During our 90s celebrations, we're remembering the 1989-90 GM Vauxhall Conference promotion under Brian Little.

Today, we look at that dramatic last week of the season, with the Monday night game at Kidderminster and the clincher at Welling, followed by over 1000 Darlington fans.

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

It seemed that promotion was there for the taking, only one point was needed from two away games, and after trouncing Cheltenham, it seemed to be just a formality that the league would be sewn up at Kidderminster.

A big following travelled across the country to Worcestershire for the Monday night game. Of a 2,514 gate, around half were from Darlo to see the Conference trophy snatched away from them by a goal twenty seconds from the end. Darlo came from behind twice, and going into stoppage time, they had the point they wanted, even with ten men following the dismissal of Gary Gill.

Mark Whitehouse put Kidderminster into the lead, but Frank Gray equalised from the penalty spot after David Cork was pushed in the penalty area. Kim Casey put Kidderminster back into the lead, and even though Gill was dismissed for a high challenge, Quakers looked to have clinched promotion on the hour when John Borthwick headed in a Frank Gray corner.

But in the dying seconds, and with Conference officials preparing to present the championship trophy, Whitehouse scored the winner in front of the disbelieving Darlo fans. “Twenty seconds from glory” said the Echo. It was only the fifth away defeat of the season.

“We didn’t play well in the first half, but I thought we bossed it in the second half. In football you can be as close as anything and yet be a million miles away,” said Brian Little.

There was still the possibility that Darlo needn’t have worried about picking up a point at Welling in the last game, because Barnet were at Macclesfield the following night.

Some Darlo fans who lived in that area, went to the game and supported the home side while the rest watched on Teletext at home, but the Londoners won with a goal just four minutes from the end of the game.

So it was all set up for Park View Road, Welling. A draw or a win would be enough for Darlo, because their goal difference was much better than Barnet’s. Well over a thousand fans made the trip southwards, and outnumbered the home fans in a 2,621 crowd.

Early news came through that Barnet were comfortably leading at Chorley, but every Darlo fan expected that to happen. It was all down to how Quakers performed on a bumpy pitch that didn’t help good football.

Nervously, Darlo fans watched the minutes tick by, and then with four minutes left, emotions overflowed. Every Darlo fan who was in the ground will remember the goal (as much as Chris Senior’s in the FA Trophy final 21 years later) when Andy Toman floated a free kick from the right over to the far post, and Gary Coatsworth, who was in the team because of the injury to Jim Willis and playing only his third game of the season, scored with a looping header over the keeper into the net. Cue pandemonium and huge celebrations, even more so when the final whistle went.

“A feat of football this wasn’t – a thoroughly professional performance it certainly was,” said Nick Helliwell in the Echo.

“We picked what we thought would be a hard side to beat and brought in Gary,” said Brian Little. “He’d had only one Sunday game since recovering from injury but he did a great job. Whenever Gary has played for us, he has always done exceptionally well. He is a tremendously competitive player and always dangerous at setpieces.”

Coatsworth, who was mobbed by his team mates and fans when the ball hit the back of the net, said; “I didn’t see the ball go in.” The Gazette said; “Gary’s finest hour!”

Chairman Dick Corden said; “I feel absolutely elated – exactly the opposite as to how I felt this time last year.”

John Borthwick said; “After the disappointment of the defeat at Kidderminster it was just great to see Gary’s goal go in. The fans deserve success, and I think we’ve got the players at Darlington to provide it.”

The news got even better for Darlo fans, when the club announced that Brian Little and Frank Gray had signed new contracts. Darlo were ready for their return to the Football League.

Coming soon: The story of the 1990-91 Fourth Division winning season