannet wrote:
dickdarlington wrote:With the proposed return to our rightful name, could it not be that the club is waiting for the start of next season to erect a sign, rather than to fork out twice.
Loan Star has it spot on about the sign, I think the Rugby Club are scared of losing identity or something.
Yes, because being The Home of Darlington Rugby Club has bèen a big draw to people in the past. Lets be honest, more people have been through their gates in the last three weeks than the previous 10 years. The people intrerested in rugby will still go whether we have a sign up or not. They will not miss out on floating trade, because frankly, for Rugby, there isn't any.

liddle_4_ever
Posts: 858
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:13 am
Team Supported: Darlo
Location: Scotland

The home of DFC

Post by liddle_4_ever » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:45 am

HarryCharltonsCat wrote:
super_les_mcjannet wrote:
dickdarlington wrote:With the proposed return to our rightful name, could it not be that the club is waiting for the start of next season to erect a sign, rather than to fork out twice.
Loan Star has it spot on about the sign, I think the Rugby Club are scared of losing identity or something.
Yes, because being The Home of Darlington Rugby Club has bèen a big draw to people in the past. Lets be honest, more people have been through their gates in the last three weeks than the previous 10 years. The people intrerested in rugby will still go whether we have a sign up or not. They will not miss out on floating trade, because frankly, for Rugby, there isn't any.
There is a passing trade for rugby but admittedly not to the same level as football. Also casual attendees are much more likely to attend a Mowden game as DRFC are truly, truly terrible.
DRFC could attract attendees due to being one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Now is not the time to cry
Now’s the time to find out why
I think you’re the same as me
We’ll see things they’ll never see
Darlo’s going to live forever!

Comfortably_numb
Posts: 2074
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:23 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by Comfortably_numb » Sun Jan 15, 2017 6:57 am

loan_star wrote:When you consider how much money we have spent upgrading Blackwell Meadows to a decent standard and how they are making money from our fan base, isn't it about time the rugby club let DFC put some signage up to indicate that this is indeed our home too? We haven't even been allowed to put up the "Vanarama Darlington FC" sign either even though the club have one to put up.

And while I'm having a rant, that pitch today was shocking. Do they actually do any work repairing it after playing rugby on it? I would be loathed to spend thousands of pounds relaying the surface if the current groundsman is incapable of looking after it for BOTH sports. It will be wasted money in my opinion.

However the bobbles certainly set the ball up nicely for Phil Turnbulls goal!
A rant.....or sign of how far we've come - no pun intended. from the bones of our arse a few years ago to now playing at conf north and back in darlo....having some words on a board must be about number 3 billion on the boards priority list lol.

darlodog
Posts: 92
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:36 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by darlodog » Sun Jan 15, 2017 8:21 am

At the forum disabled car parking was always going to be in the main car park the first two games the approach from the car park wasnt finished and was rough ground its now finished with Tarmac.

Darlo_Pete
Posts: 14080
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sun Jan 15, 2017 8:41 am

Noticed inside the bar yesterday, all the signage including the visual displays was for the rugby club, apart from a pop-up poster near the door. Heard Gloucester fans having a laugh in the bar, saying you wouldn't think a football club was playing their.

User avatar
coles
Posts: 310
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:10 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by coles » Sun Jan 15, 2017 8:49 am

Darlo_Pete wrote:Noticed inside the bar yesterday, all the signage including the visual displays was for the rugby club, apart from a pop-up poster near the door. Heard Gloucester fans having a laugh in the bar, saying you wouldn't think a football club was playing their.
And in that statement lies the problem the apparent lack of signage does not help the football fans feel like it's truly home. I walk to the game and all you see is Rugby signs then you get in the ground and as Pete says it's all Rugby signs.
The next fans forum could be a little feisty I know there are a lot of rumblings amongst the Darlo fans that they are not happy with the way things are panning out at BM. It feels like we are not welcome despite what Mike Wilkinson would have you believe.

loobyloo
Posts: 79
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:31 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by loobyloo » Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:08 am

Having a pint in the bar after the game a few of us commented on the fact the big screen was showing a rugby match. No sign of sky sports or any football results.

SwansQuaker83
Posts: 696
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 4:46 pm
Team Supported: Swansea (and Darlo of course)

Re: The home of DFC

Post by SwansQuaker83 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:51 am

I think despite the positive statements about relationships with DRFC there will inevitably be a territorial battle going on within their club... There seems to be cultural way of thinking amongst egg chasers of a dislike of all things football... Talk to 90% of egg lovers and they'll tell you footballers are diving primadonas and football fans are all thugs... Growing up in Wales the rugby club was always sacred, this move actually would never have happened in Wales at that level of rugby, there'd have been riots for even suggesting it... And I think from what I've read on Twitter regarding comments from a few of their players there is still a disgruntlement about our move... It'd be interesting to see what the initial dynamic was like at the outset... Were we in a position where we needed them more than they needed us? I think that's very likely... But I have a lot of faith in our board and when they see the benefits from our fan base and as we grow and our needs/demands grow with FL/NL requirements our bargaining position will improve.

al_quaker
Posts: 5942
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:51 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by al_quaker » Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:06 am

Comfortably_numb wrote:
A rant.....or sign of how far we've come - no pun intended. from the bones of our arse a few years ago to now playing at conf north and back in darlo....having some words on a board must be about number 3 billion on the boards priority list lol.
Probably is low down on the priority list, but if, as rumoured, we have a sign we want to put up but the rugby club won't let us, then that speaks volumes as to the attitudes we will be facing - attitudes which probably aren't conducive to a harmonious long term relationship

User avatar
dfc4me
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:03 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by dfc4me » Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:20 am

loobyloo wrote:Having a pint in the bar after the game a few of us commented on the fact the big screen was showing a rugby match. No sign of sky sports or any football results.
Presumably once the beer tent/sports bar is up the clubhouse will revert to members only and hopefully the tent will be football orientated.

Emdubya
Posts: 1117
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:31 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by Emdubya » Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:36 am

dfc4me wrote:
loobyloo wrote:Having a pint in the bar after the game a few of us commented on the fact the big screen was showing a rugby match. No sign of sky sports or any football results.
Presumably once the beer tent/sports bar is up the clubhouse will revert to members only and hopefully the tent will be football orientated.
Is the tent still happening?.Now the bar is open to all it must be a doubt.
Unless the tent is ours along with the profits!!!!!.

lo36789
Posts: 10927
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:58 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by lo36789 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 10:38 am

Just meh really. We have a board of volunteers after they manage to resolve some of the critical parts of the matchday operation all people do is raise more and more minor minor gripes.

It's all fed by rumour and it's like people want there to be a problem so they can throw out the term "egg lovers/chasers" and then follow up with supposed derogatory opinions of 'football-folk'.

I can understand why we don't spend time redecorating the clubhouse before and after every game to put up football stuff - so many more important things to do. Remember we are sharing that facility on matchdays with the rugby club also it is not our exclusive facility which we people still don't seem to understand.
Gow9900 wrote:but having spent £500,000+ on the development of the shared facility
Can you claim expenditure by other parties as your spend?

Maybe all this will be resolved but the last week from comms messsges was clearly spent planning how to make the car park clear out quicker - quite an important change. Which I didn't see any complaints about after yesterday.

I am genuinely waiting for the point where the shade of green of the grass comes up.

Yarblockos
Posts: 1040
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:19 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by Yarblockos » Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:11 am

lo36789 wrote:Remember we are sharing that facility on matchdays with the rugby club also it is not our exclusive facility which we people still don't seem to understand.
A shared facility would of course, have no problem with signs saying it was the home of the football and rugby clubs. You don't seem to know what sharing means.

Undercovered
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 1:35 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by Undercovered » Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:23 am

Yarblockos wrote:
lo36789 wrote:Remember we are sharing that facility on matchdays with the rugby club also it is not our exclusive facility which we people still don't seem to understand.
A shared facility would of course, have no problem with signs saying it was the home of the football and rugby clubs. You don't seem to know what sharing means.
I didn't see too much Darlo based memorabilia at Bishop where we were also paying a rental to use the facility. Things will happen gradually over time, we must be patient and stop trying to force things and stamp our feet which will only serve to make things worse.
Image

lo36789
Posts: 10927
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:58 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by lo36789 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:26 am

But it's signs at the end of the day. I am sure if we bought a few pop up things we could throw them out but in terms of priority;
a) it's maybe not what we want to spend money on right now
b) it's definitely not the priority action right now

If the most material gripes about the ground now is signage then they've clearly done a mighty fine job in 3 games of ironing out the things from day 1.

I think the boards priority right now will be prep for the AGM, finalising the fundraising push for the next lot of ground developments.

I struggle to care though - just so low level.

Yarblockos
Posts: 1040
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:19 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by Yarblockos » Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:33 am

Undercovered wrote:
Yarblockos wrote:
lo36789 wrote:Remember we are sharing that facility on matchdays with the rugby club also it is not our exclusive facility which we people still don't seem to understand.
A shared facility would of course, have no problem with signs saying it was the home of the football and rugby clubs. You don't seem to know what sharing means.
I didn't see too much Darlo based memorabilia at Bishop where we were also paying a rental to use the facility. Things will happen gradually over time, we must be patient and stop trying to force things and stamp our feet which will only serve to make things worse.
Bishop was always short term. This is supposed to be our home for at least the next 20 years.

Yarblockos
Posts: 1040
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:19 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: The home of DFC

Post by Yarblockos » Sun Jan 15, 2017 11:36 am

lo36789 wrote:If the most material gripes about the ground now is signage then they've clearly done a mighty fine job in 3 games of ironing out the things from day 1.
Well they are clearly not, but thanks for throwing in such a stupid claim. This is a forum where people express their opinions. Yes, we know its great we have a ground etc. etc.., we don't have to gush with praise on every single thread.

Post Reply