DAFTS in pictures

DAFTS start to gather in the Gardeners Arms

DAFTS down the Pan - pre-match

We had an enjoyable trip to Lewes in the FA Cup first round in November. First of all, there was a good turnout of DAFTS in Sussex, meeting in a very friendly pub, The Gardeners Arms, in the charming town centre. The locals were certainly in the Cup spirit and made us feel welcome. Lance had his "lucky" (so far) Peruvian hat on, even Howard could not jinx us. The Dripping Pan was certainly a quaint ground and, for those of us who quite enjoyed Feethams for its little oddities, it was good to be somewhere original and quirky. Still, not many of us had watched football from a path on the top of a bank before! The 4-1 victory margin was a little flattering but we were in control in the second half and we returned to the pub for a little celebration. NB: Thanks to Iain for sorting out the tickets. Photos: Ted Blair.

Lance, that hat and Steve
Martin and Chris and the Chris Martin-look Chris and Ted compare facial hair
Ted, Simon and James and someone with the fish-eye lens John, Lance and Steve
The gaffer wears the colours James and Mark try out the beers

A Posh day out

It doesn't get much better than this for a DAFTS weekend in September 2006. The pub near the ground not only has decent beers on in the bar - but a marquee out in the back garden and its own real ale festival. Plus, it was bright sunshine. Then we went to the game, and rather than that event signalling the end of the afternoon, Darlo put on a dazzling first half display with three goals against Peterborough. We even managed to hold onto the lead in the second half despite a Posh fight-back and going down to 10 men. Even the train back to Brum arrived a few minutes early.

Lance with a Cavalier attitude
Lance with that Cavalier attitude

Catherine's under arm tactics
Catherine thinks it's the pits

Ted and Steve are a riot Group photo
DAFTS is all about personal growth

Howard finds a use for his
Howard improvises

It looks like gravy on Neil
Is that an onion ring left over from the curry night?

Tony and John look bushed
Tony and John look bushed

Back to winning ways

Darlo bounced back from an awful run of results to earn a 4-2 win over play-off rivals Lincoln City in April. All the goals game in a hectic second half, with the best from Jemal Johnson - one of two from the on-loan striker from Blackburn. As you can see, a few relieved and delighted faces in the crowd. Photos: Ted Blair.

John, Bev and Neil pre-Christmas 2005

Pete Stockill

Neil Johnson

Lance Ireland


Name up in lights at Piccadilly Circus. Photo: Gerry Smith.

Eric from DAFTS south Wales

Iain from DAFTS Sussex

Ted and Liz from DAFTS London

DLance of Harbo Darlo and the TRF

HULL v DARLINGTON, AUG 2003 Brian Elsey lets it all go to his head Lance Ireland in Darlington later in the season is runner-up to a couple of beer towels in the Yasser Arafat look-alike contest Ken Toase, August 2002Ian Allaway, August 2002 John Hopps at CambridgeJohn Hopps shuffles on the way back from the Oxford home game

Stewards are expected to wear those luminous jackets to held them stand out in a crowd, well Martin Deans has saved the club a bob or two with his new hair-do The Posh game was called off, but not to let advance rail tickets - and good beer at Number 22's go to waste, we travelled anyway. Ted, Steve, Howard and Colin

Dreaming of a Bazza headed goal? Chris Stockdale snoozes on the way home to London after the 1-0 defeat to Oxford in 2002Paul Walker and daughter Hayley, who travelled from Scotland

DAFTS kit sponsored player Chris Hughes rounds off the season with posing for a photo with Lauren and Sophie at Scunthorpe United, 2004

More dreaming - this time Colin Fletcher thinks he's Craig Liddle... following the DAFTS kit sponsorship presentation in 2001 Dublin 2001, pre-season tour, Gavin, Ted, Neil - a drop of the black stuff for the men in white DARLINGTON v BURY, MARCH 2003: Below are shots from the Darlington Beer Festival, March 2003, pictured are top - Ken Toase and Colin Fletcher; middle - Neil Johnson and Tony Waters; bottom - Colin Fletcher keeping his head warm and his Feethams Farewell cold.

Inside the Kemble Inn, Cheltenham, Easter Monday 2006

Brummie TonyJohn ruminating


A DAFTS Christmas - gnome and away!

Reservoir Dafts...

Mr Blond, Mr Grey, Mr Greying, Mr Receding and extras take a Tarantino-esque stride down Meadow Lane. No blood, just a little sweat is spilt during the course of the next hour and a half.© Photo: Ted Blair.

DAFTS tied up in Notts for afternoon

There are few places better to round up our season on the road than Nottingham. As always, the Vat and Fiddle was an excellent venue to wind down before - and after - the match, while Meadow Lane (bottom right) was similarly suitable for catching up on some sleep. A few DAFTS even left the tedious match early to resume refreshments. They missed the goal. But some of us saw David Rowson's deflected free kick and didn't get bored retelling it afterwards. Lance enjoyed his last cigarettes in a pub before an away game and didn't get bored telling us they would be his last cigarettes at an away game. But will he really not come at all next season and stay home with his old black and white films?

Those pictured above include Brummie Tony, checking the scores on his mobile. He also checked out the "best pub jokes" book but mercifully didn't tell us any. Doug (happy 60th for next week) and Pete had travelled from Darlington, while Ray wisely got the earlier train back than risk travelling with son Tony - after last season's expensive taxi ride. Brian awake and Brian in repose. The game was forgettable, what they call an "end of season affair" alhough overall we probably just edged it.

 


Ronan and the boys notice some of "the old magic" is missing.

DAFTS keep smiling during London weekend

Neil and Mari manage a little shopping before the gameA stern looking Mr Waters

Through the pub windowJohn smiling - obviously before the game

Despite a disappointing match (when have we said that before?), there was an enjoyable DAFTS weekender in London for the Barnet game in April 2006. Neil and Mari flew in from Norway, while a combination of train and coach brought others to the capital in time for a meet-up at the London Drinker beer festival at Friday teatime. This was then followed by an excellent tapas feast - thanks to Ted for the recommendation. Some of us stayed a little too long at our hotel bar - very nice piano, very nice prices! Saturday, the Old Mitre pub was the pre-match meet-up, some of us still feeling a little fragile! We then hit the Head of Steam at Euston, followed by a great veggie curry nearby.

Yorkshiremen in suits


The Darlo Tykes sponsored the Mansfield match and celebrated in comfort. Photos: Ted Blair/DAFTS.

Darlo v Torquay in December 2002 with Colin, Neil, John and Tony DAFTS weekender at the Goat and Tricyle, Bournemouth, March 2003 Mark Trenholme, Huntingdon
OXFORD 2003: THEY THINK IT'S HAIR ALL OVER It is now, as Ted Blair meets Rory McGrath, winner of the Ted Blair Look-alike Contest.

Chris Kamara, a cardboard cutout, Ted Blair

Brian Elsey at Oxford

Brian at Aggborough during a boring bit Brian at Kiddie

A few more smiles in the sunshine

Travel sickness

Chris and Martin on the GNER back to London - or maybe it's on the way to Darlo, as they look cheerful.

Blackpool and that jacket; rarely seen since. But it did rain later on and was never the same. The Italian at Keele Services was never seen again either. Ted, Ken and Howard in No 22 Brian Furness in the Quaker Cafe, October 2002 Peter Stockill in the Quaker Cafe

Notts County, January 2006

Howard and Steve before the Wycombe game, November 2005

In the pub before the Chester game in 2005

We'd be pleased to put your photos up, e-mail us them to dafts2002uk@yahoo.co.uk

 

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Ted Blair's match photos - 2005/2006 selection or Ted's match photos from 2004/2005