Here's the second part of the chapter from the Book "Darlo's Going Up" which was published a few years ago.

The chapter concentrates on the Fourth Division promotion season.

The first part was yesterday afternoon.

Quakers collected their second win of the season on September 22^nd with a 2-1 home victory over next to bottom Scunthorpe United, but they picked up several injuries. Kevan Smith suffered a dislocated shoulder in the second minute and was stretchered off, Phil Lloyd injured his ankle soon after and Peter Johnson strained his groin. Darlo still took the lead on 5 minutes through John Hannah’s header from a Dave McLean free kick, but Scunthorpe equalised through Derek Bell. Despite all the re-organising, Steve Tupling got the winner from a Kevin Todd pass, finishing off a superb move down the right. Cyril Knowles said; “That was first class considering that we had to move players around after Kevan Smith went off and that Lloyd was injured.” Only one sub was allowed in those days.

Steve Butterworth said in the Despatch; “Darlington have had to pay a heavy price for the start to the season. Just when things were beginning to brighten up on the Feethams treatment table, Quakers were dealt a string of cruel blows.”

Knowles was booked by referee David Richardson, when he wanted the ref to stop the game so that John Hannah could get treatment. The ref said that Knowles swore at him, but Knowles denied that he did. “All I said was, “Wouldn’t it be better if you stopped the game for 30 seconds to have a look at the player?””

And the optimism grew when Quakers travelled away to Aldershot on September 29^th and won 4-3, with substitute John Hannah scoring a hat trick and Kevin Todd the other.

Hannah took nothing for granted, and said; “I’ll just be happy to be in the squad next week.”

Cyril Knowles wasn’t exactly gushing with praise for Hannah, despite the player’s hat trick. “When he first came into the side last year he did tremendous, but after four or five games he stopped putting himself about a bit and tried to play the game. He stopped doing what he was good at and I had to give him a few roastings. I don’t care whether he gets ten goals if he’s not doing what I ask him.”

It was a good result considering that the team made the journey south on the day, taking six hours, and only arrived at the ground 90 minutes before kick off.

“I thought my players would feel it in the second half, but they did me proud in a cracking match,” said Knowles, who recalled Mitch Cook even though the midfielder wasn’t 100 per cent fit. It was Cook who created the first minute opening for Kevin Todd to score.

Martin Foyle equalised for Aldershot, then Colin Ross went off injured, and was replaced by Hannah, who scored a minute after half time with a shot on the turn. He scored the third from a rebound, and after Aldershot pulled one back to make it 3-2 because of a Fred Barber mistake -- “I gave Fred a right lashing for that one,” said Knowles -- Hannah struck again with a header in stoppage time to put Darlo fifth in the table, just a point behind fourth placed Aldershot and unbeaten in seven games. Aldershot scored their third right at the end.

So going into the first derby of the season on Tuesday October 2^nd against Hartlepool at Feethams there were some very hopeful signs. Unfortunately, in front of a big crowd of 5,221, Quakers went down 1-0.

“Quakers lost their proud unbeaten record and their heads,” was the Despatch headline.

Steve Butterworth wrote; “The crowd saw a physical game which occasionally spilled over into the violent.”

Kevan Smith played in the game having made a swift recovery from his dislocated shoulder. Les Mutrie scored for Hartlepool in the first half, but Carl Airey and Steve Tupling both hit the bar for Quakers.

They bounced back though the following Saturday, October 9th at Chesterfield, one of the promotion favourites and joint leaders on the day of the game, by drawing 0-0.

The headline in the Despatch was; “Heroic show by keeper Fred saves Quakers.”

Cyril Knowles said; “It was a real achievement to come away with a point. They put us under a lot of pressure but we never panicked. You’ve got to hold your hands up to the lads when you think that we had two out and never had a settled side.”

However, striker John Hannah picked up a bad toe injury, and wouldn’t play for the club again.

The draw at Saltergate prompted a magnificent unbeaten run right up to the end of the year.

It started with an excellent 4-0 win over another promotion hopeful, Colchester United at Feethams on October 13^th, with Mark Forster, who had just returned from playing for Munkfors in Sweden during the summer, amongst the goals.

“Two penalties in the space of twelve minutes proved the turning point,” wrote Steve Butterworth in the Despatch.

Darlo took the lead when John Craggs crossed from the right, and the ball was headed over the keeper and against the post by Carl Airey, and tapped in by Forster.

Colchester’s Perry Groves was sent off for swearing at a linesman. Fred Barber then saved a penalty, and a few minutes later David McLean scored from the spot after Airey was fouled by Colchester keeper Alec Chamberlain.

Airey fired the third, then Forster scored the fourth from Kevin Todd’s cross.

Quakers maintained their unbeaten away league record with a 1-0 away win at Halifax on October 19th, given to them by Kevin Todd, when he headed in a David McLean corner.

It meant that Darlington were still unbeaten away from home, the only team in the whole of the Football League to possess such a record, because Portsmouth lost at Wimbledon.

Former Newcastle man Todd, who was at Newcastle at the same time as Kevin Keegan, also scored the only goal of the game at home to Rochdale on October 23^rd, with 3,344 in the ground – double the attendances at the start of the season.

Steve Butterworth wrote in the Despatch; “Cyril Knowles paid tribute to his rookie heroes. The glory belongs to the youngsters who were virtual unknowns before Knowles lured them to Feethams. It was a happy ending for Quakers in an otherwise ill-tempered affair cluttered with rash tackles and a string of off-the-ball incidents.”

Cyril Knowles said; “At Fourth Division clubs you usually find older players finishing off their careers, but we have a very young squad who are prepared to give everything they’ve got. I don’t give out a lot of praise, but I was delighted to see the lads in such a happy mood at the end.” Quakers left it late to win, Todd heading the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Darlo were now fourth in the table, behind Chesterfield, Bury and Hereford.

On October 25^th, Knowles made two signings – defender Steve Senior from York City and forward Garry MacDonald from Carlisle United.

MacDonald – or “Garry Mac” as he became fondly known – scored on his debut in the 1-1 draw at Exeter on October 27^th, to stay fourth in the table. He scored with a half-hit cross-shot that sneaked in at the far post, but Exeter equalised seven minutes from the end.

Exeter were awarded a dubious penalty which Fred Barber saved. Steve Butterworth wrote in the Despatch; “A section of the Exeter crowd jeered the penalty award after Phil Lloyd had been harshly penalised for a challenge.”

Quakers then had a pulsating 2-1 win over Chester at Feethams on November 3rd.

Steve Butterworth wrote; “Darlington crammed enough action, incident and excitement into the opening half hour to satisfy even the most demanding customer. The most important factors are Quakers’ confidence, self-belief and spirit.”

Darlo forced eleven corners in the first 15 minutes. They took the lead with a David McLean penalty awarded for handball, then Kevin Todd got the second with a powerful header. Chester pulled a goal back in the second half, and caused a few anxious moments as Quakers held on.

Cyril Knowles said; “That was the best opening spell since I came here. The players are beginning to believe in themselves.”

Garry MacDonald also scored the only goal of the game away to Hereford, another promotion chasing team, on November 7^th. The Despatch headline was; “Quakers pass test with flying colours.”

Steve Butterworth said; “Darlington handed out a message to the rest of the Fourth Division, smashing Hereford’s proud unbeaten home record to prove promotion talk is no longer pie in the sky.”

Cyril Knowles said; “Hereford had one of the best home records in the league, and I would have been happy with a point before the game. Picking up three is just the bonus we need for this Saturday’s match. It’s easy for the lads to sit back and look at the table, but we have had to work hard for months so far – that is the way it will have to be all the time. There is no way that I’ll let them stay in cloud cuckoo land.”

MacDonald scored from a Mitch Cook corner, but midfielder Steve Tupling was dismissed for two bookings.

Quakers were now unbeaten in eight away league games, and second behind leaders Bury. Peterborough were level on points with Quakers, with Chesterfield, Hereford and Crewe close behind.

Part 3 will be on the website tomorrow!