http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16584216.stm How unfortunate with all the money flying around English football these days, teams like Darlington are able to fall into such a bad state. Pretty bizarre that this has happened though, as they apper to have a rather nice new ground that must be worth a few quid. To think, we were close to this, albeit slightly less serious - it doesn't bare thinking about really.
darlington have been going for 128 years. That they can go out of business is a damn shame. Feel really sorry for the fans
The really sad thing is, if Tevez gave them 1 week's wages, it would keep them going another 128 years!
Who the hell owns the ground? Surely it can't be the club as they wouldn't be in this mess anymore. Money grabbing council, i bet.
Unfortunately this is all too common in the lower leagues, especially teams that get relegated into the Blue Square Premier. My local club Cambridge Utd has been close to folding numerous times since being relegated in 2005. And to think I can remember when Cambridge thrashed Sheff Weds in the FA Cup and were in the play-offs for the premiership back in 1992!
The stadium had become a bit of a millstone around the clubs neck. Poor ownership in the past (One previous owner wa bankrupted and then charged with money laundering offences) has caused many of their problems. It costs a lot to run a 25,000 seat stadium when only 1,200 turn up each week. Also, despite its size, attendances are limited to 10,000 due to poor access roads locally. Bit of a **** up from the start really!
terrible news. however, teams went bust before the premier league and they will continue to go bust when they are run irresponsibly, as darlo have been. they have a 25,000 seater stadium for crying out loud! now i realise its not the fans or players fault and i feel immensely sorry for them all and for the town - its devastating to be honest, but as with any business, it will go bust if run badly. lets hope they can reform quickly, run by supporter groups, and build their club back up again to be a sustainable outfit. i've donated quite a lot of money to them in the past year after a chance meeting with one of their fans in new york (ooh, get me) and i was touched by their troubles. its a shame it all ended in this way.
Yes because the former owner George Reynolds believed he could them into the Premier League within 5 years, at the end of the 5 years they were finishing lower than they were before Reynolds arrived. Didn't need to move ground, talk of if they reform playing at the old ground which is still there.
Issues like this just make me feel sick, I've always said clubs/players fines should be put to one side foroncedents like this. You get idiots like tevez who get paid for playing in golf competitions half way round the world when things like this are happening!
I agree, but the problem is that you cannotgive badly run clubs money until the reach administration. In my eyes Norwich City belongs to the fans, the 'owners' are just lucky enough to take care of the day to day running of OUR club. Thing is, is somehow, some muppett ends up in control of a club, how can you give that club money knowing that it is not being sent in the way it was intended. There is a similar thing on a larger scale in Africa. There are some very poor African nations that could be helped greatly by relatively small donations from the western world. The problem with some of these countries is that you give the money to their government to help them and the government spend it on arms and lining their own pockets.
I agree, Reynolds lives in a delusional world in general. To be fair everyone has bad owners but 3 of them on the spin is just suicidal for a club the size of Darlington.
Saddest thing about scenarios like these to me are they kick you when you're already down semi-unconcho. Remember Luton Town recently. Deducted enough points to almost put many/most clubs out of business, 30 ffs. Hope you get some local backers, Darlo
Donated quite a lot of money, aree you going to buy Delia's shares? And also, I'll never disagree with you again, I may need a handout some time soon
it was about £100 in total!! i'm not about to tear up the premier league i'm afraid, but it was still a lot of money to donate to a club i have no affection for. starting to think it was wasted money but hopefully it will go towards them beginning a new club
I know this won't go down very well but I can't always accept this ' poor old fans ' arguement. Some clubs get into difficulties because of unfortunate business mistakes made by the board and then end up, like Coventry and Plymouth, with not enough money to keep going and in those cases I feel sorry for the fans as you are talking about normal business failures which were not caused by chasing an impossible dream. In the case of Darlington - when George Reynolds came in and said ' I will build a 25000 seater stadium and get you into the Premiership in 5 years ' how many supporters said ' slow down George in case it goes wrong ' and how many supporters said ' yippee - can you make it 4 years ' When Leeds spent fortunes they didn't have chasing an impossible European dream how many supporters urged caution? When Portsmouth won the Cup by spending lots of money they didn't have how many supporters protested because of the risks involved? How many Chelsea or Man City fans are complaining about the amounts of money being spent and the debts being run up by their clubs? If the Russian and the Arab suddenly pull out are we supposed to feel sorry for the Chelsea and Man City supporters? As for supporters running their own clubs I fear that it is an impossible dream as far as teams in the Premiership and Championship are concerned and very difficult indeed for a club in the lower leagues. Even in non-league football it is difficult - just look at Yarmouth. Banks would not lend to such clubs so where would they get money to cover short term needs? That is just one of numerable obvious problems.
Imagine the amount of positive publicity that a player would generate from this action, not only would the media and fans respect them, but Darlington fans would be eternally grateful.
all clubs which go out of business go out of business because of poor management at the top and no other reason. any club, no matter how big or small, which lives within its means will not go out of business. you can't have random players come out and save clubs, unless of course they are a fan and wish to help them in some capacity, maybe thats different. it is terribly sad but this should be learnt from to get everyones house in order - you can't expect somebody to bail you out with their own personal fortune
I have recorded Late Kick Off from last night so haven't watched it all but the start of the programme was about Northampton. The Chairman/Owner was saying he had put 7M of his money in and they were going out of the league. Managers ask him for money for players and he hands it over. They ask for more wages and he gives it to them. The manager tells him a bit more investment and he can get them promoted. Now you could say that Chairmen are stupid for doing that, surely they don't run their own businesses and investments like that. But of course many are fans and supporters and are told not to interfere in footballing matters. I would interfere every day if I was pumping that money in. Supporters lose interest and crowds dwindle and there are more moans than cheers at games and before you know it, the Cobblers are out of the league. Players leave and the club has to start all over again. Before you know, the club is in the wilderness. I wouldn't apportion 100% blame to any particular group. Players come and go, managers too. Even owners don't stay forever. Most fans are fans for life. If Delia said we were going for it next season and buying 20M players, how many fans would stop going or supporting because they didn't agree with it? What manager wouldn't want millions to back his judgement? And the players would queue up to join us. And a new stand or ground is built at inflated cost. And 32,000 turn up enjoying every moment of it. Then it goes tits up as it has with so many and the blame starts. Delia out, Lambert out are the cries. They have cocked up my beloved club is the cry. Wasted all that money and the big opportunity to make this club great. Its all their fault!
