DARLING BUDS OF THE NORTH-EAST!

LIKE many others, I like to keep abreast of developments at upwardly mobile clubs across the country.

- Tony INCENZO

Indeed, the newest venue in Non-League football is Eastbourne Community Stadium where Darlington Town FC began playing right at the denouement of 2023/24. This coincided with their joyous promotion as Wearside League champions to the Northern League Division Two, joining Step 6 of the National League System.

The Darlings’ media officer Callum Ward told me more about ongoing plans.

“The team was initially called Darlington Reserves and subsequently became Darlington Town in 2018,” he said.

“We were based at Eastbourne Sports Complex utilising the original 3G artificial pitch but it lacked the Step 6 facilities required to get us promoted. However in 2022, we heard interesting talk of a new ground designated elsewhere on the Eastbourne site.

“A year later, it was announced Darlington Borough Council and the Football Foundation were funding stadium construction. It officially opened in May 2024 and we moved in.

Progress

“Our biggest game to date at Eastbourne Community Stadium was the Wearside League’s Shipowners Cup Final when we beat Richmond Town 3-0 on May 18. It was a fantastic occasion and result.

“The attendance was 437. I’m pretty certain this is our largest ever crowd. We clinched the treble that day as we had also lifted the league’s Monkwearmouth Charity Cup two weeks beforehand.