Best Striker For Darlington

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super_les_mcjannet
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by super_les_mcjannet » Tue Dec 20, 2016 9:47 pm

David Currie always my favourite just because he score 2 on my first ever game and he was brilliant, wasn't too much later he was sold and replaced by Paul Clayton.

Gabbiadini was very similar and rated them both as the best strikers I have seen for Darlo. Loved David Cork for those two years he was excellent, Lee Ellison (first time) was fantastic and looked like his potential would see him play much higher and be successful.

Blake & Painter were excellent, didn't see much of Abbott as I couldn't make many games in those days.

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by dfcdfcdfc » Tue Dec 20, 2016 11:35 pm

Nobody has mentioned Colin Sinclair!!!

QUAKERMAN2
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by QUAKERMAN2 » Wed Dec 21, 2016 5:37 am

Been watching Darlo from the late 50's and as has been mentioned several times, David Currie had great balance, left footed , and regularly would curl the ball into the net from 25 yards.Him and Marco together up front would have been unplayable but also got to mention Robbie Blake not far behind those 2 with his close control.Interesting to name your best ever forward line, IMO Currie and Gabbas as strikers, Alan Walsh on the left wing with either McGeachie or Wainey on the right......what a thought.

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wellingaway
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by wellingaway » Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:29 am

I liked watching Carl Airey & Gary Macdonald in partnership in the mid 80s and Alan Walsh was sublime before that.

The strange thing about David Currie was that the season before he turned it on, he was appallingly poor - ducking out of challenges and not contesting headers. I don't think I've ever seen a player turn it around so completely.

Gabbiadini was pure quality - the best for me.

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by QUAKERMAN2 » Wed Dec 21, 2016 9:20 am

Just wonder if many can remember Brian Conlon not Barry, we signed him from Shildon, a big strapping six footer who was useless at first but like David Currie the improvement in him almost overnight was incredible and subsequently sold to Millwall who were in the old 2nd division.Cracking CF.

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theoriginalcount
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by theoriginalcount » Wed Dec 21, 2016 10:50 am

You could also perhaps lump Graeme Armstrong in there on the basis of the game at Whitby was the most accomplished performance by a Darlington Centre Forward I've ever seen in one match

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QuakerPete
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by QuakerPete » Wed Dec 21, 2016 1:26 pm

wellingaway wrote:I liked watching Carl Airey & Gary Macdonald in partnership in the mid 80s and Alan Walsh was sublime before that.

The strange thing about David Currie was that the season before he turned it on, he was appallingly poor - ducking out of challenges and not contesting headers. I don't think I've ever seen a player turn it around so completely.

Gabbiadini was pure quality - the best for me.
Those are the memories I have of Currie, a poor first season to a revelation the next. He also outscored David Platt and in much fewer games who was at Crewe. Believe he went on to Aston Villa and Currie went to Barnsley.

Gabbiadini was the best striker and player I've seen at Darlo

banktopp
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by banktopp » Wed Dec 21, 2016 2:32 pm

Jimmy Lawton has been mentioned and was a prolific scorer for us including 29 goals in season 64/5 in what was basically a crap team. The following season he went to Swindon in exchange for Alan Sproats and some cash. His replacement was Bobby Cummings from Newcastle United who proved the catalyst for our promotion that season. One of the most technically gifted players I've seen playing in Darlington's No 9 shirt. Had to be really as he wasn't very tall.
Marco Gabbiadini though is for me the best.

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by swadquaker » Wed Dec 21, 2016 3:06 pm

Considering his height Cummings was amazing at getting up for a header and his heading technique was brilliant as well

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by swadquaker » Wed Dec 21, 2016 3:08 pm

QUAKERMAN2 wrote:Just wonder if many can remember Brian Conlon not Barry, we signed him from Shildon, a big strapping six footer who was useless at first but like David Currie the improvement in him almost overnight was incredible and subsequently sold to Millwall who were in the old 2nd division.Cracking CF.

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by My opinion » Wed Dec 21, 2016 3:33 pm

One for the historians out there.
Who was it we paid £100,000 for (even though we couldn't afford it), he stayed to short a time to get an opinion of him before we sold him on (I think to Oxford United) fot the same price.
He was supposed to be one of the best around at our level at the time but his name I can't remember.

Quakerz
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Quakerz » Wed Dec 21, 2016 3:34 pm

Was that Nick Cusack?
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by My opinion » Wed Dec 21, 2016 3:35 pm

Good quick answer.
Thanks Q

HarryCharltonsCat
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by HarryCharltonsCat » Wed Dec 21, 2016 6:31 pm

David Currie without a shadow of a doubt. Scored goals no-one else would have.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Darlo_Pete » Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:55 pm

Quakerz wrote:Was that Nick Cusack?
He came from Motherwell. I remember when a coachload of Motherwell fans came down to watch him play for us at home.

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by lo36789 » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:40 pm

Darlo_Pete wrote:
Quakerz wrote:Was that Nick Cusack?
He came from Motherwell. I remember when a coachload of Motherwell fans came down to watch him play for us at home.
How long ago was that?

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Spyman
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Spyman » Thu Dec 22, 2016 12:46 am

I was going to say Tresor Kandol. Similar situation in that we had an option to sign him for a big fee but he didn't want to be here or something.

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Darlo_Pete » Thu Dec 22, 2016 7:07 am

lo36789 wrote:
Darlo_Pete wrote:
Quakerz wrote:Was that Nick Cusack?
He came from Motherwell. I remember when a coachload of Motherwell fans came down to watch him play for us at home.
How long ago was that?
I think about 20 years ago, we were trying to avoid relegation from Division 1, but we were more or less down by the time he came to us. Even after that game some of our fans went up to watch Motherwell and it wasn't unusual to see the odd Motherwell fan in the tinshed, rather bizarre.

Feethams 1966
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Feethams 1966 » Thu Dec 22, 2016 10:47 am

Alan Harding and Peter Graham.
Allen Gauden?

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by KCChiefs » Thu Dec 22, 2016 1:09 pm

Cusack came to us in 1992 - i thought he looked a class apart at times, but never really got going with Darlo.

Bernie Rhodes knows
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Bernie Rhodes knows » Thu Dec 22, 2016 11:13 pm

Feethams 1966 wrote:Alan Harding and Peter Graham.
Allen Gauden?
Now you're talking!!
Quickly followed by Colin Sinclair

dfcdfcdfc
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by dfcdfcdfc » Thu Dec 22, 2016 11:40 pm

Feethams 1966 wrote:Alan Harding and Peter Graham.
Allen Gauden?
I was going to mention them - probably my favourite striking line-up. Peter Graham was a sort of Lineker type forward and the other two on each wing but capable of coming inside when the other was in possession. Seem to remember us beating poolies 5-2 at the Victoria ground with these three and Harding getting a hat trick. But may be wrong as it was a long time ago and my memory isn't great.

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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Andrew Wilkinson » Fri Dec 23, 2016 8:36 am

Marco Gabbiadini was probably best goal scorer, with Currie virtually his equal. Best all round forward was Alan Walsh. Great left foot, with the most powerful shot I've seen.
I remember a 20 yard free kick at York - was on the open terrace right behind it. A player needed lengthy treatment so keeper had time to line up his wall. He left a gap of no more than a foot on one side, and stood on his line behind that gap where he could see the ball placed for the kick. Walsh hammered it so hard and true that before the keeper could stick up a hand to deflect the ball, it had smashed into the roof of the net.
Didn't meet Walshie till the Farewell to Feethams book. A top bloke, who always returned calls, and was always helpful.

Darlo_Pete
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Darlo_Pete » Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:25 pm

I remember Walshy scoring a goal at the Polam Lane end, where it was hit that hard that the ball got stuck in the stanchion at the back of the net.

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Breedon
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Re: Best Striker For Darlington

Post by Breedon » Sat Dec 24, 2016 3:17 pm

D_F_C wrote:Gabbers was the most unstoppable striker that I've seen us have.

Abbott had the most class and was my favourite (although he didn't play as much as I would have liked)
Agree with this. One of my all time favourite goals was Abbott against Grimsby in a game when we recovered from 2-0 down to win 3-2. He beat a man on the edge of the box to go one on one with the keeper, as the keeper started to come out Pav stopped and chipped the ball towards the goal. Under no pressure at all, it'd have been way easier to just knock it on a couple of yards, set himself, and finish past the keeper. But he went for the audacious chip just because he could. And of course it dipped in just under the bar. That's the sort of thing you shouldn't see at that level. He was so good. Would have gone much further if he hadn't been plagued with injuries before and during his time with us I'm sure.

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