Four years on.......

By Ray Simpson

Four years on.......

It's four years since we all emotionally flocked to Barrow, for what many thought would be Darlingto...

It's four years since we all emotionally flocked to Barrow, for what many thought would be Darlington Football Club's last ever game, as it teetered on the abyss.

In the build up to that game at Holker Street, Darlington fan Richard Heslop posted a memorable rallying cry on the Darlo Uncovered message board, that went viral.

To mark four years since that strong show of support, unity and devotion, the official website reproduces Richard's post, which was published in Ray Simpson's book "In the Dying Seconds". That day will never be forgotten, for so many reasons.

[caption id="attachment_16094" align="alignnone" width="300"]Darlington captain Jamie Chandler at the end of the match supporting 'thanks for the memories' message on his shirt. Darlington captain Jamie Chandler at the end of the match sporting 'thanks for the memories' message on his shirt.[/caption]

 

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.”

Let’s make Barrow on Saturday a celebration of the life of Darlington Football Club, not a wake or a funeral or an attack of those who have dropped us into this position. Go to Barrow and show people around the world how proud we are of our team and our lads. Let’s show people that we still care, that we are still proud of the club and our town. Let’s show people that Darlington Football Club stands as an ambassador for our town and our area and we will not just give it up and slope off home. We will fight on.

Let’s show the players that that shirt still means something, that that shirt still needs to be worn with pride and that it is worth putting on that shirt and running out on that pitch and representing all of us one last time. One last go lads, everything you have got, one last time, 90 minutes of life as a Darlo player left. s*** or bust, hero or zero. Go out with a bang and not a whimper. Use this game to thank them and the legend that is Craig Liddle for everything they have done recently, against so much strife, unpleasantness and uncertainty and tell them that we are so proud that they are carrying on, let’s get behind whoever takes a place on that pitch, regardless of opinion, past reputation or performance on the day. Because this might be the last time!

Let’s show people what it means to be a fan of Darlo, celebrate those 128 years of existence. Celebrate everything that has gone before, the good, the bad, and the ugly, show people that although we have been here through thin and thinner, that we have suffered blow after blow, we are still not beaten, we are still not broken, we are still here and we still stand proudly behind Darlington Football Club. Show them that although we have been knocked down and might be on the canvas right now, we will get back on our feet and come out punching. It will be us who land the knock out blow. Use this day to shame all of those plastics and couldn’t give a damns in the town into thinking about what they could have been a part of, make them see what we have been about, what we are about and what we will be about again.

Let’s celebrate the good times, the 85 promotion, Boro, the Conference win in 89/90, Welling away, 90/91 champions, Rochdale at home, Knowles, Little, Hodgy, Platt, Hodgy (again), Wembley in 96 and 2000 and that sweet moment in May when a little fella headed home from half a yard to win us the cup. Make everyone who has knocked us or laughed at us over the years understand that today we embrace all of the crap players, the terrible teams, the rubbish managers and crazy chairmen who have afflicted us. Why? Because all of that makes the few good times even better. Because all of those things are what Darlington Football Club is about.

Let’s show them what it means to call yourself a Darlo fan one last time. Let’s also think of all those people in the Tin Shed in the sky who aren’t able to stand with us on Saturday, think about what the club meant to them and how they passed on that love for the club to you, think about how one day you want to pass that love on to the next generation so that they know what being a Darlo fan is all about. I am sure they will be stood leaning on that crash barrier under the Sunday Sun board with their scarves and flasks of Bovril thinking "typical bloody Darlo" - but they would still make the journey if they could! In fact I am sure they will be there with us. Sing that bit louder for them. If anyone is unsure about going and is able to go they should make the trip, it could be your only chance to say goodbye to the team you love. It could be your last chance to wear the black and white and get behind the lads.

Do whatever it takes to get to Barrow, wear your shirts with pride and wave your scarves one last time. Tell anyone you meet where you are going and why. Tell them you are proud to support the lads! And should this turn out to be the last time then let’s celebrate all of that, let’s support the lads and the manager, let’s keep singing up to the final whistle and beyond because this club means something to each and every one of us, it has been part of our lives for so long, it is what makes us who were are, it is what makes us better than everyone else and it might not be there for much longer. Let’s make this day one of the greatest moments for this football club. If it is to be the end let’s go out on a high, all guns blazing giving it everything we have got and not for one minute forgetting that we are Darlington Football Club and we will bounce back!