Sadly (for York) it also coincided with their almost certain relegation - unless a miracle happens.

Thanks, Matthew Jones

Banding together for the Trust

"I know It's only rock 'n roll - but I like it!" Margaret Tinkler of Darlington Supporters' Trust was happy to collect a cheque for £565 on behalf of the Crisis Fund from Mike Cass and other members of Lifetime Skiver, who organised a sell-out benefit concert at the Tap n Spile in March.

It was a great effort by all the musicians who took part on a night which also raised the profile of the local music scene. A second Darlo Bands for Darlo Fans night is already being thought about.

Lifetime Skiver are also donating proceeds from their three-track CD single Like Me. On sale from the Trust in Bar 66. Or order by post, send a cheque for £3 (which includes p&p) made payable to M Cass c/o 40 Hamsterley Street, Darlington, DL3 6QE. PHOTO: NICK BLAKE

Thanks to Mike Cass and Lifetime Skiver, The Off Beats, The Fray, The Clarkes Dales and Si Kelly!

How much for a seat at Scunny? £107

Are we taking the Mickey? Well, the microphone to be exact. Ray Simpson kindly offered to help the Trust again by offering his match summariser's seat next to his, for internet auction. The third such Ebay auction raised £107 for the lucky winner to spend the afternoon at the Scunthorpe v Darlington match alongside BBC Radio Cleveland commentator Ray at Glanford Park on May 8. The winner will also be co-commentator on the QuakersWorld internet commentary alongside Ray. Previous auctions raised £120 and £150. Thanks to Ray and Radio Cleveland - it's certainly proved a winner!

£1,000 boost from Ken and Anita

Darlington supporters Ken and Anita Wynne have donated £1,000 to the Trust's fighting fund. And the duo have urged all fans to back the Trust's bid to buy a stake in the troubled club which is in administration.

Ken told The Evening Gazette: "We're fully behind the Trust. Anything which brings the club back to the fans is welcome. "I said before Saturday's game that if the team won we would donate £500, but we were so pleased that we beat Rochdale we gave £1,000. "We sponsored the last game at Feethams and the first at the Arena. We love the club, and if the Trust succeeds in its bid to part-own the club we will be thrilled. "The club is an integral part of the community, and we feel it's right that it should be run by true fans."

Thirteen schools took part in a sponsored "Dress Down For Darlo Day" - a magnificent total of £2,424.61 was raised. Thanks to the headteachers, staff, parents and pupils involved at Abbey Infants £206.00 Alderman Leach £102.80 Heathfield £316.00 High Coniscliffe CofE £95.00; Hurworth Comprehensive £335.17 Hurworth Primary£131; Middleton St George £211.22 Mowden Juniors £200; Rise Carr £100, Skerne Park Primary £139.15, St.John's CofE Primary £174; Whinfield Infants £109.74 Whinfield Juniors £304.53 Thanks also to Margaret Tinkler of the Trust for all her hard work in organising it.

Darlo fan Ted Harris has raised around £1,000 after a seven-mile sponsored walk from the Reynolds Arena to Croft and back. The 65-year-old stopped off at Middlesbrough FC's training ground on the way and met Colin Cooper (pictured with Ted) who later presented donations amounting to £520. The walk took him from Darlington FC via Blands Corner, Croft, Hurworth Place, Hurworth and back to the RA. Ted told The Northern Echo: "I talked to Colin Cooper, who plays for Boro, and he told me to come back in next week to collect the cash. They were all really friendly." Mr Harris, a retired railway worker, of Eastbourne Road, Darlington, attended his first Quakers match aged eight with his grandfather. "The walk was absolutely wonderful. I was fine up until the last mile-and-a-half, and then I started to feel weary. But it was worth it."

Darlo gets a dressing down!

Money is rolling in after a Dress Down for Darlo Day was organised for businesses and workplaces in the Darlington area on Friday February 27th. We asked for people to either wear a football shirt (of any club), or something black and white to demonstrate their backing for Darlington Football Club. All we asked in return, is that they donated at least £1 to Darlington Supporter’s Trust.

The Trust contacted more than 300 shops businesses to persuade bosses to allow supporterd to take part and raise money as a result.

"It's a fun way of showing solidarity with the club's present plight and also bringing in some money," said Trust secretary Peter Ashmore. "There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the club's future, despite recent hopes of a buyer being found. We are taking nothing for granted and our fund-raising is continuing. We're sure we will have an important part to play in the future of the club, whoever takes over."

Those taking part included workers at the Magnet kitchen and bathroom factory, also staff at Darlington borough council, Northumbrian Water, the Department of Education and Skills, Darlington College of Tecbnology and workers at Electrolux/Flymo.

Pictured are staff from Darlington College of Technology, who joined in the fun. College principal and chief executive Sarah Farley said: "The college plays a key role in Darlington and we ardently wanted to do something to show our support for Darlington Football Club. We have a highly-successful football development centre, which allows students to study while receiving professional coaching for a career in the game, and we have enjoyed good links with the club. We want to support football in the town for the good of everyone."

The Department for Education and Skills and the Capita Teachers' Pensions Department raised more than £740 between them, Magnet workers raised £110, while JobCentre staff raised £50. Thanks also for £55.35 from PWS Distributors Ltd in Newton Aycliffe. Amec's two offices in Haughton Road and Yarm Road sent a cheque for £425 as their contribution towards the "Dress Down for Darlo" day.

More than a dozen Darlington schools have already held their own "dress down day" - with each pupil paying to leave their uniform at home - and raised more than £2,300 for the Crisis Fund. We will publish names of companies and organisers who took part here - so let us know!

Kitchens firm backs Trust fund

Trust chair for 2003/2004 Margaret Tinkler is pictured above with Trust board member Nick Blake presenting a framed photograph to DK Kitchens general manager Eric West.

DK Kitchens of Darlington become the first Trust Patron, after pledging £1,000 to the Trust Crisis Fund. DK Kitchens, 80 Eastmount Road, Darlington, Co. Durham, DL1 1LE Telephone (01325) 361181. Distinctive Kitchens - top quality appliances of your choice, all in stock.
Many work-tops, sinks and taps to choose from; more than 350,000 kitchen doors in over 74 ranges to choose from.

Darlo, Gazza signed shirt raises £116

We hope to have a number of items auctioned off online over the next few weeks. Thanks to Craig Stoddart and Gary Mann for this one, to kick it all off:

The first item, a D@rlo Uncovered shirt, signed by several ex-Darlington players plus Paul Gascoigne, raised £116 towards the Trust Crisis Fund. The hooped shirt was signed at the fund-raising matches held at the RA in January, by: Lawrie Pearson, Mike Pollitt, Sean Gregan, Robbie Blake, Paul Olsson, Steve Gaughan, Darren Roberts, Glenn Naylor, Neil Aspin, Neal Heaney and, drum roll……….Gazza!

If anyone would like to know more about the Uncovered shirt, or would like to buy one, go to the D@rlo Uncovered shirts weblink

Trust football shirts look part

THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO SHOWEDSUPPORT FOR Darlington Supporters' Trust by purchasing one (or more!) of our football shirts and T-shirts, with all proceeds going to our Crisis Fund. Nineteen-year-old fan Linsey Stevens is pictured modelling the shirts, which have "Darlington Survival 04" on the back. The Trust also produced T-shirts. Linsey agreed to a photo-shoot for a "bit of fun" to help the Trust. "I go to every home game and about half of the away games, when can get the time off work," she said. There has been a slight modification to the design of football shirts since the photos were taken, with a more attractive smaller logo.

Former Tinshed season ticket holder Linsey has seen many ups and downs on board the Quakers roller-coaster. "The best games I have seen are probably beating Hartlepool in play offs for Wembley or beating Nottingham Forest away in Worthington Cup, coming back from behind to win 2-1," she says."As for worst games, too many poor games to list (only messin'!)

"Darlo's 4-1 defeat to Hartlepool in 2002 was probably somewhere near to the top, not necessarily worst game all round but was bit rubbish watching us being outclassed by 'Pool."

The football shirts cost £20 each and T-shirts at £8 are available from Trust members at home and away matches. At home games, see a Trust member in Bar 66. They're also available via mail-order (the shirts now, not the drinks). Please add £1.50 per shirt to: Trust Shirts, 50 Newlands Road, Darlington DL3. Cheques payable to: "Darlington Supporters' Trust". Thanks to Nick Blake and Scott Thornberry for organising and especially to Linsey for her time. Click on photos for larger image.

Limited edition signed print of Darlington FC

The Mayor of Darlington has one, so has Darlo manager David Hodgson - they're one of the limited edition prints of Darlington Football Club for the town - to boost the fund-raising towards the Trust Crisis Fund to help the Quakers survive.

Councillor Ron Lewis was presented with one of the 150 limited edition prints of Darlo We Care from artist Maaike Draper-Albers. It will now be part of the council's art collection.

Maaike was at the all-star game in aid of the club at the Reynolds Arena back in January, which attracted a record crowd for the stadium of 14,200.

* Individually signed and numbered prints are available to buy via the Trust, costing £100 each (unframed), £125 (framed), limited to just 150. These can be ordered by contacting - darlo@hotmail.com, or write to Trust Art, c/o 50 Newlands Road, Darlington DL3, making cheques available to "Darlington Supporters' Trust." Mail order service available. NB: The prints are framed and mounted in Darlington FC colours by Chris and Heather Cranston-Selby of Gisburne Framers, North Road, Darlington. The prints are also available from Darlington Tourist Information Office in Houndgate, Gisburne Framers, 54 North Rd.

Neil Maddison was on hand to help out at the recent Trust Crisis Fund raffle draw, organised by Trust members Tony and Lesley Waters at their shop, Olympic Ministores in Olympic Street. Maddo donated a signed shirt as a prize and also attended the draw on March 1, which was made by Christina Johnson, daughter of DAFTS coordinator Neil Johnson. The raffle made £330 - donated prizes included DVD players, whiskey, an Easter egg and another signed shirt, as well as a Hambleton Ales case of beer. Thanks to Tony and Lesley and their customers. Meanwhile Neil Johnson presented the Trust with a cheque for £1,000 from the sale of DAFTS badges and another personal donation of £1,000 to become a Trust Patron.

A good time was had by all with Sixties singer- Mally C plus Disco Jump 'n' Jive. The event raised £1,053! on Saturday, February 28 at the Cleveland Club in Neasham Road.

Meanwhile, a Sportsman's Dinner organised by Paul Hodgson and Ian Carter at the Reynolds Arena raised £1,850 for theTrust Crisis Fund, with the same amount raised for the club. Guests included Kevan Smith and David Speedie, while thanks to Darlo manager David Hodgson for donating several shirts for auction.Here cheques for both events are presented by John Geldar, Ian Carter and Paul Hodgson at the Reynolds Arena, with Hodgy and Margaret Tinkler from the Trust present.

Thanks to Morrisons for allowing us to hold sponsored events. A sponsored bag-pack at Morrison's, Morton Palms raised £996 . While another on Valentine's Day February 14 at Morrison's North Road store raised £1,000.

NatWest Bank workers in Middlesbrough had a collection in support of the crisis fund. A Darlo fan, Joan from Jersey, who saw her first game in the 1950s and now keeps in touch via the internet and radio, sent us a donation and wished us luck. Trust member Les sent £1,000 and another fan John who sent a £1,000 donation, said: "Thanks for all the great work you and your colleagues on the Trust board are doing , it means a great deal to me, if your efforts ensure a future for the club then I will be eternally grateful and if not, then I know it won't be for the want of effort."

Pupils from Skerne Park Primary School weren't put off by the snow from doing their sponsored run in aid of the Trust Crisis Fund which raised a magnificent £907.62 (pictured left). They held the event indoors - a good way of keeping warm on a cold day! Andy Collett was stuck in the bad weather and unable to make it, but Kevin Stonehouse and MrQ were on hand to lend their support. Thanks very much to the school and all the pupils who took part!

Eric Leycock paid £120 in an auction to be a match summariser alongside radio commentator Ray Simpson at the Cambridge home match. With seven goals, he had a busy introduction - shame the result didn't go the right way!

Tom, a York City fan living in Darlington, said: "I am a supporter of York City. As a result of the work of our supporters' trust, and the generosity of fans from up and down the country, we are not only still in business but owned by the fans. I hope your campaign is as hard-fought and successful as ours was! Keep up the struggle." York City Supporters' Trust held a bucket collection and raised £420.

DAFTS regular Lance Ireland turned 66 in March and held a sponsored birthday pub-crawl in his home city Birmingham! Lance, of Harbo Darlo fame raised £40. He and regulars at The Sportsman in Harborne donated a prize of a DVD player to the Olympic Stores raffle, but Lance sold so many tickets, one of the regulars won it back again!

Thanks to the Herald and Post for donating £328 from an advertising feature on The Trust. The paper, part of the Gazette series, also printed a Trust membership coupon. Thanks to James Barker and the Telesales team.

A TV horse racing night was held on March 26 at Darlington RFC, organised by Vince Rose.

A players' reunion was held at the Reynolds Arena on Sunday March 14th. Organised by BBC Radio Cleveland's Ray Simpson, tongue-in-cheek "awards," a quiz, a couple of guest speakers, buffet and bar. Around 30 players turned up including Marco Gabbiadini, Colin Sinclair, Ronnie Ferguson, John Peverell, Ron Greener, Glen Naylor and Paul Heckingbottom.

Chris Vallis and Mark Cox organised an 11-a-side football match between "The Town Hall" and "Pensions Management" teams at the other RA - the Railway Athletic Ground. Each player taking part gave a donation, as well as braving sleet and gale force winds at the start of the match. Thanks also to referee Tony Patterson who officiated for free, and to RA Secretary Martyn Jackson for use of the ground. The match ended 4-3 to the Town Hall team. Chris is hoping to arrange another game soon.

Teams: Pensions Management 1. Mike Wood. 2. Richard Payne, 3. Andy Serginson, 4. Simon York, 5. Jason Scott, 6. Gary Collinson, 7. Neil Jollie 8. Matty Dunn, 9. Mike Atkinson, 10.Chris Vallis, 11.Paul Eagle MoTM: Scott The Town Hall: 1. Chris Mcewan, 2. Mike Terry, 3. Mark Cox, 4. Ian Broadhurst, 5. David Sharp, 6. Scotty Timmins, 7. Peter Smith, 8. Alan Gowling, 9. Danny Hutchings, 10. Darren Radestock, 11. Richard Hovington. MoTM: Darren Radestock

Frank is a fund-razor!

Bradford-based Trust member Frank Clarke showed off his "half beard" at Huddersfield after shaving half his face in aid of the Trust Crisis Fund. What a fund-razor! Luckily, it wasn't such a close shave on the pitch as Darlo ran out fairly comfortable 2-0 winners. "Those of you who know me, will know that my chin has not seen daylight in almost 30 years," he said "I first grew a beard in November 1974. It's getting rather grey now but is still there." Frank promised to wear it for at least two weeks and raised £70.

Two Hartlepool fans sent a "good luck" card and £25 cheque with the following inscription: "Who would we 'call' if you weren't around? All the best". Wayne, Barnsley fan: "I would just like to say good luck in your struggle to save your club. Been there, done that, came out of the other side thank God (in the shape of Peter Ridsdale and Pat Cryne). Donation on the way."

Martin, Notts County fan: "Just a message of support from a Notts County Fan. I have sent a cheque for £10 as a donation..in the post this morning. Having been involved in the formation of the Notts Supporters Trust from it's initial inception (the original meeting was held in my back room just over a year ago!) I am more than aware of the hard work you have ahead of you. The very best of luck to all of you." Meanwhile, Notts County Supporters' Trust and Supporters' Club and Official Barnsley FC Supporters' Club hosted a collection before their game in January, with fans collecting a magnificent £969.

Long-time Darlo fan David Nicholls, landlord of The George pub, Bondgate, Darlington has added his weight behind the Trust Crisis Fund with a £200 donation. David said.: "I remember the fund-raising events we organised back in 1982 to Save the Quakers and now we're doing it all over again". David's son, Daniel, is following in dad's love of the club. Daniel was mascot for the team for their last appearance at Wembley against Peterborough United in the Third Division play-off final in 1996.

We've received £322 from Steve Moules, manager of Flares bar in Skinnergate, Darlington after he and his staff held collections at the bar for the crisis fund. Further bucket collections will take place.

Another £100 from the Northern Echo Sunday Invitation League, Chairman Peter Thompson and Secretary Ken Moore announced their backing of the Trust's Crisis Fund and wished the Trust every success in their aims. More than 300 membership forms were handed out to the 36 teams in this league. And thanks also for the £161 raised from a raffle at Acre Products in the Faverdale area of the town. Organiser Steve Carter rallied workmates who donated prizes and bought tickets. Steve commented afterwards: "Everyone was pleased to help." Thanks to Dave Cadman who organised a sports "buzzer quiz" at St Mary's Association Club which raised £37.

A hypnotism night with Dave Storey, hosted by the Trust at the East End WMC raised nearly £500

Roger and Barbara Mason donate £100 "in memory of my father, David W. Mason, who played for Darlington pre- and post-Second World War. We sincerely hope that your efforts ensure that Darlington FC survive the current crisis."

Opera star in tune with funding fight

OPERA singer Suzannah Clarke took part in a "sing-along" to help Trust fund-raising efforts at the Cornmill shopping centre.

Middlesbrough-born Suzannah, who sang before 70,000 fans and 440 million television viewers at Wembley at the opening of Euro '96, led a sponsored "opera karaoke" session on February 21, the morning of the Yeovil home match.

Darlo manager David Hodgson came along to lend his support, while Supporters' Club vice chair and Trust board member Karen Glencross, who organised the event, is pictured being given the microphone!

Suzannah brought the shopping centre to a stand-still with popular operatic songs, as well as Lloyd Webber and even a version of Ilkley Moor Bar 'Tat, re-written as "Darlo Needs More Cash.’ Hodgy and other ‘volunteers’ were all good sports to join in. The Trust, as well as collecting money, sold £300 worth of football shirts and recruited more members. Thanks again to the shopping centre management for their support.

© Photos: Nick Blake

Paul Garnham, Exeter City Supporters' Trust committee: "Dear Darlington Supporters' Trust. In full support of the current battle for survival, the Exeter City FC Supporters' Trust committee this week voted unanimously to make a donation of £50 to the Darlington Supporters' Trust. Despite much of the bad press currently surrounding Exeter City's situation, in our own hours of need we have been heartened not only by the tremendous support shown to us by our supporters and the people of Exeter, but also by the incredible support we have received from fans of other clubs and from other trusts up and down the country. It is only right that we return this feeling of goodwill wherever possible and we should like to wish you well in your fight to keep Darlington FC alive. Despite the incredible hard work which has been required from members of our own trust over the past few months, at Exeter we (the fans) have at least given ourselves a fighting chance, something which seemed a very long way off when we took over the day-to-day running of the club last summer. We wish you all the best."

Notts County and Barnsley fans raised a splendid £969 in a bucket collection before their match at Meadow Lane in January for our Trust Crisis Fund. This fantastic gesture, was organised by Notts County Supporters' Trust. Fans of both clubs have faced survival battles in recent months and know what it's like to have to raise money. Representatives from Notts County Trust came to Darlington for our recent crisis meeting and made the offer then to hold a collection. We'd like to thank all supporters who gave their support, especially the Notts County Trust, Notts County Supporters' Club and Official Barnsley FC Supporters' Club for organising it. "It just goes to show how important the whole football community regards the problems being faced by Clubs like Darlington," said Trust board member Tony Taylor. "This has been a magnificent gesture by fans of two clubs who have had their own recent problems and it gives those of us in Darlington, who is fighting to save our club from extinction, great hope."

Carol Ward, an exiled Darlo fan who helped with the collection, told us: "I don't know how much me and one of my lads collected today, but as well as money I've been asked to send so many good wishes from supporters from both sides.

"Some fans were deliberately looking for us in order to make a donation and send sincere messages of solidarity. Please take heart from the genuine concern expressed today for Darlo from supporters who are sick of seeing lower league clubs in such peril and true fans hurting."