I hate you MKDarlo !
Do you like making a grown man cry? In the middle of a busy office and trying to work.

That was the most unbelievable post - thank you!
Every Darlo fan needs to send this link to anybody they know who likes football.
After asking my wife to read it - she told me that I have to go on Saturday.
So I WILL be making the 700 mile round trip (from Crawley) and I WILL sing my heart out for the whole game - I promise!

I love you Darlo!

What a fantastic post – I feel the need to come on and say how sad I am to see Darlington on the verge of collapse.

I lived at Catterick Garrison when I was 5-6 years old, my dad wasin the army and a Green Howard (Yorkshire Regiment). Middlesbrough had very close links with the Green Howards at the time (1989,90) so we used to go to Ayresome Park each week to watch Boro. However when they were playing away, and being one of 3 small boys who loved football, my mum would take us down to Feethams to watch Darlo.

Being a Norfolk boy, I have to confess im a Norwich fan, but Middlesbrough and Darlington are very close to my hart, and I will never forget my afternoons standing in the tin shed end behind the goal cheering on Darlington, I still have all the programs.

I wish you all the best on Saturday and if I wasn’t away then I would do my best to make it to Barrow.

Good luck and lets all hope to see you back in the football league soon!!

This is also on Wycombe Wanderers messageboard - http://www.gasroom.co.uk

I've always had a soft spot for Darlo, fantastic post - I just hope that something or someone can save the club. Best wishes, and I'd be at Barrow had I not already got tickets for WBA v Cardiff

Hi guys, Rangers supporter from Scotland.

One of STV's reporters posted this on Twitter, couldn't not come on and say what an inspirational read that was.

As a Scottish football fan I know fine well what it's like seeing a club facing extinction - Gretna climbed their way to the SPL from the 3rd division in a few years and reached a cup final and went out of business.

I sincerely hope Darlington survive this, and wish you guys all the best in your game against Barrow at the weekend. The most inspirational thing i've read on a forum for years.

Best of luck guys, I hope you pull through.

The power of social media.....

Cardiff Fan and Terrace Culture clothing line here.

This post is what it's all about and anyone questioning why we do it to ourselves every Saturday afternoon should read this!

MKDarlo, like you said, the tough times make the good times sweeter. With such passionate and caring fans behind the club, there's no way that this will be the end for Darlo!

I've put this post on my Facebook page to hopefully drum up some support:

http://www.facebook.com/wearethe12thman

If anyone from Darlo would like me to design some T-Shirts to help raise some cash for the club, please get in touch!

Bury fan here,
After reading that post, it really sums up what it means to be a football fan, as you may know, we were very close to going into liquidisation a few years ago, and I truly hope you find the money and keep going. Even if god forbid, you do go under, Darlo FC will live long in the memory of football fans nationwide. I really wish I didn't have plans for Saturday or else I'd be at Barrow cheering you lads on! All the best, and keep the faith. UTS!

Where to start ??

Reading the OP just brings a lump to the throat and a tear to the eye, for Darlington read Stockport or Plymouth, worse still Chester or Halifax but just reading the posts from fans around the country and you realise it could be just about any one of 60 or 70 clubs throughout the land, my club Southend has been close to the edge on more than one occassion in recent times but we're assured our future will be secured once we get our new ground built .. err excuse me but don't Darlo have just about the best stadium outside the Premier$hite or Championship ??

I feel for you Darlo fans, fight to the end lads and lasses .. you might just turn it around but if you can't then shed your tears, grieve as you must, but then fight fight and fight some more .. look at Wimbledon, Aldershot Chester and Halifax, as long as you have Darlington FC in your veins and your hearts you will continue

I've sent a small donation .. i hope many others do the same and the administrators of these gifts are able to put them to the best possible use

What a wonderful piece of writing! Best of luck to you, as you might know we were in administration but were luckily bought, I hope the same happens to you!

Fucking amazing post. Sat in work with a tear in my eye.

Darlington FC TILL I DIE.

_________________
https://twitter.com/#!/AndrewParkk


Darlington Football Club: The Club That Couldn't Die.
Bought By The Fans;
For The Fans!

Greenock Morton (Scottish 1st division) fan here,

Just had to come on here and post my heartfelt thoughts for Darlington and their fans.

As a Morton fan, we've been through some tough times when our former owner decided to asset strip us and try to put us out of business. ( A man so deluded that he threatened to " close down the internet " because of what fans were saying about him on it, i mean how do you deal with someone like that? :p )

Anyway we were hours away from going out of business, with little to no hope, before at the last minute our current owner saved the club and we're still going just now, and hopefully for future generations.

No matter how low it gets, or how little hope is left, always cling onto the fact that there is always a chance, no matter how small or far away it seems that someone or something will come along and save the day, just like what happened with us.

I'll be with you in spirit on saturday, and have donated £20 to your player fund. I must admit, that with all the clubs who have entered administration and been in trouble in Britain over the years i have somewhat shamefully never donated to their cause aside from a couple of quid into buckets at games etc, but the opening post in this thread encaptulated everything i felt at that time, and everything i feel about my club just now so i couldn't not donate to your cause after reading that.

Good luck from Scotland, and i hope everything turns out well.

Man City fan here, wishing you all the best for Saturday and the future. Sing your hearts out.

Best of luck to a great set of fans and a great club. I'm sure it will be an epic day at Barrow and you will do the club proud.

Stevenage (Boro) fan

Palace supporter here.

Saw the OP from a link off of our own message board. It's absolutely brilliant and truly sums up what it is to be a football fan. I remember June 1, 2010 like it was yesterday (day Palace were saved) and I know all too well what Darlo fans feel right now.

Be loud, be proud, and never forget Saturday. And if I could go, I would.

Football needs clubs and fans like you lot.

All the best.

Shelbourne Fan here (Irish Premier Division)

This post encompasses all a football fan is. I always feel sorry for barstoolers, especially Irish premier league fans who ignore and rubbish the football played on their doorstep, they'll never understand what its like to love a club the way we do. They'll never feel the heartbreak and joy to the same level as us.

In our league clubs go out of business year in year out. Since 2000 seven teams have gone out of business in the League of Ireland and there's always that threat there looming over teams. We understand exactly what you guys are going through. Solidarity with Darlington from this Shels Fan and much love. Darlo Abú sing your hearts out on Saturday and all the best for the future.

Go n-éirí an bóthar libh. Slán.

P.S. Sorry for Steve Staunton.

Arsenal fan here

touching post - shows true spirit of a true football supporter!! Our clubs may be miles apart but us gooners still care as do all true footballing fans

i wish Darlo the best at barrow and really hope you lot survive to tell the tale of the time "Darlington nearly went bust".

Good luck

Have contacted FourFourTwo, Football365 and The Guardian (via The Fiver) to see if we can get yet more people to see this.

The support we've had from the wider football community has, I've said it already, been magnificent.

_________________
Mikky - http://twitter.com/mikkyx
Next Darlo Quiz - 30th May, Dolphin Centre, 8pm
Jackpot Question: £175

Altrincham fan here.

A simply stunning post summing up what football is all about outside the megastore world of corporate nonsense.

I wish you every success.

5 Live breakfast would like to speak to MKDarlo.

neilsmallburn Neil Smallburn
@MKDarlo Neil from Five live breakfast here - tweet me back we'd love to talk to you on our programme

_________________
Robbie Painter - http://twitter.com/RobbiePainter

Marske United fan here, and i must say that is one of the most beautiful, and heart stopping things i have ever read and congrats MK Darlo, it truly shows that no matter what club you support everybody is united in the world of football. I posted this on the Marske forumhttp://theseasiders.webs.com/apps/blog/show/11425643-darlington-admin-in-the-eyes-of-a-fan with a link back here so everybody there can take a look at this astonishing piece of writing. I hope you guys make it through this and i guarentee i will be listening to every second of this match on Tees.

_________________
http://backmarkers.webs.com/teams

Cardiff City fan here.
So glad to see genuine football fans supporting their club, could have so easily become an armchair fan of United, Chelsea etc.
Wish I could join you at Barrow on Saturday, but I've bought tickets to go to West Brom, but i'm sure you'll all sing your hearts out for the club, please do!
Lets hope for a Bluebirds win, and lets hope Darlo get the same!

This is how the Arab spring started...

The Darlo winter...

P.S thought the post was terrific, but the reaction is incredible!

Trust needs a target of at least 500 members this month and I hope they'll be handing out applications at the match.... Let's seize the moment... Let's get that trust warchest to 100k from 50k....

Another Rochdale fan here,
What a post! Everyone at dale is fully behind your cause and we wish you the best of luck! It doesnt seem two minutes since we played you in the play offs and what a game that final leg was! It was a real shame to see you get knocked out and the following you brought to Spotland should be an inspiration for everyone to attend the barrow match!
Once again, fantastic thread and full respect from the Dale!

there was a link on here, but I can't find it ,we need to join again so hopefully they will be visible at Barrow

Forest Green Rovers fan here.

Somebody kindly posted a link to this thread on our forum.

As a club who have themselves flirted with oblivion over the last couple of seasons, until additions to the board stabilised our situation, I can empathise with the situation you find yourselves in. It isn't one I would wish on even my worst enemy.

As football fans we don't ask for much, just a team to follow week after week, if we win something then that is an unexpected bonus. It is sad that some of the people running the game are not in any way fit for purpose, that goes not just for individual clubs but all the way up to the higher echelons of governing bodies. I sincerely hope that this is not the death knell for your club, that salvation appears over the horizon before it is too late.

Keep the faith.

Foggy

Jamie - most of the Darlo fans are aware of the problems we had at Cappielow and indeed were very helpful. I hope they can get through all of this. I was in Darlington last week for the first time in a while and accidentally drove past the stadium. Couldn't believe how far out of the town and remote it is.

Anyways - for all you Darlo fans who might remember ....... http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2000/11/04/The+North+East+Archive/7126441.Billy_s_bubble_bursts_north_of_the_border/

Livingston supporter here.

Not an easy place to be in, my club almost went to the wall twice - but thankfully survived. An absolutely fantastic post from the OP which has managed to find its way all over the net, all of the supporters of Livingston FC can relate to the situation that this club unfortunately finds itself in, and will certainly be looking out for your result on Saturday and hopefully beyond then!

All the very best of luck and never stop believing!

bradford city fan here

as a fan who has had to collect money for his team in times of financial trouble i whole heartedly hope you pull through this. don't give up because theres always hope.

the original post is absoloutely brilliant and has been linked to the official bradford message board.

good luck on saturday lads.

Kettering Town fan here,

Very sad to hear this news, possibly the best post I've ever seen on a forum, ever. I hope for everyone at Darlingtons sake that saturday isn't the last match you ever play. English football wouldn't be the same without Darlington FC competing.

Good luck,
From a fan who's supporting a club struggling with similar problems at the moment

All the best to Darlington, hope to be playing you on the last game of the season

Very good post and good luck to all

WOW, nearly 32,000 views - amazing