Bucks Briefly Fizz But Quakers Get Their Oats......

 And so to the 3,281 capacity Blackwell Meadows in Darlington for a Conference North clash between Darlington FC and Buxton FC.

The original Darlington FC was founded in 1883, after an outcry that there was no local football representation. The Quakers, a nod to the religious movement that had a significant influence on the town, played at Feethams and won the Durham Challenge Cup in 1885. The club badge is in the form of a shield, diagonally split to a white right upper showing a Quaker's hat, and a lower left red depicting George Stephenson's Locomotion No.1, the steam locomotive that hauled the first train on the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825.

Darlo was a founder member of the Northern League in 1889, and was admitted to the Third Division North in the Football League in 1921, via the North Eastern League. As champions in 1925 the Quakers were promoted to the Second Division, but it was short lived with relegation back following two years later.

Thereafter Darlington largely resided in the League's lowest tier, placed in Division Four after the League's reorganisation in 1958. Promotion in 1966 lasted a solitary season, and another promotion in 1985 barely fared better - two seasons of Division Three football this time before relegation...

Two years on Darlo was relegated to the Conference, but successive championships, under manager Brian Little, saw the Quakers move up to the third level in 1991. However they were immediately relegated to the redesignated Division Three.

Safe cracker, smuggler and tax cheat George Reynolds took over as chairman in 1999 and built his own vanity project - the £20m 25,000 capacity Reynolds Arena in 2003; Feethams was demolished in 2006 shortly after an arson attack and was eventually redeveloped. Unsuccessful attempts to sign Paul Gascoigne and Faustino Asprilla prefaced the club falling into administration six months later mainly due to the financial costs of running the Arena - Reynolds relinquished control soon after.

After going into administration once more in February 2009 League status was lost again in 2010. Despite winning a dreadful FA Trophy Final at Wembley in 2011 with a 120th minute strike from Chris Senior against Mansfield Town, the Quakers entered administration for the third time during the 2011/12 season. Relegation was confirmed later that term but worse was to follow as a Creditors' Voluntary Arrangement could not be agreed and Darlington FC was bankrupted and expelled from the Football Association, before being formally wound up.

A fan owned phoenix club Darlington 1883 was immediately set up and was placed in the Northern League Division One, playing at Bishop Auckland's Heritage Park for four seasons. Champions in their first season (2012/13) with 122 points and 145 goals, the Quakers saw further promotions in 2015 from the Northern Premier League North to the NPL Premier and then to the Conference North, now the National North, in the following year, 2016. Unable to compete in that season's play offs, having finished 5th, due to ground grading issues (a lack of seats - since upgraded with an additional 294 seats to avoid a recurrence) Darlo still remain in the National North.

In 2017 the FA approved the club's name change back to Darlington FC - the club had moved to share Blackwell Meadows with Darlington RFC in the town, with their first home game back on 26 December 2016 against FC Halifax Town resulting in a 3-2 win. Mid table subsequently, this season has been a struggle, languishing next to bottom, despite last weekend's 4-0 win at near neighbours South Shields, who had two players sent off - all the goals coming in the last 18 minutes. This was followed by a 2-0 away defeat at Boston; the Quakers have only two home league wins all season, and recently appointed their third manager this season in Steve Watson - Alun Armstrong and Josh Gowling having been sacked.

Buxton FC was established in the autumn of 1877 as an offshoot of the local cricket club. They originally played at The Park (still the cricket club ground), later moving to Cote Lane, London Road and Green Lane before settling at the (Tarmac) Silverlands Stadium in 1884. Silverlands was originally a field owned by Frank Drewry, the club's first captain, and remains the highest football ground in England, with main stand seats imported from the old Maine Road. The Bucks joined the Combination in 1891, finishing bottom in 1896 and withdrawing in 1899 when they switched to the Manchester League.

The Manchester League was disbanded in 1912; Buxton rejoined the re-established Manchester League in 1920. After winning the league in 1931/32 the Bucks transferred to the Cheshire County League, finally winning the title in 1972/73 which prompted promotion to the Northern Premier League.

They were demoted to Division One in 1997 and were relegated again the following season to the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League (?). Successive promotions in 2006 and 2007 saw Buxton back in the Northern Premier League, and, as champions, move up to the National League North at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. A creditable 11th last time, but their second season has proved more slightly more problematic - however they currently sit 13th after three successive league victories - 3-0 at the Nash (Curzon Ashton) and at home in the last week 3-1 versus the Puritans of Banbury United and 2-0 against the Tigers of Gloucester City.

Numberplates V15A SR, UR57 EPS (The Stair Shop) and V15 CSS feature en route, then past Chaos Karts, UA92 and Castlefield Viaduct into Manchester. Thereafter the Lower Turks Head, Mamucium and Victoria Tap - Torrside Brewing's I'm Spartacus on hand.

The train is diverted via Brighouse due to engineering works at Huddersfield and we pass Greengate Brewery in Middleton and then Malia and Arrow Mills. Amidst waterlogged fields, through Walsden, splitting from the Calder Valley line at Sowerby Bridge we reach Brighouse, and a hoarding in honour of William Booth's ministry work there - before he founded the Salvation Army.

Fellows Research Centre then Mirfield and Ravensthorpe brings me to Dewsbury and the former Machell & Bros building - Shoddy and Mungo manufacturers. Thereafter Leeds, Widdsigns, Versa Leeds Studios and #LoveOfLeeds. Power stations spewing out fumes follow me to York and the National Railway Museum, with a variety of preserved locomotives outside.

Kilburn White Horse leads up to Northallerton, then it's the Reynolds (now Darlington) Arena on my right - now home to Darlington Mowden Park RC - before I arrive in Darlo. The station has a very impressive, award winning clock tower and a piano on the platform for customers to play - a first !!

A whistle stop tour of Darlo takes in North Road, the home of Head of Steam Railway Museum. The town also hosts the Edwardian theatre The Darlington Hippodrome, the Hullabaloo, the Golden Cock, the Darlington Flyer, the Old English Gentleman, Jamia Mosque & Islamic Society, then Houndgate by the banks of the River Skerne and, next to the ground, The Tin Shed Sports Club, in honour of the North Terrace at Feethams. 

There is also a Joseph Peel statue, the Wandering Duck - which has wandered too far as it's closed - and some lovely architecture including Sloan's Billiard Room and Macy Brown's Cocktail Bar.

The town is also home to two Wetherspoons pubs - The Tanners Hall, once the location of Darlington's Skin Market, and The William Stead, former editor of the Northern Echo (the youngest editor in the country at age 22) and who died on the Titanic. The Northern Echo's and sister publication Darlington & Stockton Times' former site is across the road and opposite is the William Stead Memorial Stone by Darlington Library and Cluedini. Outside the town is David Mach's Brick Train Sculpture:

£15 in, the Quakers in white and black and the Bucks wearing all dark blue and white. Blackwell Meadows is just off the A167 and houses The West End notionally for the away support, very few today in a crowd of 1,224 and so little interest that there is no Away Supporters Coach. Rugby pitches are behind the West and South sides.

Opposite is the East Stand - nicknamed the Tin Shed in honour of its Feethams' forerunner, and strictly home fans only. There is also the North Side with a pavilion and clock and some seating. That leaves a strictly all ticket all seater South Stand across the way.

It's all Darlington as the Quakers start strongly. Cedric Main hits the side netting and Jarrett Rivers heads just wide in the first ten minutes. Then Ben Hedley has two shots straight at Buxton keeper Joe Young. And within 60 seconds of his second effort disaster strikes on 35 minutes....

Buxton have done very little and another aimless long ball is headed back to, and beyond, marooned home custodian Matty Young by Scott Barrow for an own goal. The Bucks briefly pep up and Jake Hull has a shot well saved with his follow up header tipped over the bar - Buxton lead 1-0 at the break 🙄 

The second period sees the Bucks content to play on the counter and protect their advantage. The Quakers, meanwhile, labour to create chances, their only one of note a Hayden Lindley shot blocked on the line by Max Hunt on 51 minutes.

That is until the introduction of home substitute Andrew Nelson midway through the half. Within three minutes he backflicks on a corner and Mitchell Curry equalises from a yard. Then with nine minutes left a clearance reaches Nelson on the edge of the box and he rifles the ball into the bottom corner; Darlo lead 2-1.

Despite the introduction of Buxton talisman Diego de Girolamo, the Quakers are untroubled and take the three points  - but remain next to bottom.

Such A Shayme - Fax Fail To Call The Shots....

And so to the start of February, amidst drizzle then sun and an icy wind, and the Shay Stadium and a National League Premier encounter between FC Halifax Town and Aldershot Town FC.

FC Halifax Town was established in 2008, replacing the old Halifax Town AFC which went into administration in the 2007/08 season, owing over £800,000 to HMRC and reputedly £2m in the red.

The Shaymen were initially placed in the Northern Premier League Division One North, and, after a season of bedding in, achieved back to back promotions to reach the Conference North in 2011, spearheaded by the goals of a young Jamie Vardy. Despite play off heartache the following season, defeated by The Holy Blues of Gainsborough Trinity, Fax went up the following year to the Conference National via the play offs after beating Guiseley in the final.

Halifax won the FA Trophy in 2016, beating Grimsby Town 1-0 at Wembley, but saw relegation back to the Conference North in the process. Immediately promoted back, the Shaymen returned to non league's top tier the season after as champions 🏆. 

Since then there has been a play off flirtation in 2021/22 - beaten by Chesterfield - and another FA Trophy success last term, defeating Gateshead 1-0. This campaign sees the Shaymen sit 10th in the Conference Premier after a disappointing recent run - but knocked out of the Trophy by Altrincham at the first time of asking on penalties 😳

And so to the start of February, amidst drizzle then sun and an icy wind, and the Shay Stadium and a National League Premier encounter between FC Halifax Town and Aldershot Town FC.

FC Halifax Town was established in 2008, replacing the old Halifax Town AFC which went into administration in the 2007/08 season, owing over £800,000 to HMRC and reputedly £2m in the red.

The Shaymen were initially placed in the Northern Premier League Division One North, and, after a season of bedding in, achieved back to back promotions to reach the Conference North in 2011, spearheaded by the goals of a young Jamie Vardy. Despite play off heartache the following season, defeated by The Holy Blues of Gainsborough Trinity, Fax went up the following year to the Conference National via the play offs after beating Guiseley in the final.

Halifax won the FA Trophy in 2016, beating Grimsby Town 1-0 at Wembley, but saw relegation back to the Conference North in the process. Immediately promoted back, the Shaymen returned to non league's top tier the season after as champions 🏆. 

Since then there has been a play off flirtation in 2021/22 - beaten by Chesterfield - and another FA Trophy success last term, defeating Gateshead 1-0. This campaign sees the Shaymen sit 10th in the Conference Premier after a disappointing recent run - but knocked out of the Trophy by Altrincham at the first time of asking on penalties 😳

The original Shaymen, Halifax Town AFC, was formed on 24 May 1911 at the Saddle Hotel, and commenced playing in the Yorkshire Combination and the Midland League. The club was a founder member of the Football League Division Three North in 1921, where they stayed until 1958 when the league was restructured and Town joined the new Third Division.

Relegation to Division 4 in 1963 was followed by promotion back in 1968/69 and then a further demotion in 1976. Their most famous victory was against Manchester City in the FA Cup - a 1-0 win in 1980 on a mudbath, and credit being taken by a barmy hypnotist called Romark - real name Ronald Markham - for his work with the players 😆 However the Shaymen lost their League status in 1993, but won the Conference title in 1997/98; it was a short lived stay as Town went back to the Conference in 2002, having finished bottom of the League.

In 2008 the club was placed into administration but failed to get a Company Voluntary Arrangement and was wound up in May 2008.

Aldershot Town FC is another phoenix club - the Shots, playing at the Recreation Ground ('The Rec'), were established in the spring of 1992, taking over from the debt ridden Fourth Division wound up Aldershot FC.

Initially placed in the Isthmian Third Division, Town won the league in their debut season and then were crowned as Division Two champions the following year. Shots won the First Division in 1997/98 and then the Premier in 2003 to gain a place in the Conference.

There they remained for five seasons before ascending, as champions, to the Football League at the end of the 2007/08 campaign. In perfect symmetry five years in led to Aldershot being relegated back to the Conference and entering administration in May 2013 with debts of £1m.

August 2013 saw the club taken over by a consortium led by former chairman Shahid Azeem. The play offs were reached in 2017 and 2018 but the Shots were 'relegated' in 2019 in 21st position - reprieved as Gateshead were forcibly demoted due to financial shenanigans. The last two seasons have seen Town scrape to survival but this time they look comfortable in 7th after a last gasp 3-3 equaliser on Tuesday at Wealdstone; however they suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat at the hands of Conference North bottom placed Bishop's Stortford in the FA Trophy - this in stark contrast to FA Cup giantkillings at Swindon (7-4) and Stockport County (1-0).

The original Shots, Aldershot FC, was established in 1926 when local sports journalist Jack White persuaded council officials that the garrison town needed a professional football club. Aldershot joined the Southern League and was crowned as champions in 1929/30.

The Shots were elected to the Football League Division Three South in 1932, replacing Thames, and had to seek re-election in 1937. 1958 saw Aldershot become a founder member of the new Fourth Division - and another re-election vote was successful at the end of that season.

Promoted in 1972/73 and relegated in 1976, the Shots became the first ever winners of the Football League play offs, beating Wolves 3-0 on aggregate, for promotion to Division Three in 1987. Their stay lasted only two years however, relegated to the bottom tier again.

Amidst a growing financial crisis the club was wound up in the High Court on 31 July 1990, but this was lifted on 7 August as property developer Spencer Trethewy paid £200,000 to save the club. But it soon emerged that Trethewy had insufficient financial wherewithal to keep the club running, and he was dismissed from the board on 1 November 1990.

Trethewy was subsequently convicted of fraud in 1994, sentenced to a 2 year prison term. He then changed his name by deed poll to Spencer Day and is currently manager of Farnborough FC.

The financial problems continued to beset Aldershot and they became the first club to resign from the Football League in over 30 years on 25 March 1992. Their last game was a 2-0 defeat against Cardiff City at Ninian Park, and the club's results were expunged for that season. Cue the phoenix and Aldershot Town FC...

Numberplates BA66ERS and J1NXX feature as the tram takes me into Manchester past the Taylor Swift mannequin, the Portico Library AD 1806 and the Blue Whale Asian Supermarket. Then Insomnia Cookies, Hanging Ditch and the new Victoria Tap at a station still advertising trips to Scotland, Ireland, Belgium and, er, Goole...

Beyond Newton Heath Traincare Centre, Arrow Mill just outside Rochdale leads to Kindness in the hillside at Todmorden and the Lamp Room and dominoes at Hebden Bridge. Then Halifax, 'Calderdale Culturedale', and Eureka - the National Children's Museum, the Quality Street factory and the Halifax Flour Society 1879.

In the compact town centre are the Square Chapel Arts Centre, Calderdale Industrial Museum, Escaporium, the Piece Hall, a cloth hall since 1779, and the Town Hall where 'Man Prospecteth'. Then Halifax Minster, Inn-Cognito and The Three Pigeons pub with its 1930s Art Deco interior.

To The Shay, the all covered home of FC Halifax Town and Halifax Panthers RLFC, with a capacity of 14,081, 5,830 standing - the ground is bounded by Shay Syke for the Main (East) Stand which houses segregated seating and Hunger Hill with a closed North Terrace - just ten flags on the bare steps today. The Skircoat (West) Stand, missing a few seats is also closed - the A629 Huddersfield Road above it, but the South Terrace is open. £21 in and a crowd of 1,928 - 192 away.

The Shaymen are in predominantly dark blue with light blue and white on their sleeves, and the Shots are in change white and pale blue stripes with black shorts. 

The Shaymen start strongly with Adan George stabbing wide inside the first 120 seconds, but the Shots respond and Lorent Tolaj heads over on 9 minutes when he should have done better. Fax's Jamie Cooke has a shot blocked then Tolaj scuffs wide and has another effort well saved by Sam Johnson.

On 26 minutes the deadlock is broken - an unconvincing punch by Shots' Dutch keeper Jordi Van Stappershoef lands at the feet of Max Wright and his 25 yard sumptuous effort into the top right corner puts Halifax ahead.

There is almost an immediate response - Jack Barham, after a jinking run a minute later, is denied by a smart save from Johnson. George nearly doubles the lead but shoots over the bar after his initial effort is parried. The Shaymen lead 1-0 at the break.

The second half sees an immediate response from Aldershot as Tolaj sweeps home from a Ryan Glover cross three minutes in. Thereafter Cooke has an effort saved, Barham is just wide for the Shots and Halifax's Belize international Angelo Cappello's daring shot narrowly misses.

But on 69 minutes Aldershot substitute Kwame Thomas arrives late at the back post to volley home decisively, and the Shots lead. It's very nearly 3-1 as Barham has a good strike beaten away by Johnson. 

Aside from sub Jack Jenkins' mazy run, with four minutes to go, culminating in a smart save from Van Stappershoef and Luke Summerfield's 95th minute free kick which shaves the post, Aldershot comfortably hang on. Indeed Thomas should have put the game to bed, breaking from his own half, dancing past Johnson, but a heavy touch allows the shotstopper to recover and scramble the ball away.