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Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:08 am
by quakersfan
Anyone know the update on this last thing I heard is that
few designs have been done but it’s all gone quiet. It should really be in place for next season.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:36 am
by Darlo_Pete
The rugby club probably think the temporary flags that can be removed straight after the game are more than adequate. It's embarrassing!! I was talking to a Bradford PA fan on Friday and he said where in the ground or bar does it mention that the place is home to the football club, I had to sadly admit nowhere apart from at the entrance and that evidence is removed straight after the match has finished.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:45 am
by quakersfan
DFC should tell RC if its not up for the new season then the clubs advice is to advise fans not to use it, the loss of revenue would make a sign appear I’m sure. Just a thought but in the meantime see if we can put a marquee up at Blackwell Hotel.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:45 am
by QUAKERMAN2
Pete, they removed the signs from Grange Road at 2 mins to 3 the other week before the match had even started.Could not believe it

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Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 7:09 am
by HarrytheQuaker
Well I left 5 mins early on Friday to catch my train and as I were walking over the back field there were a gang of young (15/16 yrs) yooofs walking towards BM and one yooof said what's going on there and another said its rugby you dick ITS a RUGBY ground!!!! And that really made me chuckle and summed up the place really..

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Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 8:22 am
by theoriginalfatcat
I live twenty miles south of Darlo and the number one question people ask me about DFC is “where do they play now?” - people simply do not know where we are.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 8:34 am
by HarrytheQuaker
Same Question I get asked too

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Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 8:43 am
by Maurice_Peddelty
The signs are removed by the car park volunteer and are removed at that time to ensure they are not left overnight as he has other duties after game

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 9:04 am
by LoidLucan
Given that we have played at 4 venues in the past 16 years it's not surprising that fans, particularly of clubs we haven't played for some considerable time, aren't that clear on where we are now. Lots of these fans don't take any interest in us now we are lower down the pyramid. It's not because of a lack of signage.

Fans at National North level don't know where we are because often there are only about 25 (or fewer) who travel to BM for a match.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 10:15 am
by lifetime darlo fan
This is a total none issue. I do wonder what benefit people feel it achieved when they complain about such insignificant matters.

I stood alongside a neutral fan on Friday who only attended the match as he was visiting family locally. He spoke very highly of our little ground and on a personal level what more do people expect at this stage. If a sign outside the ground is an issue to some people then in my opinion they need to give their heads a shake

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 10:33 am
by Ghost_Of_1883
I wouldn't go as far as to say it's a non-issue. It's only a sign some people say, but it's what the lack of signage represents, rather than the lack of proper signage itself, that is the issue for most.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 11:47 am
by H1987
I’d prefer we worked on getting the ground up to standards, such as working towards a terrace at the empty end.

I was back again on a Friday for the match, and, for all its faults, I still far prefer it to anything we have had since Feethams.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:21 pm
by Darlospike
Two words..."Tin" and "Pot" we are Darlington football club. We've been on some amazing journeys, some not so. One thing that gripes me, lack of respect from the rugby club. It's a fuckin sign, make us feel welcome! To be honest I hate the place.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:11 pm
by Mister e
Nuneaton town share with the rugby club and even though they have been at each others throats there are two separate plaques outside the ground welcoming you to both Nuneaton rugby and football clubs.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 5:27 pm
by Darlo_Pete
I don't like BM either, I'd prefer to be back at HP. It doesn't feel like a football ground, it feels like a rugby ground, where they play football.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:14 pm
by loan_star
Darlo_Pete wrote:
Sun Apr 21, 2019 5:27 pm
I don't like BM either, I'd prefer to be back at HP. It doesn't feel like a football ground, it feels like a rugby ground, where they play football.
Thats because it is a rugby ground where they play football.
And we know what would happen if we went back to HP.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:32 pm
by Beano
Darlo_Pete wrote:I don't like BM either, I'd prefer to be back at HP. It doesn't feel like a football ground, it feels like a rugby ground, where they play football.
Thing is, on match day, it genuinely feels like our ground.

All the neutrals I’ve taken with me this season thought BM was tidy and only lacked height in the stands and banking.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:38 pm
by HarrytheQuaker
Beano wrote:
Darlo_Pete wrote:I don't like BM either, I'd prefer to be back at HP. It doesn't feel like a football ground, it feels like a rugby ground, where they play football.
Thing is, on match day, it genuinely feels like our ground.

All the neutrals I’ve taken with me this season thought BM was tidy and only lacked height in the stands and banking.
One snag it ain't and never will be and I don't want it to be..

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Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:40 pm
by Beano
HarrytheQuaker wrote:
Beano wrote:
Darlo_Pete wrote:I don't like BM either, I'd prefer to be back at HP. It doesn't feel like a football ground, it feels like a rugby ground, where they play football.
Thing is, on match day, it genuinely feels like our ground.

All the neutrals I’ve taken with me this season thought BM was tidy and only lacked height in the stands and banking.
One snag it ain't and never will be and I don't want it to be..

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I look forward to your £20,000,000 donation to secure a brand new ground of our own in the centre of town.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:42 pm
by HarrytheQuaker
Beano wrote:
HarrytheQuaker wrote:
Beano wrote:
Darlo_Pete wrote:I don't like BM either, I'd prefer to be back at HP. It doesn't feel like a football ground, it feels like a rugby ground, where they play football.
Thing is, on match day, it genuinely feels like our ground.

All the neutrals I’ve taken with me this season thought BM was tidy and only lacked height in the stands and banking.
One snag it ain't and never will be and I don't want it to be..

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
I look forward to your £20,000,000 donation to secure a brand new ground of our own in the centre of town.
So do I to get away from the Shi*hole..

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Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:00 am
by H1987
I'm sure there's a direct correlation between those that incessantly moan about Blackwell and those who think moving back into the white elephant is a good idea.

We've worked with, and improved Blackwell since we've been there, and it's a work in progress. Yes, I think the rugby club have been petty about a few things, but then the way some of our fans go on is just as bad.

We can work as fans to make the place feel more like home as well. Paying for signs, flags, banners, working with the club & rugby club to decorate the place on a matchday etc. But... it's simply better than anything else we've had so far. Why would anyone prefer Heritage Park at this point? It had less facilities than we do now - although i take the point about the sight lines from standing which still need work. But we had no branding there at all either. But first and foremost, it wasn't in Darlington, and it was nowhere near any form of transport so you had to drive - and the parking wasn't great either.

You can walk to BM from the town, from the train station, from the pub. It's way better. I've fond memories of Heritage Park, but a lot of them are circumstantial. I dare say our crowds would have dipped significantly over the past couple of years if folks were still having to trail through there. Especially midweek, and combined with poor form. We had to move back, and this is all we could afford.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:32 am
by loan_star
H1987 wrote:
Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:00 am
I'm sure there's a direct correlation between those that incessantly moan about Blackwell and those who think moving back into the white elephant is a good idea.

We've worked with, and improved Blackwell since we've been there, and it's a work in progress. Yes, I think the rugby club have been petty about a few things, but then the way some of our fans go on is just as bad.

We can work as fans to make the place feel more like home as well. Paying for signs, flags, banners, working with the club & rugby club to decorate the place on a matchday etc. But... it's simply better than anything else we've had so far. Why would anyone prefer Heritage Park at this point? It had less facilities than we do now - although i take the point about the sight lines from standing which still need work. But we had no branding there at all either. But first and foremost, it wasn't in Darlington, and it was nowhere near any form of transport so you had to drive - and the parking wasn't great either.

You can walk to BM from the town, from the train station, from the pub. It's way better. I've fond memories of Heritage Park, but a lot of them are circumstantial. I dare say our crowds would have dipped significantly over the past couple of years if folks were still having to trail through there. Especially midweek, and combined with poor form. We had to move back, and this is all we could afford.
:clap: great post

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 12:44 pm
by real_darlo_85
H1987 wrote:
Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:00 am
I'm sure there's a direct correlation between those that incessantly moan about Blackwell and those who think moving back into the white elephant is a good idea.

We've worked with, and improved Blackwell since we've been there, and it's a work in progress. Yes, I think the rugby club have been petty about a few things, but then the way some of our fans go on is just as bad.

We can work as fans to make the place feel more like home as well. Paying for signs, flags, banners, working with the club & rugby club to decorate the place on a matchday etc. But... it's simply better than anything else we've had so far. Why would anyone prefer Heritage Park at this point? It had less facilities than we do now - although i take the point about the sight lines from standing which still need work. But we had no branding there at all either. But first and foremost, it wasn't in Darlington, and it was nowhere near any form of transport so you had to drive - and the parking wasn't great either.

You can walk to BM from the town, from the train station, from the pub. It's way better. I've fond memories of Heritage Park, but a lot of them are circumstantial. I dare say our crowds would have dipped significantly over the past couple of years if folks were still having to trail through there. Especially midweek, and combined with poor form. We had to move back, and this is all we could afford.
There is potential with Blackwell Meadows and it could theoretically be turned into a Feethams mark 2. However, I understand the frustration that some have of the rugby club's pettiness of signage and 'sharing' of facilities, for this partnership to work there has to be a level of give and take. They are taking a fair wedge of what we bring to the table in terms of rent and updating the pitch/stands, so the fact that the facilities are still rugby facilities is petty and too right we should let them know that this is far too one-sided.

If we carry on getting ripped off and a raw deal out of this then the only other option is the arena/proposed sporting hub, if it means our football club gets a better deal. Also to say Blackwell is better accessible to town/transport is folly, as it's about the same distance to the Arena and there are more shops/pubs on Neasham Road than out towards the ground at Blackwell Meadows.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 1:04 pm
by Beano
loan_star wrote:
H1987 wrote:
Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:00 am
I'm sure there's a direct correlation between those that incessantly moan about Blackwell and those who think moving back into the white elephant is a good idea.

We've worked with, and improved Blackwell since we've been there, and it's a work in progress. Yes, I think the rugby club have been petty about a few things, but then the way some of our fans go on is just as bad.

We can work as fans to make the place feel more like home as well. Paying for signs, flags, banners, working with the club & rugby club to decorate the place on a matchday etc. But... it's simply better than anything else we've had so far. Why would anyone prefer Heritage Park at this point? It had less facilities than we do now - although i take the point about the sight lines from standing which still need work. But we had no branding there at all either. But first and foremost, it wasn't in Darlington, and it was nowhere near any form of transport so you had to drive - and the parking wasn't great either.

You can walk to BM from the town, from the train station, from the pub. It's way better. I've fond memories of Heritage Park, but a lot of them are circumstantial. I dare say our crowds would have dipped significantly over the past couple of years if folks were still having to trail through there. Especially midweek, and combined with poor form. We had to move back, and this is all we could afford.
:clap: great post
Seconded.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:03 am
by H1987
real_darlo_85 wrote:
Mon Apr 22, 2019 12:44 pm
H1987 wrote:
Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:00 am
I'm sure there's a direct correlation between those that incessantly moan about Blackwell and those who think moving back into the white elephant is a good idea.

We've worked with, and improved Blackwell since we've been there, and it's a work in progress. Yes, I think the rugby club have been petty about a few things, but then the way some of our fans go on is just as bad.

We can work as fans to make the place feel more like home as well. Paying for signs, flags, banners, working with the club & rugby club to decorate the place on a matchday etc. But... it's simply better than anything else we've had so far. Why would anyone prefer Heritage Park at this point? It had less facilities than we do now - although i take the point about the sight lines from standing which still need work. But we had no branding there at all either. But first and foremost, it wasn't in Darlington, and it was nowhere near any form of transport so you had to drive - and the parking wasn't great either.

You can walk to BM from the town, from the train station, from the pub. It's way better. I've fond memories of Heritage Park, but a lot of them are circumstantial. I dare say our crowds would have dipped significantly over the past couple of years if folks were still having to trail through there. Especially midweek, and combined with poor form. We had to move back, and this is all we could afford.
There is potential with Blackwell Meadows and it could theoretically be turned into a Feethams mark 2. However, I understand the frustration that some have of the rugby club's pettiness of signage and 'sharing' of facilities, for this partnership to work there has to be a level of give and take. They are taking a fair wedge of what we bring to the table in terms of rent and updating the pitch/stands, so the fact that the facilities are still rugby facilities is petty and too right we should let them know that this is far too one-sided.

If we carry on getting ripped off and a raw deal out of this then the only other option is the arena/proposed sporting hub, if it means our football club gets a better deal. Also to say Blackwell is better accessible to town/transport is folly, as it's about the same distance to the Arena and there are more shops/pubs on Neasham Road than out towards the ground at Blackwell Meadows.
It's a much shorter, and also flatter walk from the town. I don't really have the time to drag up the facts from google maps, but i'm fairly certain it's geographically closer to, say, the town clock as the crow flies. I mean, the copper beach is nearby, but one day i'd hope we'll have our own clubhouse.

I totally disagree with, based on what we have been given in terms of details, that we are being ripped off. My only real issue based on the finances is that we shouldn't be giving the rugby club that percentage from sponsorship boards and the like that the football club have secured. They literally do no work for it, and it's placed on infrastructure we paid for. 20% is overly generous.

That's relatively minor though. Just like the sign is minor. I'd like to think, over time, a few more touches will be around as we leave our mark on the place. I'd sooner we work on building a positive relationship rather than snipe from the sidelines at them.

That aside, the Arena would rent wouldn't be cheaper, the sporting village idea is nonsense unless we find a few million quid. We just need to accept and work with what we have.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:25 am
by Darlo_Pete
I don't know why we can't have a proper fixed sign, that doesn't have to be removed. The temporary one's that are there look a bit naff in my opinion.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 12:46 pm
by spen666
H1987 wrote:
Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:03 am
....

I totally disagree with, based on what we have been given in terms of details, that we are being ripped off. My only real issue based on the finances is that we shouldn't be giving the rugby club that percentage from sponsorship boards and the like that the football club have secured. They literally do no work for it, and it's placed on infrastructure we paid for. 20% is overly generous.

....
I am guessing that as DFC only hire the rugby club for the period of and around the game, if there was not a % sharing agreement, then DRFC could insist the boards are removed after every game as DFC have no rights to the facilities outside of those times.

I am guessing the % deal is easier for DFC that the alternative I suggest



PS who pays for the cost of the boards, maintenance etc

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 1:15 pm
by Maurice_Peddelty
A fixed sign is probably not a high priority whilst SV talks are ongoing. Somebody mentioned that fans comment on negative aspects and ignore positive improvements. They recently changed bar q system so is it working better (Darlo Pete?)

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 9:27 pm
by Darlo_Pete
They have changed the bar queuing system, but it hasn't made a significant difference and it is a very small step in changing peoples opinions of BM.

Re: Grange Road Sign

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 1:19 pm
by H1987
spen666 wrote:
Tue Apr 23, 2019 12:46 pm
H1987 wrote:
Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:03 am
....

I totally disagree with, based on what we have been given in terms of details, that we are being ripped off. My only real issue based on the finances is that we shouldn't be giving the rugby club that percentage from sponsorship boards and the like that the football club have secured. They literally do no work for it, and it's placed on infrastructure we paid for. 20% is overly generous.

....
I am guessing that as DFC only hire the rugby club for the period of and around the game, if there was not a % sharing agreement, then DRFC could insist the boards are removed after every game as DFC have no rights to the facilities outside of those times.

I am guessing the % deal is easier for DFC that the alternative I suggest



PS who pays for the cost of the boards, maintenance etc
Well yes, but there's absolutely no one there to look at them otherwise. The sponsorship is there because the football club is there, and is placed on infrastructure that we built. As to the the latter point, we pay for maintenance I believe, and the boards seem to come through a screen printing company who are associated with the football club, so i don't get the sense the Rugby club are involved in any way.

I've no real objection to a token amount, but 20% is high. Also, i can't emphasise enough how minor a gripe this is. Just like bar takes (situation better than Bishop, we actually get something here), and signage (again, better than Bishop, at least we have temporary signage here, as opposed to none)...

The positive changes seem to be constantly overlooked. The food outlets have been tidied up since opening (although imo still need work), the views have improved (club actioned feedback on dugout location, plastic on them etc), the stand has been extended, which imo makes a big difference to the feel of the place and provides adequate seating...

So yeah. I think all of it could do with some elevation. It needs a stand at the empty end. Loads of bits can be made better - but the point is that it *is* getting better, slowly.