"The
Trust will ensure that supporters are fully involved
in the development of the club in years to come."Rt Hon Tony Blair MP
| "The
Trust will ensure that supporters are fully involved
in the development of the club in years to come." Rt Hon Tony Blair MP |
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BACKERS AND MESSAGES OF SUPPORT: Welcome to
Trust links Here are a few examples of Trusts in existence. Click on the Supporters' Direct logo below for full details.
AFC Wimbledon
Darlo links
To underline the role the Trust hopes to play in the community, we also have Trust web pages on the Northern Echo's CommmuniGate network of websites
Want to join? Just £5
Or for a form send a stamped addressed
envelope to: E-mail: darlotrust@hotmail.com
For further information or to offer support: E-mail the Trust Bank details:
www.darlotrust.co.uk
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Support for Trust in crisis fight
Boro chairman backs Trust effort Middlesbrough FC chairman Steve Gibson has wished Darlington Supporters' Trust well in its efforts to help the club survive. "Having gone through a traumatic
period of liquidation with Middlesbrough in 1986, I know all too well
the feelings that Darlington and its supporters will be going through
right now," he told The Gazette.
"Clearly, the club faces a huge challenge, but I am sure it is one they
can overcome with determination from all concerned. "I know many Boro
fans look on Darlington as their 'second club', so our supporters will
no doubt do all they can to help. "We wish everyone at Darlington the
very best of luck and urge people to back the Supporters' Trust in their
fundraising aim."
Sunderland FC chairman
Bob Murray said: "This is a very difficult time for Darlington Football
Club and its loyal supporters, and we wish them the very best of luck -
a sentiment which I'm sure is echoed not only by Sunderland supporters,
but by all North-East football fans
."We have supported Darlington FC in the past, allowing them to take
players on loan, most recently Craig James, and we hope to continue to
be able to support the manager and the club in the future."
Former Quakers star Kevan Smith also backed our campaign, as well as addressing two Trust public meetings. He told the
Echo: "The money situation is unbelievable, it is going to take
people's breath away. "We now need an absolute surge of people coming
forward to support the trust. We have got to think positive."
Darlington FC legend Ron Greener, who made a club record 442 league
appearances and is an honorary Trust vice president, said: "I will be
supporting the Trust's appeal and I hope it is successful. We need as
many people and businesses in Darlington as possible to get behind the
club and I'm sure they will."
"Members
of the Lincoln City Supporters' Trust have been watching
events at Darlington FC, as you all have, with growing concern over recent
weeks and months. Having been a club which has itself been in administration,
mainly due to a previous regime's poor financial management, we can sympathise
fully with Darlington supporters as they try to find the means to try
and save their club. It is a huge challenge but one which I am sure you
will rise to. Rob Bradley, started out in 1998 as a Vice-Chair of a supporters
group at Lincoln City called IMPetus. Three years later he became the
elected Supporter Director and soon afterwards chairman of Lincoln City
Football Club. Ordinary supporters can make a difference to their football
clubs as others at Chesterfield, York City and Notts Count will testify.
Now, it would appear, it is the turn of Darlington supporters to follow
the lead of others. One thing you can be sure of is the football world,
in the form of other supporters around the country, will rally round and
support your Trust in its time of need. The Lincoln City Supporters' Trust
wish you well in the challenges ahead and offer you our support and assistance
as required. Best wishes and good luck! Rick Keracher Lincoln City Supporters'
Trust
Alisdair MacConachie, chairman of the Darlington Partnership:
"A good town needs a good football club and Darlington is no exception.
Everybody at the partnership was up for helping to save the club. We represent
the public sector, the voluntary sector and the private sector, and we
are all as one behind the Trust's efforts."
Halifax Town Supporters' Trust: "We all wish you well
with your campaign. We have been through administration, we were part
of a consortium who took over the club and we are on the board of the
club." |
"Without the fans the game is nothing. What would be the point?...That passion, that commitment, that devotion. It cannot be bought and it certainly should not be cashed in. It needs to be rewarded, invested in and nurtured. For me that's what Supporters' Direct is all about." SIR ALEX FERGUSON
Darlington skipper Neil Maddison and Craig Liddle are both members of the Trust, while now ex-manager Tommy Taylor endorsed the work of the fans' body.
"Darlington fans have been fantastic to me personally and to the team since I've been at the club and it's appreciated by all of us," Liddle told The Northern Echo. "I know Darlo fans care deeply about their club and from what I've heard of the Trust, anything that is going to be positive for the club off the pitch is to be welcomed."
Lidds with Neil Maddison and Adam Reed
also took time out to attend the media preview of the Trust's Farewell
to Feethams exhibition in July, with Craig being interviewed on BBC
Look North (pictured above) and Tyne Tees.
Meanwhile, then Darlington manager
Tommy Taylor gave his backing to Darlington Supporters Trust.
He added: "If the Supporters Trust helps
the club in any way at all I'm all for it.
"Anything that's going to help the club I'm all for, and if they want
to help the youth side of the club, that's excellent."
The Trust has only been in existence since September but it is already
involved in fundraising for the club and community, particularly the youth
development side of Darlington.
Messages of support at the launch of the Trust in 2002
The Prime Minister and his former Tory adversary
have both offered encouragement to the new Darlington Supporters' Trust,
which was finally up and running in September.
Trust organisers had unanimous support from other local
MPs and the town's Mayor ahead of the public meeting at
the Arts Centre to back the setting up of the trust.
Mr Hague, MP for Richmond, said "there could not be a better time" to launch a Darlington supporters' trust.
Darlington Mayor Councillor Isobel Hartley said she was sure the relationship the Trust hoped to forge with the local community "will be good for the game and good for the town."
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Sedgefield MP Mr Blair, offering his full support to
the Trust said, "these are exciting times for
Darlington as its new stadium nears completion. The
Trust will ensure that supporters are fully involved
in the development of the club in years to come."
Alan Milburn, Darlington MP has also offered his backing. "I am delighted to lend my support to the Darlington Supporters'
Trust. This initiative is all about bringing football clubs, their fans and the
local community closer together.It's a very positive move for all
concerned."