Lifelong Darlington fan Paul Hodgson has sent us a couple of 90s memories as part of our 90s week.

Have you got any particular memories of the 90s? Drop us a line on media@darlingtonfc.org

Perhaps the most memorable match, for purely personal reasons, was against Maidstone United in October 1990.During the Quakers’ second promotion season Ian and I went to every game, both home and away, which I suppose was quite an achievement. 

By now the train journey from Darlington to Kings Cross had become a well trodden path to fixtures in the south of England and we knew all of its familiar landmarks by heart. However, Ian and I still managed to find plenty to talk about, aided no doubt by the fact that our tongues were constantly being lubricated by numerous cans of lager which we had bought from the buffet car. We also had a third travelling companion that day, namely Phil Rutter.

When we got to London we rendezvoused with my friend Stephen Lowson, who had himself been drinking solidly all day. Later, we met up with Brian Elsey and Trevor Rutter in the Courthouse pub, which is about half a mile from Dartford train station.

 Maidstone had actually sold their London Road ground to the MFI furniture group in 1988. Since their promotion from the Vauxhall Conference in 1989, at our expense, they were sharing Southern League Dartford’s Watling Street ground while they were engaged in a planning dispute with the local council over a proposal to build a new stadium.

Once inside the ground, I ended up being perched rather precariously on the terraces and so I said to Phil, ‘Move me along a bit, mate, I can’t see a bloody thing.’ But rather than shove me sideways he pushed me forwards and I fell headlong down the steps and was knocked out cold.

The next thing I remember was being put in an ambulance, though I must have had some of my wits about me because I apparently insisted on buying a match programme before I left for the hospital, and wouldn’t budge until I got one!

Within about half an hour, despite suffering from a severe headache, my concussion had eased somewhat and I wanted to get back to the game. I explained to the nurse that I’d forked out £40 for the train fare and wasn’t prepared to miss the rest of the game, so would she stitch my head wound because I wanted to leave.

The nurse, however, had other ideas and said I ought to stay in the hospital overnight as a precaution, to which I replied, ‘I don’t think so!’ and so she quickly stitched up my cut and we hurriedly left.

Outside the hospital we hailed a cab and extravagantly offered the driver fifteen pounds if he could get us back to the ground within five minutes. He drove like a bat out of hell and I saw the last two goals that sealed our victory, so the extra expense was worth it in the end!

 We actually won 3-2 that day with goals from David Cork, John Borthwick and Andy Toman.  Unfortunately, all I can remember about the match is the last two goals; which is a shame as according to the lads Darlo played some of their best football of the season that day.

After the game, we went to London’s West End to celebrate our victory. However, things were still hazy for me – I didn’t feel very well, had a stinking headache, several stitches in my wound and a massive bandage wrapped  round my head.

To be on the safe side, one of the lads phoned up my mother to explain what had happened to me, and she told him not to let me fall asleep or get drunk. Fatal! I downed seven pints and fell asleep in the pub! So much for motherly advice. It obviously didn’t do me any harm as I felt fine the following day and travelled back to Darlington without any problems at all.

 As it turned out, Maidstone United never did manage to get a new stadium built, despite spending millions of pounds on planning applications. After only three seasons in the Football League, in early August 1992, just days before the first fixture of the new season, they folded.