Darlington F.C.
Squad
- Reg Chester1937current
- Peter Bainbridge1979current
Curtis Edwardscurrent
James Coppingercurrent- Jimmy Connorcurrent
John Breckincurrent- Kevin Aldersoncurrent
- Mark Daviscurrent
- Reg Mountfordcurrent
- Walter Andersoncurrent
Arthur Wharton1885–1886
Ronald Brebner1908–1911- Charlie Dixon1912–1915
Fred Hopkin1912–1919- Pat Burke1921–1921
- Jack Andrews1922–1924
- Norman Creek1922–1924
- Tommy Atkin1925–1925
- Jack Brooks1926–1929
- Billy Eden1928–1929
- Jack Andrews1929–1930
- Charles Allan1931–1931
- Fred Hopkin1931–1932
- Harry Bruce1931–1931
- Bill Allison1932–1934
- Billy Eden1932–1935
- Jimmy Anderson1933–1933
- Tom Alderson1933–1935
- Charles Allan1934–1936
- Tommy Atkin1934–1934
- George Brown1936–1938
- Matthew Armstrong1936–1939
- Mike Boyle1937–1939
- Tom Alderson1937–1938
- Bobby Dodds1946–1949
- Joe Davison1946–1954
- Ken Bower1946–1949
- Tom Allison1946–1947
- Cliff Chadwick1947–1948
- Billy Coyle1949–1950
Ray Wood1949–1949- Ron Hewitt1950–1951
- Dickie Davis1953–1957
- Eddie Carr1953–1954
- Ernie Butler1953–1954
- John Agnew1954–1956
- Alex Greenwood1955–1956
- Harry Bell1955–1959
- Charlie Wayman1956–1958
- Ken Brandon1958–1959
- Bob Armstrong1959–1960
- John Downie1959–1960
- Laurie Brown1959–1959
- Barry Hawkes1960–1961
- Billy Curley1962–1965
- Trevor Atkinson1963–1968
- Bryan Conlon1964–1967
- Keith Bambridge1964–1964
- Brian Albeson1967–1971
- Ken Hale1968–1972
- Dave Crampton1969–1970
- Geoff Barker1971–1975
- Gordon Jones1972–1975
- Alan Duffy1973–1974
- Brian Bromley1975–1975
- Derek Craig1975–1980
- Alan Walsh1978–1984
- Don Ball1979–1982
- Harry Charlton1979–1982
- Ken Ellis1979–1980
- Kevin Barry1979–1981
David Speedie1980–1982- Barry Dunn1982–1983
- Fred Barber1982–1986
- David Barton1983–1984
- Paul Bannon1983–1983
Roger Davies1983–1984- Carl Airey1984–1986
- Mike Angus1984–1985
- Mitch Cook1984–1985
- Willie Young1984–1984
- Chris Evans1985–1987
- Gary Pallister1985–1985
- Jeff Clarke1985–1985
- Ricky Sbragia1985–1985
- Steve Carney1985–1986
- David Currie1986–1988
- Kevin Carr1986–1986
Paul Crichton1987–1987- Nigel Batch1988–1990
- Paul Dyson1988–1989
- David Corner1989–1991
- Frank Gray1989–1992
- John Gidman1989–1989
Mark Prudhoe1989–1993
Allan Evans1990–1991- David Cork1990–1992
- David Geddis1990–1991
- Mark Burke1990–1990
- Steve Mardenborough1990–1993
- Allan Evans1991–1991
- Howard Clark1991–1991
- Mitch Cook1991–1992
- Nick Pickering1991–1993
- Rob Dewhurst1991–1991
Sean Gregan1991–1996- Nick Cusack1992–1992
- Paul Dobson1992–1993
Andy Crosby1993–1998- Darren Collier1993–1995
- Gary Chapman1993–1995
Jimmy Case1993–1993- Matty Appleby1993–1993
- Paul Cooper1993–1994
- Bernie Slaven1994–1995
- Graham Kavanagh1994–1994
- Ian Banks1994–1995
- Matty Appleby1994–1996
Mike Pollitt1994–1995- Richard Appleby1994–1994
Robbie Blake1994–1997
David Lucas1995–1995- Gary Bannister1995–1996
- John Burridge1995–1995
- Mark Barnard1995–1999
- Brian Atkinson1996–2002
Brian Laws1996–1997- David Lucas1996–1996
Jason de Vos1996–1998- John McClelland1996–1997
- Lee Brydon1996–1998
- Carl Shutt1997–1999
David Preece1997–1999- Jonathan Atkinson1997–1997
- Teuvo Moilanen1997–1997
Dariusz Kubicki1998–1999- Gary Bennett1998–2000
- Marco Gabbiadini1998–2000
- Paul Campbell1998–2003
- Dariusz Kubicki1999–1999
- Mark Prudhoe1999–1999
- Martin Carruthers1999–1999
Martin Gray1999–2001- Neil Aspin1999–2001
- Neil Heaney1999–2000
- Paul Heckingbottom1999–1999
- Paul Heckingbottom1999–2002
- Garry Williamson Barnes2000–2001
Kevin Kyle2000–2001- Mark Angel2000–2001
Martin Taylor2000–2000- Paul Beavers2000–2001
Steve Baker2000–2000
Stuart Elliott2000–2001- Thomas Butler2000–2000
Gary Caldwell2001–2001- Ian Clark2001–2005
Mark Convery2001–2005- Neil Maddison2001–2007
- Olivier Bernard2001–2001
Andy Lonergan2002–2002
Graham Fenton2002–2002- Jon Cullen2002–2002
Richard Offiong2002–2003
Ryan Valentine2002–2006
Sam Russell2002–2003- Jimmy Corbett2003–2003
Ross Turnbull2003–2003
Alun Armstrong2004–2005- Clyde Wijnhard2004–2006
- Craig Hignett2004–2005
Curtis Fleming2004–2005
Danny Graham2004–2004- Sam Russell2004–2007
Akpo Sodje2005–2005- Akpo Sodje2005–2006
Bobby Petta2005–2005- Jonjo Dickman2005–2006
Matthew Bates2005–2005- Matty Appleby2005–2006
- Phil Stamp2005–2007
- Shelton Martis2005–2006
Simon Johnson2005–2007
Trésor Kandol2005–2006- Alun Armstrong2006–2007
- Andy Cooke2006–2006
Anthony Griffith2006–2007
David Stockdale2006–2008
Evan Horwood2006–2006- Gaetano Giallanza2006–2007
- Guy Bates2006–2006
Jemal Johnson2006–2006
Julian Joachim2006–2008
Kasper Schmeichel2006–2006
Kyle Lafferty2006–2006
Martin Smith2006–2008- Micky Cummins2006–2008
Taiwo Atieno2006–2006- Ville Väisänen2006–2007
- Corrin Brooks-Meade2007–2007
Curtis Main2007–2011
David Wheater2007–2007- Evan Horwood2007–2007
Johann Smith2007–2007
Matt Green2007–2007
Neil Austin2007–2009
PawelAbbott2007–2009
Richie Foran2007–2008
Scott Wiseman2007–2007- Scott Wiseman2007–2008
Ben Parker2008–2008
Billy Clarke2008–2008- Bryan Hodge2008–2008
Franz Burgmeier2008–2009- Jason Kennedy2008–2008
- Jason Kennedy2008–2009
Kevin Gall2008–2008- Michael Flynn2008–2008
- Richie Foran2008–2009
- Ryan Valentine2008–2009
- Sébastien Carole2008–2009
- Ben Starosta2009–2009
- Ben Starosta2009–2010
- Corey Barnes2009–2011
Dan Burn2009–2011
Danny Carlton2009–2009
David Davis2009–2009
David Dowson2009–2009
Dean Gerken2009–2009
Dean Windass2009–2009
James Collins2009–2010
Jamie Chandler2009–2009
Jamie Devitt2009–2009
Jonathan Hogg2009–2010
Jordan Cook2009–2010- Kevin Gall2009–2009
- Mark Bower2009–2010
- Mark Convery2009–2010
- Moses Barnett2009–2009
- Noel Whelan2009–2010
- Paul Arnison2009–2012
Rikki Bains2009–2010- Tony Kane2009–2009
Aaron Brown2010–2012
Aman Verma2010–2010
Daniel Powell2010–2010- Jamie Chandler2010–2012
Jefferson Louis2010–2011
Keith Gillespie2010–2010- Kelvin Jack2010–2011
- Kevin Austin2010–2011
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson2010–2011- Michael Brough2010–2011
Michael Smith2010–2011- Richard Offiong2010–2010
- Sam Russell2010–2012
- Serigne Diop2010–2011
Tadhg Purcell2010–2010- Adam Reach2011–2011
Chris Atkinson2011–2012
James Gray2011–2012- Marc Bridge-Wilkinson2011–2012
- Ole Söderberg2011–2011
Ryan Bowman2011–2012- Tadhg Purcell2011–2011
- Drewe Broughton2012–2012
Jordan Pickford2012–2012- Sean Gregan2012–2017
Mark Beck2016–2017
Adam Bartlett2017–2017
Jonny Burn2018–2019- Jordan Mustoe2023–2023
Darlington Football Club is an association football club based in Darlington, England.
As of the 2025–26 season, Darlington competes in the National League North, at the sixth level of English football.
The club was founded in July 1883 and won the Durham Challenge Cup in its first season.
Biography
Formation and Early Years
Darlington Football Club was founded in July 1883 during a meeting at Darlington Grammar School, driven by the need for a local team to compete in the Durham Challenge Cup. The club quickly made its mark by reaching the final of the cup in its inaugural season and winning it in 1885. The following year, they entered the FA Cup for the first time, although they faced a heavy defeat against Grimsby Town. Charles Samuel Craven, a local engineer, played a pivotal role in the club's formation and was instrumental in establishing the Northern League in 1889, where Darlington became a founding member and won league titles in 1896 and 1900.
Professional Era and Challenges
Darlington turned professional in 1908 and joined the North Eastern League. The club enjoyed notable success, reaching the last 16 of the FA Cup in the 1910–11 season. However, financial difficulties arose due to ground improvements during World War I, which impacted the club's stability. Despite these challenges, Darlington continued to compete and evolve, maintaining a presence in various leagues over the decades.
Recent Developments
As of the 2025–26 season, Darlington competes in the National League North, which is the sixth tier of English football. The club has a rich history and has achieved various honours since its inception, reflecting its longstanding significance in English football.
Collected from open sources (3) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Gallery
Career & Clubs
Founding and pre-war
In July 1883, a meeting was called in Darlington Grammar School to address concerns that so few Darlington-based football clubs were entering the major competition in the region, the Durham Challenge Cup. The meeting agreed with the view expressed by the Darlington & Stockton Times newspaper, that there was "no club, urban or rural, sufficiently powerful to worthily represent Darlington", decided to form a new club, and elected one Charles Samuel Craven, a local engineer, as secretary. Darlington Football Club duly entered the Durham Challenge Cup, reached the final in their first season, and won the trophy in 1885. The following season Darlington entered the FA Cup for the first time, only to lose 8–0 to Grimsby Town. Craven was instrumental in the formation of the Northern League in 1889. Darlington were one of the founder members, and went on to win the league title in 1896 and 1900; they reached the semi-final of the FA Amateur Cup in the same two seasons.
The club turned professional in 1908 and joined the North Eastern League. The 1910–11 season saw Darlington reach the last 16 of the FA Cup, progressing through five qualifying rounds to lose to Swindon Town in the third round proper, and two years later they won the North Eastern League. Ground improvements begun before the First World War left the club in financial difficulty during it; the chairman of Darlington Forge Albion financed the completion of the East Stand and cleared the…
- League
- National League
Legacy
Honours achieved by Darlington since their foundation in 1883 include the following:
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Darlington Football Club is an association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, England. As of the 2025–26 season, the team competes in the National League North, at the sixth level of English football.
All links
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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