Can Darlington FC progress to the EFL?

Darlington currently sit 5th in the Enterprise National League North, injecting hope into a desiring town. The Quakers have been out of England’s top five divisions for the last 14 years with rare hope of escape. This year the club have won 19 of their 39 games and sit five points clear in the National League North Play-Off places with seven games remaining. From Feethams to the Reynolds Arena to a groundshare at Blackwell Meadow, Darlo can see the light.

Photo credit, Darlington Football Club. Ariel photo of Blackwell Meadow, the current home of Darlington FC. 

The buzz will be unimaginable. 16 long years since their relegation from the Football League, into the darkness of non-league football, but Darlington are making a major leap forward.  

DarloFansRadio host Mike Price spoke about how big a promotion would be and the buzz in and around the club now. “It’s huge. You can sense it. we arrive at the ground now with a real sense of anticipation, a real sense of excitement.” 

There is a sense of pride when turning up to a Darlo game these days, every fan hopeful the team can get over the line and qualify for the play offs.  

The fans have embraced the job manager Steve Watson is doing, Price even suggesting, “he is the best manager that we’ve had since Martin Gray but at the same time I think he’s done better things on a smaller budget” 

But the buzz doesn’t end at just the supporters. Club commentator Harvey Richards spoke about his experiences, “Honestly it would be huge for the town, this season feels different, were beating tams we don’t normally beat. 

I can certainly feel the buzz, hearing the fans sing we’re on our way to the national league feels so good”. 

Outside of Blackwell Meadow a sign welcoming fans to Darlington FC 

Promotion to the National League will obviously bring extra revenue into the club, but it will also bring a lot more eyes onto Darlo. 

The fifth tier of England’s pyramid, albeit technically a semi-professional division, is often referred as “League 3”. With coverage from DAZN and big names like Ryan Reynolds involved in the league recently, the league has really made a name for itself.  

Darlington are currently fan-owned by Darlington FC Supporters Group Society (DSGS) after disastrous previous stewardship from George Reynolds and Raj Singh (to name a few).  

Mike Price spoke about the pros and cons of a fan owned club; “you look at the situation that we were in before we became fan owned, we went into administration three times in 10 years, because we had owners who were in it for all the wrong reasons. “We almost went out, we almost went under completely at one point. 

“I appreciate that not everyone is going to agree with that because you do sometimes look quite jealously at clubs who’ve got, with respect to them, smaller fan base than ours they’re getting like 500 600 a game yeah and yet they seem to be mounting you know promotion pushes playoff challenges.” 

Darlington currently share Blackwell Meadow with Darlington Rugby Football Club and do not own it, which fans have admitted worries them for the future.  

Not owning their own ground creates financial restricions on the football club, they do not earn money on hospitality and must pay rent. The further the club progress the more demand there is to own their own stadium. So, what’s the plan? 

“If buying Blackwell Meadows and then putting in the finances to turn it into a Football League viable ground is the option we end up with, then maybe so be it.” 

When asked if he would continue with a fan owned Darlington, he replied “For me, fan ownership is the best way forward”. 

Fan owned clubs can come with its financial challenges, however it creates a sense of community. Darlington Football Club have struggled for over 20 years on and off the pitch, so with a promotion push the buzz within the fanbase is extraordinary.  

Photo credit, Scott Llewellyn, MI news, a flag proudly displaying the name and badge of Darlington at Blackwell Meadow 

Mike Price was asked whether he thinks Darlington can progress all the way to the Football League; “Certainly that’s the long-term aim. And under fan ownership, I can see it happening.” 

He added; “if you want a competitive National League budget, I think you need the money coming in via other means as well. Could we get to the Football League under fan ownership? I have no question about it. Could we get to the Football League under fan ownership right now? 

Not impossible, very, very tricky. Difficult!” 

Supporters of Darlington do not want to get into bed with another owner with the wrong intentions, i.e George Reynolds. The fans have had difficulties trusting those with stewardship of the club since they left their beloved Feethams and left for The Darlington Arena.  

Can Darlington get back to the glory days, in the English Football League? 

Yes, probably. But they need financial backing.  

The supporters have done more than a good job in what Price said was “What we’ve been fighting for this whole time”. The DSGS have fought to get their beloved club back into the sixth tier, and they will not stop at the final hurdle. 

Price expressed how proud he was of the fan’s efforts claiming, “I’d love to see us back because I can say, we did that”.  

The last seven games of the National League North seasdon are vital for the Quakers, they must keep inform if they want to succeed in the play offs. Darlo has recorded an impressive 19 wins so far this season, the fourth best in the league.  

After over 20 years of hurt and 3 terms in administration, Darlo feel they deserve success. 

 Unfortunately for Darlington and those who surround them in the league, only one team is guaranteed automatic promotion. 

 Price hopes the 3UP system will be introduced to the national league and National League North/South; “I think consistency is the key. 

“You’re sort of questioning, well, they finished 20 points ahead of everyone else and one point behind the champions. Why aren’t they getting promoted? I think it’s just fairer.” 

The 3UP campaign has been a major talking point in the last few years. Many fans of the non-league system feel 3 teams should be promoted at the end of the season instead of 2, as its ‘fairer’.   

The campaign promises to make the system fairer. 

Currently it’s said that the National League is potentially better quality than the division above, EFL League Two.  

It’s incredibly rare a newly promoted League Two side will come straight back down to the depths on non-league. Almost opposite to what we see higher up in the pyramid, like the Premier League.