Off the intotheblueboard.

Just been out tonight with some Leeds lads, and one of the lads who works for Yorkshire evening post, was saying that a rumor had hit the sports department that Darlo was to go in to administration or houghton would walk, (who the hell is houghton Ive no idea)

Anyone else heard about this...


By way great result tonight, was in bog at pub when text came threw, thinking it was final score just gave a quick look, then there was me shouting get in there......got some strange looks as i left the toilet....who cares, well over moon

Apparently there is some big announcement tomorrow.

Rumours of a major announcement tomorrow. I would absolutely piss myself.

I would hope not. I'd prefer the likes of Darlington to the Man United's of this world, at least you can't call the loids gloryhunters.

Here you are Sussex:

it's to do with the Northen Echo sponsoring their stadium, which i think is perfect....


Northern Echo, Echo, echo, echo.......echo................echo

i have been saving this for such an occasion anyone else donated yet?

I'm not saying I want them to go out of business or anything for every cocknocker who doesn't go (Sussex for example) they have loyal fans like us BUT!!

If they went into administration their promotion chips would be well and truly be pissed on, I challenge any self respecting Poolie to NOT find that funny.

i might have a florin and a couple of farthings i could donate

If true it would give me no pleasure as PJ said they are fans just like us.

10 point deduction???!!

Promotion chips pissed all over!?!

Come on man, that's funny!!

i would piss my boxers. Wouldn't want them to disappear completely though

Agree with 10 or so points off for fun like,

Especially if they were in the last play-off place with a 9 point cushion!!

We are "highly likely" to go into administration, according to the Echo.

Should be confirmed in the morning I would think.

To be honest the club is not worth saving.

Warning: wind up!!
FFS it's your club.
Hardly your fault if it's been brought down by buffoons.

Well ... funny like, but no' y' fol'.

Looks like the rumour could be true then.

DARLINGTON Football Club is highly likely to go into administration this morning, The Northern Echo understands.

Rumours began circulating within the club after last night's game that chairman George Houghton's two-and-a-half-year reign was nearing its end.

When contacted by the Echo, Graham Robb, partner in the club's PR firm Recognition, confirmed that adminstration was a "strong possibility".

Administration means that an outside firm of financial experts is appointed to find ways of maximising the club's assets to pay off its outstanding debts. Under Football Association rules any club going into administration is docked ten league points.

Speaking after midnight this morning, Mr Robb told the Echo: "At this moment, no administrator has been appointed, but it is well known that Mr Houghton has had ambitious plans for the club's future. Those plans have revolved around using rental revenue from developing land around the stadium to support income from match tickets. The plans have suffered from a lengthy planning process and the recession which has driven down football attendances."

Despite last night's 2-1 defeat to Rochdale, the Quakers - who are celebrating their 125th anniversary - have been in the top ten in League Two for much of the season and are in with a realistic chance of securing a play-off place.

Mr Robb continued: "The chairman has been able to bring the club's management costs under control and the team is having a better season. Any plans for the future will be predicated on the possibility that new financial arrangements can be found."

Mr Houghton, 69, is a successful Tyneside property entrepreneur with interests in nursing homes. He has projects in several countries, including America, China and Gibraltar. He bought the club in March 2006 from Stewart Davies of the Sterling Consortium.

The Football League's complicated rules say that a club which goes into administration before the fourth Thursday in March will be immediately docked ten points.

Automatic promotion is considered unlikely for Darlington this season, and while any punitive action by the FA will undoubtedly harm the club's play-off push, it is to be hoped that it will not damage it fatally.

The Sterling Consortium gained control of the club in May 2004 after George Reynolds' colourful time as chairman.

Mr Reynolds took the club from its traditional home of Feethams and developed an enormous 27,500 seater stadium on the edge of town. However, his time in charge ended in December 2003 when the club went into administration owing the Inland Revenue in excess of £400,000. Mr Reynolds was subsequently jailed for tax evasion.

In May 2004, the Sterling Consortium, which had loaned Mr Reynolds money to build the multi-million pound stadium, took the club out of administration as the best way of protecting its investment.

The Consortium then sold it on to Mr Houghton, a football enthusiast who said he hoped to be "banging on the Premiership's door" within five years.

However, attendances never matched his expectations. Last season - the club's best for eight years - saw an average of about 3,100; this season, before last Saturday's match, the average was down to 2,900.

Mr Reynolds always maintained that between 5,000 and 6,000 paying fans were needed to enable the club to break even.

In February 2008, Mr Houghton wrote an open letter to the town through The Northern Echo appealing for greater support, a plea he repeated when attendances disappointed at the start of this season.

As well as trying to increase attendances, Mr Houghton attempted to raise revenue by developing the Neasham Road site. In April 2008, he was given planning permission by Darlington Borough Council for a £12m development which would include a 100 bedroom hotel, offices, cafe, pub and training academy featuring three outdoor and ten indoor pitches. However, the collapse of the world's capital markets has left the project unable to get off the ground and Mr Houghton dependent upon dwindling gate receipts.

The one successful non-football revenue earner was Sir Elton John's sell-out concert in July 2008.

To assist in the development of the club, Stockton entrepreneur Raj Singh was appointed the club's first vice-chairman in December. He is the owner of the £30m Prestige Group of care homes. The Northern Echo understands that he resigned as a director a couple of weeks ago, although he was at last night's match.

Initial indications from fans last night was a weary "here we go again" attitude. One said: "We've been in this predicament before and always, somehow, come through. We can only hope that we will again."

I seem to remember Houghton making a statement sometime ago that he'd leave in 18 months time - and it maybe that coincdes with this news.

Of course it's 'fun' to see your rivals / neighbours struggle, but I certainly wouldn't wish Darlington FC to disappear for good.

Me neither, I hope they survive. But they will now struggle to reach the Championship by 2000 and the Indian community who George Houghton hoped Raj Singh would attract may now look elsewhere for their football fix.

I just don't see a lurcrative market for football in the Indian community - it's good that football try's to do so, but football is not in their culture to the extent that it is in ours.

I wonder what proportion of Bradfords crowds are Indian, because if they cannot attract an indian audience, I cannot see how Darlington could.

Yer on this message board every Hartlepool game..

And your point is?

I was being sarcastic WPP. Houghton was quoted as saying he hoped Singh's appointment would attract Indian fans.

What the fook are you on about, you bright as midnight peg selling half-wit?

What!?!

I was being sarcastic WPP. Houghton was quoted as saying he hoped Singh's appointment would attract Indian fans.

Sitting Bull will be on the warpath now.

I bet that came out of your 1st pay packet

They aren't the enemy no, of course they're not but they are our traditional rivals. Part of being a football fan is having rivalries. You won't catch me referring to Darlo as 'scum' or any other moronic phrases but they are still and always will be our rivals.

I was becoming nearly as apathetic towards them as you..... then Sussex turned up on this board Anyway I've calmed down since I first heard the news now I'd say I only find it all mildy amusing.