Its Northern League

by Scott Thornberry - 25th May 2012

here is the press release from 1883.

DFC 1883 today learned in an email from the FA that our future as a community football club will start in the Northern League. 

We had appraised all potential outcomes and have produced plans and a financial model that will work at this level and the focus now will be to get the football club back up through the leagues as quickly as possible. We can be inspired by clubs like Chester and others who have taken this journey and enjoyed great football,grounds with atmosphere and a rekindling of supporters’ enthusiasm.

Darlington FC now has the prospect of football next season. Three times this year the club was within hours of liquidation,but the fans would not let the club die.

2012/13 will be the clubs 130th season and we will start thejourney back as a club we all own and playing in our black and white hoops.

The Northern League will see some great away days at localgrounds for our fans; it will also give us the opportunity to welcome the fansof local clubs to our temporary home. The football will be tough and competitive and we will not be taking anything for granted but we will beaiming for promotion as fast as we can. 

DFC 1883 Ltd still believe that Darlington should aspire to be a league football team and although that is going to take a bit of time, that remains the ultimate goal.

Darlington FC is now a community and fan owned club. It has been given a new lease of life and that new life starts now. The coming weeks are every bit as critical as the past 5 months have been. 

We expect to be able to name the new manager shortly: an excellent short list is in place, and now that we know which league we are in we can draw those discussions to a conclusion.
The decisions on season ticket and admissions pricing will also follow shortly. The pricing will impact the playing budget and needs careful consideration. We have every reason to be confident that we can put together a very competitive team as long as we have the continued backing of the fans.

The fans fight to save this club isn’t over until we have met the funding requirements to get through the next two months. 

It’s the fan’s club and it’s the financial support from the fansthat will get us to kickoff on the first Saturday of the 2012/13 season.

“Football is for life, not business”…… and we are Darlo ‘til we die."