Darlington Town F.C.

Last updated

Darlington Town
Full nameDarlington Town
Nickname(s)The Town
Founded2018
GroundEastbourne Community Stadium Darlington
ChairmanNorman Stephens
ManagerNathan Wilson/Grant Hickman.. Coach Gary Farley..
League Northern League Division Two
2023–24 Wearside League Premier Division, 1st of 18 (promoted)

Darlington Town is a football club based in Darlington, in County Durham, England. The club was formed in 2018, taking the place in the Wearside League of the reserve side for Darlington F.C., [1] which itself had formed by the movement in 2016 of Horden Colliery Welfare F.C. to Darlington. [2]

Contents

They are currently members of the EBAC Northern League Division 2 and play at Eastbourne Community Stadium in Darlington.

History

Horden Colliery Welfare had been formed in 1908, and had competed from 1975 until 2013 in the Northern League, but were relegated to the Wearside League at the end of the 2012–13 season. In 2016, Horden Parish Council demanded that the club vacate their ground at Horden Welfare Park (where the club has been based since their inception in 1908). On 29 January of that year, a court case upheld the council's decision and the club has been ordered to vacate by 25 February 2016 as well as awarding them legal costs.

In October 2016, in order to save the club, it was announced that Horden would move 30 miles to Darlington to become the Reserve Team of National League North Club Darlington 1883. [3] The changed their name to Darlington 1883 Reserves and play on the 4G Surface at Eastbourne Sports Complex in Darlington. Horden Chairman Norman Stephens said 'If the move had not have happened, Horden would have been dead by Xmas'. Norman Stephens and some of the playing staff have been retained by Darlington who took Horden's place in the Wearside League. They played their first game under the new name on 6 October in a 1–0 away defeat to Boldon C.A. [4] and played their first home game against Annfield Plain on 15 October at Eastbourne Sports Complex. The club signed its first international player in January 2018 when Gibraltar under-21 player Richie Parral joined the club.

In 2018, the club separated from Darlington 1883, and became known as Darlington Town, taking the reserve team's place in the Wearside League. [1] They won their first championship in 2021, taking the league with a 19–0 victory over Annfield Plain. [5]

In May 2024, Town moved to a different pitch at the Eastbourne Complex, complete with a seated stand, allowing them to be promoted to the Northern Football League Second Division for the 2024/5 season.

The club no longer wears wear the black and red of Horden CW, but plays in white shirts and black shorts.

Honours

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darlington F.C.</span> Association football club in Darlington, England

Darlington Football Club is an association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, England. As of the 2023–24 season, the team competes in the National League North, at the sixth level of English football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horden Community Welfare F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Horden Community Welfare Football Club is a football club based in Horden, County Durham, England. The club was formed as Horden Athletic in 1907, changing its name to Horden Welfare in 1928, and joined the North Eastern League in 1935, reaching the second round of the FA Cup in the 1938–39 season. After the assets of the original Colliery Welfare were transferred to a new club in Darlington in 2016, Community Welfare was formed in 2017 and has regained the former club's place in the Northern League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wearside Football League</span> Association football league in England

The Wearside Football League is a non-league football competition based in northern England. It consists of three divisions which sits at steps 7 to 9 of the National League System and is a feeder to the Northern League Division Two.

The North Eastern League was an association football league for teams in the North East of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durham Challenge Cup</span> Football tournament

The Durham County Challenge Cup is an annual football competition held between the clubs of the Durham County Football Association which was first played in 1884. It is the senior county cup for the historic county of Durham, which includes Durham, Darlington, Gateshead, Hartlepool, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, and Sunderland. The first winners were Sunderland.

James Norman Corner, known as Norman Corner, was an English professional footballer who could play as either a centre half or a forward. Active in the Football League between 1964 and 1971, Corner made 160 appearances, scoring 32 goals.

Charles Coates was an English footballer who made 46 appearances in the Football League playing as a left-sided forward for Darlington in the 1930s. He also played non-league football in the north east of England, for Hamsteels, Spennymoor United and Horden Colliery Welfare.

John Thomas Hill was an English footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Newport County and Darlington, and in non-league football for Esh Winning, Jarrow, West Stanley, Spennymoor United, and Horden Colliery Welfare.

Hugh Connor Dow was an English footballer who made 42 appearances in the Football League in the 1930s playing as a full back for Grimsby Town and Darlington. He was on the books of Sunderland without playing for them in the League, and played non-league football in the north-east of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boldon Community Association F.C.</span> Football club

Boldon Community Association F.C. is an association football club that plays in the Northern Football League. The club was founded as Boldon Villa, joining the Wearside Football League as a founder member in 1892. They were later known as Boldon Villa and Boldon Colliery Welfare. In 1976 the club name was renamed Boldon Community Association. The league title was won in 1953, 1955, 1975 and 1997 They were promoted from the Wearside League to the Northern League in 2021. They made their debut in the Northern Football League in 1–1 draw with Horden Community Welfare.

Thomas Johnson, known as Tom or Tommy Johnson, was an English footballer who played as a left half or inside forward in the Football League for Darlington and Bradford Park Avenue. He later worked as a physiotherapist for Hartlepool United and Middlesbrough.

William Laverick was an English footballer who played as an outside left in the Football League for Ashington and Halifax Town. He also played non-league football for clubs including Pelton Fell, Annfield Plain, Darlington, Chester-le-Street Town, West Stanley and Murton Colliery Welfare.

William Cook was an English footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Darlington and Gateshead.

Donald Maddison was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Darlington and in the Scottish C Division for Berwick Rangers.

James Tinnion was an English footballer who made 121 appearances in the Football League playing as a wing half for Darlington and Barrow. He was on the books of Huddersfield Town without representing them in the league. He also played non-league football in the north-east of England for clubs including Lintz Colliery, North Shields, Blyth Spartans, Horden Colliery Welfare, West Stanley, Chopwell Institute, Hexham and Annfield Plain between 1927 and 1938.

The 2007–08 Northern Football League season was the 110th in the history of Northern Football League, a football competition in England.

The 1985–86 Northern Football League season was the 88th in the history of Northern Football League, a football competition in England.

The 2021–22 season was the 124th in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league operated two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at step 5, and Division Two at step 6.

The 2023–24 season was the 126th in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league operates two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at Step 5, and Division Two at Step 6.

The 2024–25 season is the 127th in the history of the Northern Football League, a football competition in England. The league operates two divisions in the English football league system, Division One at Step 5, and Division Two at Step 6.

References

  1. 1 2 "Johnson relishing chance to take charge of new Darlington team". Northern Echo. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Village football team aims to be a match once again with launch of new club". Hartlepool Mail. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  3. ↑ Hartlepool Mail. "Horden CW name dies as club becomes Darlington 1883 Reserves". Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  4. ↑ Connor Lamb. "Boldon CA v Darlington 1883 Reserves" . Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "Darlington Town footballers win Wearside League after 19-0 victory on final day". ITV Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2022.

54°45′52.06″N1°19′01.88″W / 54.7644611°N 1.3171889°W / 54.7644611; -1.3171889

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.