A Christmas Message From Dave Mills

Thank you for your fantastic support throughout 2015. I am very proud to be the Chief Executive Officer of Darlington FC, but this is your club, and your passion and loyalty are what makes this such a special place.

My thanks also go to our management staff, players and our army of volunteers, who have continued to work tirelessly during a very exciting period for your Club, and give their time so willingly. It is greatly appreciated by myself, the Board of Directors and your Club. It is important to remember that everyone on the non-playing side of your Club including myself, are volunteers, who do not ask for and do not expect anything in return, other than to see their Club be successful, on and off the pitch. I cannot praise all the volunteers of the football club enough, because without them… we would simply have no Club at all!

I am grateful, too, to our sponsors and community partners, who have helped re-establish the Quakers since 2012, and of course we all share our aim… to return our Club to the heart of our unique town.

In May this year it was, of course, written in the stars that we would play Spennymoor Town at home in the play-off semi final. Perhaps what we couldn’t predict was the dramatic way we won that game, coming from 1-2 behind with 10 minutes left to win the game 3-2 in front of a packed Heritage Park. And then to beat Bamber Bridge in the play-off final was the icing on the cake.

We have enjoyed other hugely memorable moments during the year, and yes some frustrating times too, but it’s important that we all stick together as one.

A significant event in more recent times is the galvanisation and alignment of Darlington Football Club Supporters Group (DFCSG) to the football club itself. I talked about the importance of this at your Club’s AGM and the Fans’ Forum in November and John Tempest, in his role of Corporate Director and Chair of the DFCSG, has been fully involved with me in every aspect of your Club’s business and significantly in the talks with Darlington Rugby Football Club over the last few weeks. This close working relationship the DFCSG has with the football club allows for full representation of the views and interests of the fans within your Club’s Board of Directors, and at every stage of the Club’s development, particularly as the Blackwell Meadows project moves forward. As you all know significant progress has been made to return your club to Darlington in 2016 and there is no better time than now to become a member of the DFCSG and have your views formally represented.

Also of significant importance is the effect of having so many home games postponed in the last two months. We have not played at home since 31^st October, having lost three games to the atrocious weather we’ve had and one game due to Salford City’s FA Cup replay at Hartlepool. So for two months we have had no gate income and other revenue associated with playing at home at all, for which all football clubs rely heavily upon to maintain a healthy cash flow situation. You will all recall that I informed shareholders at the AGM and fans at the Fans’ Forum, that your Club would need to launch its fundraising activities to provide working capital and to top-up the escrow account. The strain on the cash flow, due to the many postponements we’ve had, has brought forward this fund raise to early in the new year. With the rights of fan-ownership described above also comes fan-owned responsibilities in terms of funding, and I would make a plea to everyone to dig deep when your Club launches its fund raiser. Full details, including the positive impact of how the fund raising will support the return to Darlington at Blackwell Meadows, will be announced in January.

And so into 2016. ln January, your Club will announce the fans’ choices of home shirt for the 2016-17 season. This is always an exciting event and one appreciated by supporters, knowing that they as owners, choose next season’s home shirt. As in previous seasons, voting will be available online and there will also be a paper vote at Quaker Retail.

Even taking into account so many postponed games recently we are still holding our own in the play-off positions and there is absolutely every reason to expect another exciting second half of the season as we push on and strive for a third promotion in four seasons! Importantly though, and regardless of how we finish this season, your Board of Directors is determined and steadfast in its direction to make sure that your Club continues to grow within its means, whilst providing a brand of football that is exciting to watch and encourages fans of all ages to come and support us.

Finally, I know that a return to Darlington at Blackwell Meadows is what everyone is waiting for in 2016. As you know, we have made significant progress, particularly recently, and I’m looking forward to concluding the formalities and legalities as early in the new year as possible. I will continue to keep you informed when there is significant news to tell.

Please enjoy a fantastic Christmas and cherish the time spent with loved ones, as I will. I hope to welcome you back to Heritage Park on Boxing Day, when local rivals Whitby Town visit us for what should be a great game and a traditional family occasion.

I look forward to 2016 and hope that it brings everything we wish for, on and off the pitch.

On behalf of Darlington Football Club Board of Directors, our management team and the first-team squad, I would like to wish all supporters and everyone connected to your Club in some way, a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Up the Quakers!

Dave Mills