That actually does not surprise me Haven't seen him in a while, supposedly he was in Steads the other week buying Champagne for everybody who'd drink with him

Dn1

Bolton away in the league cup (think it was 99). We lost 5-3 if memory serves me right but what a hell of a game.

GR ringing me at work (didn't know how he got my number) and spending an hour not listening to anything I had to say.

Pretty much every game in 99/00 season (except Northampton and Carlisle away)

Last game at Feethams.

Man City at home in FA Cup when City's Andy Morrison tried to spit at me (I may have questioned his parentage after a blatent foul on Preecey) but missed and dribbled on himself.

Last time I saw him was at Bury in the 05/06 season, he also mentioned getting into a bit of a state at Macclesfield that same season.

And to be fair he can take a fair amount of stick, he certainly got ripped on the train going to Bury, also in 03/04!

I remember that day very well, when we got through to Manchester he was doing our head's in so we just ditched him in a pub Ahhh, memories....

Dn1

Scunthorpe away, penultimate game of the L2 title winning season, they score, one fan runs the length of the pitch to taunt us sparking a mini riot, cop got twatted over the barrier the works crazy times

I remember this so well... the stewards had him cornered at one point and then Maddo scored that bizzare goal, and in amongst the fans celebrating he took off again for another 10 mins.

Didn't this guy get thrown out of nearly every game?

Another fond memory I have occurred at Scunthorpe, I believe it was the 01/02 season, last game of the season and we were all in a party mood after securing our League status. I had with me a small inflatable doll which the afore mentioned Andrew Connell had filled up with air horn gas. Right near the end of the game (i was pretty well writ off at this point, having just topped up from the previous nights alcoholic intake in the Mardis Gras - £10 all you can drink ) one of the lads thought it would be funny to burn a hole in the doll with a lighter, and in my drunken haze i grabbed the lighter myself, holding it lit under the doll. The result of this was the doll blowing up in my face and a fireball that nearly removed my eyebrows permanently, though on the plus side I did sober up very quickly following this.

Dn1

It was usually Connell's aim to cause as much controversy as possible, if I remember correctly when he was finally evicted, he went to the shop, bought 8 cans and sat outside the away end until the match had finished

Dn1

After the game I remember there was a huge riot on the hill back up the station. Literally police everywhere and people scrapping each other.

You're well out there Dn1, our visit to Glanford Park in the 01/02 season ended in a 7-1 defeat and Darlo going down to 9 men following a horror show from Paul Alcock!

I think Tommy Taylor refused to let the players come out for the second half at first!

The game you are thinking of was at the end of the 03/04 season.

Well, you knew which game I meant!! lol

Dn1

A bit harsh. He was decent as a player and hamstrung by an interfering chairman as a manager.

I have never posted before but thought this thread was worth a reply to. My favourite memories or supporting Darlington are-

The fact that every time you stood in the tin shed you had your place and no one really stood in it. Mine was front step around about the six yard box.

Mark Sheeran coming on and scoring two against Luton. The game was dead and buried until he came on.

Going to wembley to watch the most one sided game for Darlington and coming away gutted that we got beat.

Every time i got out of the car when i was younger when darlo had got beat my uncle would always remind me to keep the faith.

Watching my first derby game against Hartlepool in the tin shed. Ill always remember that as a teddy monkey that had been hung was thrown from the crowd and hit a poolie player.

Being lucky losers at Villa. That was a great day out Benito Carbone scored a great goal and jumped into john gregorys arms. I hated both of them so will distinctly remember that.

Going to the riverside to watch Darlo come from 2-0 down to win 3-2. I can remember a bloke from Middlesbrough sat behind me saying it was the best game he had ever seen. Maybe a bit over exaggerated but it ewas fantastic to be there.

More recently Millers Goal in the semi final play off. It was just good to see so many dale fans going home sick as pigs. Chriss Brass's own goal was hilarious. And pawel Abbott scored a goal from the edge of the box lobbing a goalie but cant remember who it was against.

Sorry for waffling on but it was good to remember some of the good times watching darlo. Hopefully next season will bring more of these memories

Superb first post. Abbott's lob was part of a 3-2 comeback win against Grimsby

A couple of other moments to mention: The all -star game when we went into admin the first time, the short-lived excitement of believing Asprilla was actually going to sign for us, a st Juste wonder goal away from home against Bristol Rovers? and most randomly my favourite Darlo player Steve Mardenborough's demolition of Shrewsbury away from home, from my memory he won the game for us two seasons on the trot

No doubt he was a decent player, but as a manager, regardless of the circumstance, he left a lot to be desired for, and as for his eye for talent, anybody remember a Mr Kirk Jackson? His post match interviews still ring in my ears to this day.

Dn1

Responding to Torquay's chants of "we want 6" with "we want 1" and "we're gonna win 6-5", still laughing at the end and being applauded by some Torquay fans when leaving the pub after the game.

Getting my photograph taken with Gabbiadini then sitting in the Monkey Hangers end at Victoria Park during a league match as the away end was sold out (I'm surprised that I'm still alive!) then the huge fight that kicked off after that match (I wasnt fighting but was amusing watching it)

Getting hold of a last minute ticket for the Hartlepool away match in the play off semi finals. (far better than watching it on a big screen )

Hartlepools Strodder scoring an own goal

Both Wembley appearances

Drawing 2-2 with leeds at Elland Road and the atmosphere on the train coming back

Rochdale away in the play off semi finals and tearing my hair out during the penalties

Replacing Man U in the FA cup and going to Aston Villa away

Beating Burnley 3-2 at the Riverside

Man City Away

Scarborough away.. cant quite remember the exact card stats but we had about 3 men sent off, about 5-6 yellow cards, One of the worst displays I've seen from a referee!

Feethams

The good

Villa away

3v2 vs burnley at the riverside

random night game jesper hjorth and someone else maybe sheeran scored in stoppage time to scrape a 2-2 draw

the 2nd game vs poolies in the playoffs as soon as the own goal went in absolutly amazing

last day at feethams vs orient

kelties pen at rochdale to make it 3-1 in the playoffs for about 30minutes was sure we were back at wembley

dave mgurks header to grab a point at kiddi away under hodgson the start of the run which kept us up

Followed soon after by the win at huddesfield 2-0 with maddo's freak goal

the bad

maybe 5 or 6 years ago away to macc on the supporters bus loads of traffic got ther 10 min before kick off to be soaked all game and a dire display losing 1-0

poolies 3-0 win at the arena such a big game

barnet away this season great weekend but the game showed everyreason why were going down

chesterfield at home this year- the final nail in the coffin

peterbrough playoff final

Perkins deflected shot looping in the top corner at rochdale

remember that well - was versus shrewsbury and they'd scored to go 2-0 ahead with about 5 mins left, cue jesper hjorth knocking one in more or less from the kick off and glenda completing the fightback in injury time - some wild celebrations that night.....fantastic!

haha thats it just remember we scored the 2nd within a minute of the first and everyone went mad, no idea why that game sticks out in the memory

I forgot about that match till then!

Celebrating goals like complete nutcases in the tin shed.

Jamie shouting ''keeper you're shiiiite'' to every single away keeper.

The D.A.R.L.O song. D Darren Roberts, A Andy Crosby, R Robbie Blake, L Lee Brydon.... Oooo AaaaH Oooo. We are D A R L O

Singing snooker loopy at the Donny steward that looked like Willie Thorne and 'two Willie Thornes, there's only two Willie Thornes...'

Mr Q losing his ear that day in 2005 at the arena, very amusing.

Saying to Mullet/Duffle/Jamm ''Simon Shaw is without doubt the worst player ever to pull on a Darlo shirt.... get him off... he is the weak link in this team....'' 2 seconds later he curled one of the best shots I've ever seen into the top corner at the shed end.

The tubby couple who sit behind the goal at the arena always having full aris cracks on show. An older fella shouting ''you could park a bike in there'' at them.

That night at the arena when we invented the 'He's a puff a puff, he takes it up the chuff, he hates the taste of muff, he's a puff a puff....' song.

Dagenham away last year. Bloke getting bolloked for asking for free burgers after the cockney bird shouted 'fwee burgers'. Paw on the train home, we were all expecting a polish accent and in a massive broad York accent saying 'I was a mile offside like'

''Jesus Christ Ray. We lost little Anthony Peacock the grass was that long''

Putting on Television X freeview 10 minute scramble five years ago and seeing a Darlo fan we knew well knobbing a Brazilian. Put me off watching free porn for life!

Wasn't the Lord of Desire was it?

Dn1

Andy Collett giving the two best goalkeeping displays I've seen in my life - the b*****!!

4-4 away to chester, leading 4-2 going into stoppage time

3-3 away to bristol rovers, the day russell scored and st juste ripped them apart and for the 2nd time that season we through away a 2 goal lead away from home.

The massive cornish pasties at bristol rovers

The Mark Sheeran game

The guy nearly getting killed by the roof at grimsby last season

supporters bus being locked in a compound at cambridge resulting in everyone having to climb over the fence.

2-2 away to lincoln on a new years eve, 2-0 and a man down at half time but pulling it back to 2-2 with tresor kandol scoring after messing up the first chance did his best the miss the rebound too by blasting it into the roof of the net

Everyone singing bring on the geordies as we lead peterbrough 2-0.

Barry conlons attempt to send a ball into orbit from the penalty spot

After she agreed to serve him "free burgers" she asked him if he wanted anything else, he replied "Aye, Four Candles (Fork Handles)", she really wasn't happy but the mile long food queue f***ing loved it.

Same game, the pisshead who no-one knew who was barely conscious in our end, tried to puke in a bin, then nearly fell into said bin, provided Tony Roberts with a good half hour of comedy material before the lad called him a paedo - then at half time he just randomly wandered into the home end.

A few memories from me.

Barry Fry having to walk in front of the tinshed after we'd beaten them and having given him a load of stick about his weight and him applauding and smiling at the Darlo fans.

The Donny keeper taking that goal kick in that storm force wind. The ball went forward and them came backwards for a Darlo corner, without anybody touching the ball after the keeper kicked it.

The minature gallow with an attached monkey thrown down next to the injured poolie player in front if the tinshed. The poolie player and even the ref were laughing.

Great thread. I'd almost forgotten about some of the things posted on here. Sheeran's double was a great one that had slipped my mind. if memory serves, Luton were going for promotion at the time and brought a decent away following.

There are so many but the battering we took at the last game at Boothferry Park and still won 1 nil will always stick in my mind. Down to 10 men aswell? I can't remember but I do recall even the Hull fans laughing when "Who's the fat c*nt in the shorts" being directed at a fut c*nt in shorts standing in the home end. Bearing in mind is was December and freezing, he was asking for it.

Same game different song, sung by a few lads in front of us. "Oh me Ryan, Oh me Ryan, Oh me Ryan Valentine. He's Darlo's only international, Oh me Ryan Valentine" You probably had to be there but at the time it was quality!

7-3 v Colchester
Wainwrights goal against York at the Arena in the first season
Almost getting Hypothermia away at Barnet in 2001 as we got hammered 3-0
Scarborough away when we had countless numbers of players sent off.
Peterborough away just before the last playoffs.
Hornchurch in the cup. I had tonsilitis and it was possibly the worst 90 mins of my life.
'Uddersfield away with the wind and rain and Maddo's goal.
DeVos up front at the Scum.
McClellands leg break at the Scum.
The 95 Cup massacre against the Scum
Strodder.
Scunthorpe in 1996
Donny away when Reynolds turned up.
Bury and Chester in 1996
Rochdale...repeatedly.
The 3-2 at the Riverside.
Being destroyed at Fulham.
And the one I can't remember fully due to severe amounts of alcohol. Brentford away 2007 but i know it was a brilliant day out.

Colchester away in 97, won 3-0, on the way back we passed the team coach on the A1 and were standing out of the sunroof cheering and waving at the players!
Northampton away in 99, trying to find the village I was born in 8 miles outside of town, with no map and before sat navs, had only been there once since 1973. Gave up in the end!
Lincoln at home in 96-97, scored something like 3 goals during a 15 minute blizzard and won 5-2.
Brentford away in 2007, first time I'd seen us win in London (2-0). And I won £600 on 2 bets that day.
Carlisle away in 1996-97, singing "Michael Knighton talks to aliens" in reference to his claim of seeing UFOs.