Here's the fourth part in our adaptation from Darlo's Going Up of the successful promotion campaign in the 1984-85 season.

We've just been knocked out of the FA Cup at Telford, so manager Cyril Knowles must lift the players for the league run in.

Whatever Cyril said to the players must have worked, because they bounced back to win their next league game, at Scunthorpe on Friday February 8th, by 1-0, Carl Airey scoring his 11^th goal of the season from a Mitch Cook cross.

It was a timely win, because several of Quakers’ promotion rivals were unable to play that weekend because of waterlogged pitches. They were now up to sixth in the table.

“Airey wipes out Cup blues,” was the Echo headline.

Next was the Freight Rover Trophy on February 14th. Quakers were paired with Halifax Town in a two legged tie, and it didn’t appear to be in Cyril Knowles’ plans especially with a big promotion campaign under way. “This competition would be fine if it was played as a pre-season warm up, but it is no use during the season, and only adds to clubs’ problems particularly for us and Halifax who only have small squads,” he said.

Darlo lost 4-1 at the Shay, in front of just 403 fans. “Fans give Trophy the thumbs down,” was the Despatch headline.

Resting a few players in the Trophy tie worked, because Quakers produced an excellent performance and beat Hartlepool 2-1 in the local derby at the Victoria Ground on February 17th, Carl Airey scoring a last minute winner.

“Airey a winner as Quakers exact revenge,” was the Despatch headline. “Airey’s last minute winner gave Quakers revenge for the only blot on their home league record this season.”

Paul Dobson set up Mark Taylor to give Hartlepool the lead, but Quakers equalised when Peter Johnson worked his way into the box and swung over a left foot cross which deceived the keeper and floated into the top corner of the net. The winner came when Steve Tupling hooked the ball into the area for Airey who prodded in.

Cyril Knowles, who had unexpectedly changed the team’s system to use Kevin Todd as a sweeper, said; “That was our best performance away from home, even better than when we played at Boro. I would have been disappointed if we had only drawn, especially considering all the chances we had in the first half. Kevin Todd was outstanding. You have to have the right players, but I took a chance and it paid off.”

Quakers were now second, three points behind Bury.

Quakers were brought down to earth when they lost 5-2 at Chester City on February 23^rd.

The Despatch headline said it all; “Hiding makes Cyril see red.”

Steve Butterworth reckoned that “Knowles was fuming after the game, and handed his players a severe 45 minute post-match mauling.”

Knowles emerged from the dressing room to say; “It’s been a bad day, the worst for a long time. We fell to pieces from back to front. We haven’t played as badly as that for a long time. I just hope it worked as a tonic for the players.”

The team’s preparations weren’t helped by the team bus breaking down before they even set off, and they had to wait two hours for a replacement to arrive. They didn’t have time for a pre-match meal. It was the club’s heaviest defeat since New Year’s Day 1983. “It will be a good kick up the backside for some players.”

After several postponed games, Quakers had a double header at Feethams, a home league game against Exeter on Saturday March 2^nd, and the second leg of the Freight Rover Trophy game against Halifax the following day. Cyril Knowles signed winger Garry Haire from Bradford City.

It was worth the wait, as they beat Exeter 2-1 with goals by Phil Lloyd and Steve Tupling, even though several players were suffering from flu – Fred Barber, Tupling, Kevin Todd, Lloyd, Peter Johnson and Mitch Cook. It was too late to ask the League for a postponement.

Mitch Cook flicked the ball back for Tupling to drill home a low shot on 15 minutes, then Phil Lloyd headed in a Mitch Cook corner. Kevin Todd put through his own goal for Exeter’s goal.

The Freight Rover Trophy game saw a remarkable 7-0 win against Halifax which meant that Quakers got through to the next phase on aggregate.

John McMahon, released by Middlesbrough the week before, scored a first half hat trick on his debut for the club, with David McLean (2) and Steve Tupling (2) getting the others.

The Despatch said; “The 675 souls who bothered to trek down to Feethams on a cold and wet Sunday were treated to a marvellous soccer spectacle. The 7-0 victory matched anything seen at Feethams in recent years.”

Cyril Knowles said; “I told the players that if we’re going out of the competition, to go out of it with pride. They went and scored seven, I couldn’t believe it.”

Some players were appearing in third game in the space of four days when Darlo went to Rochdale on Tuesday March 5^th, and won 2-1.

Recent signing Garry Haire was the matchwinner. The Despatch said; “Haire shot Quakers into third spot with a goal of outstanding quality, a blockbuster of a drive which flew past the Rochdale keeper into the net after Steve Tupling’s shot was blocked.”

Mark Forster had earlier put Quakers into the lead with a simple tap in.

Forster played up front but wore the number 2 shirt. Garry MacDonald played at centre half and wore 10, Kevin Todd played at left back with 8 on his back, and right back Peter Johnson wore 3.

Quakers were now third in the table, a point behind Bury and Blackpool with games in hand. Chesterfield were two points further back in fifth, followed by Hereford and Peterborough. The games were going to come thick and fast, and would test the small squad to its limit.

Halifax came to Feethams again on March 9^th, and they finished with just eight men on the field, having had two men sent off and another taken off injured after using their substitute. Quakers won the game 2-0, but should have had a few more goals.

Cyril Knowles said; “We played well in the first half and we’re second in the table, so I can’t grumble. Our young players didn’t know how to play in a situation like that. Our back four had nobody to mark in the second half and they didn’t know what to do. That’s inexperience.”

Mark Forster crossed for Mitch Cook to clip home from ten yards – Cook’s first goal in 27 matches - and David McLean converted a penalty awarded for handball.

Halifax had Ces Podd and Alan Knill sent off, while keeper Paddy Roche was carried off after they’d used their sub.

Darlo were now 11-8 favourites to win the league, according to one bookmaker.

Quakers were starting to catch up on their matches, and they went top of the table on March 12^th by beating Crewe 2-1, in front of a 4,134 crowd thanks to a great goal by Mitch Cook. Bury lost on the same night.

“Cook’s rocket works wonders” was the Despatch headline. “Mitch Cook responded in perfect fashion to a verbal rocket from Cyril Knowles,” wrote Steve Butterworth.

Cyril Knowles said; “It’s nice to see him do well. I left him out for the Rochdale game and had a right go at him last Friday, and he’s come back with two goals from two games.”

Carl Airey’s overhead kick fell nicely for Mark Forster to score, and after Cook put through his own goal, he hit a 30 yarder for the winner.

Darlo were now two points clear of Bury, with Halifax, Chesterfield and Blackpool three points further back.

Cyril said; “We have done extremely well to get where we are, and most of all, I am pleased for the players. The pressures are far greater at the top than when you are halfway down the table.”

Quakers then made the long journey to Layer Road in Essex to play Colchester on Friday night, March 15th, and won their fifth successive game to go five points clear at the top.

Cyril Knowles said; “I thought it was a tremendous match considering that we were on the coach for six hours. All matches are big ones now. Though Colchester let us off the hook, we showed real character and stuck our chances away and that was the difference between two good sides.”

The Colchester keeper failed to hold Mitch Cook’s powerful shot and David McLean drove the rebound into the net.

Carl Airey made no mistake with the second goal, slicing the ball cleanly into the net.

There was a four way tie behind Quakers with Hereford, Chesterfield, Bury and Blackpool all tied on 61 points in second.

Quakers’ next three games were against three of their promotion challengers. The first was at Bury on March 19^th, but they lost 1-0, only their third away league defeat of the season. A power failure half an hour before kick off forced hundreds of spectators to miss the first 20 minutes because of problems at the turnstiles, but the referee decided not to delay the kick off.

The Despatch said; “Quakers lacked the killer punch. Not for the first time, Cyril Knowles had cause to criticise Darlington’s finishing as the five match winning run came to an end.” Quakers squandered three gilt edged chances.

Cyril said; “I thought we played quite well, especially in the first half, but we should have taken our chances.”

They came back to Feethams and lost 3-1 at home to Chesterfield, a setback that knocked Quakers off the top of the league.

It was Chesterfield’s ex Hartlepool striker Bob Newton, who did the damage. The Despatch said; “Big Bob Newton knocked Darlington off top spot with a classic centre forward’s display. Quakers lacked the coolness in front of goal to turn their numerous chances into goals.”

Cyril Knowles said; “We are rushing things, the players are too eager. We have got to learn and calm down a bit.” Mitch Cook scored Darlo’s goal with a lob.

There was some consolation the following night, when keeper Fred Barber was named in the PFA’s team of the year for the Fourth Division.

The following Tuesday, Quakers lost in the second round of the Freight Rover Trophy by 3-1 at home to Lincoln City, but still managed to reach the quarter finals by virtue of being a high scoring loser from the previous round against Halifax. Taking the first leg of the Halifax game into account, they had lost twice and still reached a cup quarter final!