It's quite old from 2007, and possibly outdated.

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It seems as if we are making the FA's decision for them with regard to our starting position.

I am also concerned that people think we can have the ground inspected and make improvements before the season starts. A number of BSP clubs found to their cost that plans to improve facilities are not accepted during an inspection (when they won the league but could not get promoted) and if the ground fails it has probably failed for the current season. You cannot expect the FA to keep coming back and re-inspecting for improvements.

I know that we need some form of agreement with Shildon but we should have made it conditional on the ground passing the inspection.

This rush to get the groundshare sorted may well see us in the Northern League.

We need a definitive answer - is Shildon graded for the Evostik or not.

Because if it isn't, we've badly fucked up.

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The only time you get a reprieve from meeting ground grading rules is on promotion where you get a season to sort it.

Northwich vics found this out when they lost their ground mid season and went to Skelmersdale for a ground share. Whilst Skem could have got promoted to Evo Stik prem with their ground and played in it, Northwich couldn't as they were already in Prem.

So I fully expect us to get no grace from FA or Evo Stik. If its not up to scratch on inspection and isn't before the AGM we wouldn't be allowed to start. That would also mean we wouldn't be able to enter any other league.

Smacks of putting the cart before the horse here.

Do we know if 1883 havent already contacted the relevant people to see if Shildon is actually up to scratch?

Yes they will have, I think that Shildon will be meet the standard (Just).

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Foes List. none, I love everyone me.

Call me a tosser but i am so fuckin happy that we are sharing at Shildon! This is going to to be my most fave season in my whole 30 years of supporting Darlo!

I'm not sure. Tori said to me that the grading hasn't actually been done yet but she envisaged no issues.

The FA will probably be re-inspecting soon after they receive the official lease from us

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QuakerSam ...Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

Five minutes after last week's announcement, it was claimed our target would be to return to the FL in three seasons.

As stupid goes, that was pretty much up there.

Cat C ground grading as of July 2011.

http://www.thefa.com/Leagues/NationalLe ... 202011.pdf



Note, only 3 turnstiles required.

"The ground must be enclosed by a permanent boundary, which will prevent individuals from viewing the game from outside the ground"

Think shed man will have something to say about that!

Only so far you can go though Hilly, when the ground is in the middle of a housing estate

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QuakerSam ...Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

Oh I know, was just a joke!

let's hope there is no complaints from local residents about to much noise and winning football been played on their door step....

in all seriousness maybe reduced rates for Shildon season ticket holders could be a good way of boosting local interest and bums on seats and grow the fan base in the local, bot a massive reduction but a few quid on production of season ticket

I used to live in shildon and attended many matches at dean street and agree the ground needs a bit work doing but am sure they will have enough time to get the required work done not as if a new stand needs building just a bit of landscaping and pointing on walls round the ground and some of the seats in the main stand need replaceing as they are knackered. As goes for pubs theres not many good ones in the town full stop. The Royal george has improved recently and the three tuns is cheap drink but i would advise Darlington fans travelling to Shildon to avoid old shildon club its a dump. The best pub in town is the locomotion its 10 minutes from the ground. And for food theres a couple of rotten pizza shops in the centre but the italian fromally known as anreas is open again under the management of his son and erics fish bar is great value for money. Spice island is good indian too and shildon civic hall is great for meals and live bands

Quite right.

Unless we went to Blyth or Durham, any ground we went to would need re-inspecting, because there isn't a single NL ground thats been used recently for Step 5 football (West Auckland was probably the last?). Given the timescales we would have to agree the share first. You have to have a lease to apply to join a league....theres simply nothing else 1883 could have done at this stage!

Shildon was used in NPL Prem by Bishop, albeit a few years ago. They did have a issues with it but its also had work done on it since then. Cant imagine anything expensive or time consuming being picked up.

The ground issue was correctly identified as vital to sort out and this has been done, as far as I am concerned its good news!

true now they ahve ground they can get into a league. Durham citys ground was not evo-stick standard and needed a new stand yet they were still allowed in. Seems one rule for one club and one rule for another. I think chester city and halifax stayed at there grounds in the northern premier league but they are a dam sight smaller than the arena. Wonder what will happen to the arena, intresting times ahead

Couldn't go to Durham cos the the artificial playing surface.

Is temporary structures out of the question, they could also be used when we find somewhere back in Darlo as we star to build a base back in town

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Smells like a turd,
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1883
4 Numbers
1 Year
1 Club
1 Darlington F.C.

The structures required for ground grading need to be permanent, ie 250 seats for Evostik, 500 for BSP and 1,000 for the league. As an aside, I've got a feeling that the grading is going up/has gone up to 1,000 seats for the BSP and 2,000 for the league.

I think temporary structures can be used other than the permanent minimum requirements though, they can be used to upgrade a stadium.

But, we need to look at say getting a minimum of a 500 seat permanent stand that can later be upgraded to 1,000 or 2,000 seats, temporary structures can come later...

For example, if you have hard standing behind the goal that will take 500, why erect a temporary 500 seat stand in it's place. It would only be worth developing past that if you want a capacity increase say a 1,000+ seat temporary stand or permanent terrace, then cost is the big issue.

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The Echo are quoting a ground capacity of 2500. ffs does anybody know the real figure?
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/ ... on/?ref=mr

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This empty sanitised shell of a stadium, a cathedral to the vanity and narcissism of one man. It’s very difficult to fall in love with football amongst the rows of empty seats. The notion that a stadium has worth beyond its potential commerical value or it’s proximity to transport links – as a spiritual repository of the hopes,fears and agonies of generations of supporters, or as a physical manifestation of the football club in the community, is a dying one in football (Sam Volkman)

Shildons ground looks a bit s***

I think some fans need to get in the real world. We nearly went out of existence and are lucky to still have a club yet people are complaining because we're forced to groundshare somewhere?

Be grateful you still have a club to support and that we've even got somewhere to play our games.

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"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." - Stephen Hawking

So is it fair to assume you won't be gracing us with your presence. Maybe you can get your foot out of your mouth long enough to do something positive instead of merely criticising something that is offering your club a chance to get back on its feet. As an aside, the ground held over 1500 for a vase qtr final a couple of years ago, and there were still some areas that could accomodate more supporters.

ps. As a Shildon supporter, I am looking forward to extending the hospitality to all the genuine Darlo fans who treat this adventure for what it is and wish you the best of luck over the next 12 months.

I can't wait!!
We went for a 'trip out' on bank holiday Monday (as you do!) and yes it wasn't the arena standard with the logos on the soap dispensers but I was glad! Everything we have complained about the arena for we will get at Shildon. atmosphere a plenty, The ' tinshed ' will be bouncing

So what if the toilets are grim

Big umbrella, 2 lots of thermals, a wee before we leave home (or the pub) and we will be fine.

What's the craic with the terracing? Are the standing areas stepped or sloped (or neither)? This could have a large bearing on numbers if a small one is at the back and simply cannot see the action.

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COME ON DARLO!

Well....... The standing area under cover is all on one level although there are a couple of rather interesting steps/terracing strips in front of it, then grass (which could once have been terracing)then path next to the barrier (which I must say will be much more difficult to get over than those at the arena)
Plenty of room, reminded me a bit of the under cover area at Accrington Stanley.

Don't forget the other exciting bits - a crowd on the other side of the pitch, queues to get in and the warmth that a standing crowd gives

The irony is it may well be warmer than the arena. That place used to chill me too my bones, even when the sun was high in the sky!