.. as to just how much the FA has shafted us.
Trawling through the NLP it took for ever to get to Step 5, and this is with their enhanced reporting of the lower echelons. Nothing whatsoever against the ENL, but my goodness it is so important that our time here is for one season only.
Tuesdays attendance will be a better indicator of how things will pan out and although we should easily double the seemingly average of 450 that turn up for BSN games and quadruple those of the Evo-Stick it is vitally important we go up at the first attempt.
My worry is that if we dont the good old Darlington apathy will kick in and that is a downward spiral we want no part of.
By the by hasn't Tommy Wright lost a bit of beef? Seems the lamb of Tamworth is better for you than the pie of Darlo.

Yeah, I got that Non League Paper too. It's a pretty good read actually but, my God, when you look at all the teams "above" us in the pyramid, its pretty depressing really, especially when most are in oversized villages at best.

It does make you realise though, the strength of this Northern League. One write up was about the chairman of Bridlington Town (like us at step 5 - NE Counties) who was complaining and saying that by comparison to other step 5 teams the Northern League status should be reviewed because they pay similar wages to the Evo Stick Premier and get the best players as a result. Thats why his team (and others at this level) never progress in cups because they always play Northern League teams ... ha ha.

Get a feeling that when we get out of this League, the next two will see us progress rapidly in a similar way to Halifax, Bradford PA and Chester. Let’s just hope it’s this season though!

Yes, it's all about getting out of the Northern League 1st time.

Once that's been done we shouldn't get stuck in the Evostick leagues

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Mr Singh said this " I'm not expecting to get back any of the money I've already put in, I'm prepared to write it off for the future of the club. I'm not hanging in to make any kind of financial gain in the short or long term - if someone was prepared to come in and take the club off my hands, I'd be more than willing to discuss it"

Tamworth matchday programme 26 Nov 2011

I'm enjoying our standard of football this season more than that of the conference to be honest. Yes it's grittier and the pitches are dodgy, but no great difference otherwise. Dowson would bless any conference pitch.

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let's get a new FA. This one's broken.

The north east has 3 academies churning out decent quality young players - those who don't make it end up at this level or higher so it's fair to expect the standard to be higher than in other leagues where they don't have that. You're never going to see a young lad of 18/19 fresh from being rejected by SAFC/NUFC/MFC making the move away to go play non-league football away from his pals/family. Whilst the money issue is a factor, I think it's the above that is dominant in terms of influence on the standard of football.

For the treatment we were given by them as a small personal protest I am boycotting the premiershite, they can shove it up their arse.

I even took to sacking "super sunday" off yesterday and watching both the live La Liga games with Real and Barca!

Being placed at step 5, although harsh, I could understand their reasons but I resent the fact we were made to change our name we are by rights still Darlington Football Club and should be allowed to be indentified has such.

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Roses are red, but Violets are best. Bedlington are fucked, I wish it was West.

I think another reason the Northern League is so dominant is because 2 or 3 of the top 5 have an Evo-Stik League Setup in all but name, I guess you can put Spennymoor and Whitley in that Category, and they are causing a bottleneck because of there reluctance to go up, this seems to have made the Northern League the most dominant Step 5 League in the Country

have either of them applied for promotion ,as i believe that they have to before the season starts.
or at least state that is thier intention.

Don't know the exact date but is is November/December time when you have to state your intent. Spenny are making noises without coming out with a full statement either way.

It's November 30th.

Over 60 clubs from step 5 applied last season!

If Spendy win the League and don't take Promotion would the Runners-Up be allowed the spot,. Spenny and Whitley seem to have money to burn, there average attendance would make a lot of Step 3 and 4 clubs happy...but I think if Spenny goes up then the Runners Up should go too...a few Northern League going together might be worth it in the end it would be nice to see more NE Teams pushing up the pyramid along with us