The Stadium that Bankrupted a Football Club

[@mylom8397]

"coming to see the football, every opportunity you can get, it's the best thing we can do really". I love that.

[@tommantek3632]

Gives the lads something to do for a couple hours, it's great really!

[@mick3765]

That's what it's all about.

[@lofnouk]

Loved the chat you had with the young lads. Sensible heads on their shoulders.

[@luigijohnson8497]

Well said everyone should support local teams and just watch football.

[@yourmum955]

@@luigijohnson8497 Everyone should support whoever they want.

[@booradley6832]

They were so intimidated lol. She has to be like the third, maybe fourth attractive woman they've ever seen in person.

[@nirmalyanandi5046]

​​@@booradley6832 why so? Attractive women are less in number in that place?

[@lukealadeen7836]

@booradley6832 Don't project how you would feel on them. Not everybody likes being on video

[@danielfleming9367]

I feel very sorry for Darlington Fans and what they went through with George Reynolds actions, and great video again Nieve

[@senianns9522]

It was Darlington Borough Council that stifled any attempts to make money at this stadium. When the Rugby club got it --all things changed!

[@danielfleming9367]

@@senianns9522 the rugby club has saved things big time for them

[@robertpalmer8412]

Im a darlo lad

[@effkay3691]

If you want to know why we have silly FFP rules well here is why. Protecting clubs from megalomaniacs to the detriment of well run clubs. Love the community spirit of these small clubs.

[@1234legend1234]

Its also there for the big clubs to keep the status quo. They don't want a new City or Chelsea coming up.

[@03amp]

lmao city has broken the rules

[@LarryLoudini]

While I agree with you, I’m not sure that FFP would’ve protected Darlington as expenditure on infrastructure is typically excluded from FFP?

[@yorkshirelad346]

@@1234legend1234was going to say the same

[@yorkshirelad346]

@@03ampdon’t invalidate the point , no FFP no rule broken genius

[@joshuahannon7594]

Even as a Hartlepool fan it' was sad to see the demise of our rivals, the derby games were always something to look forward to even when both clubs were struggling. With our current trajectory it won't be long before we play again.

[@alastairnicolson4992]

Hartlepool played York off the park the other week!

[@wobblybobengland]

​@@alastairnicolson4992 monkey hangers lost both Oldham double header games and sacked the manager after

[@kevinshanahan6064]

I recall Brian Clough had to work behind the bar at Hartlepool as the club couldn’t afford to pay another staff member’s salary. Financial doping to win trophies is an empty achievement.

[@SamMC08]

Not with the way Darlo are heading. Relegation is all but confirmed this season. Who knows is they will ever reach the 5th tier again.

[@GuyDavid77]

​@@SamMC08hold off on that relegation Sam 💪🏼

[@robinbarwick8473]

From Polish and Norwegian derbies - to the Premiership - to this - and through all your videos your enthusiasm, wit, knowledge and passion for the game shines through making each each one interesting but in different ways. Great Stuff, please keep it up.

[@thetopfootycoach]

Honestly this has happened too many times to our football league clubs, it's a pity, great video again!

[@iancarr3923]

10K+ views in an hour. Terrific.

[@farhanatashiga3721]

Heh if you think it's happening frequently then i suggest you took a moment to search about the (in)stability of lower leagues Italian clubs

[@gridthrottle]

I love your videos about these smaller clubs and grass root football. The sound bytes from the supporters of these clubs is really insightful (for example the young lad who have a logical explanation of why he would rather have Darlo get promoted to Liverpool win another UCL). Keep it up, Stuntpegg!

[@JulesMarz]

Another big example of an owner destroying football clubs (at a bigger scale, of course.), can be found in Valencia, Spain, through the Peter Lim-Valencia FC relationship. Thank you for the video, enjoyed so much! Cheers.

[@MoozKIERL]

RC Lens in French Ligue 1 had a very close call with Hafiz Mammadov. It was really sus when he came to the club in 2013 with the ambition to buy Ibrahimovic or Falcao and win the Champions League. Lens is a famous and historical club, but Zlatan would definitely not want to come here. We were nothing back then, the club was struggling in Ligue 2. The best thing that happened to the club was the sale of Varane. Fast forward, Mammadov was arrested in his country and had important financial difficulties, leading him not to be able to fund RC Lens (he only gave like 1.5 M). We nearly got into non-league because of that.

[@mofaizanuar8220]

What did Peter Lim do actually? Never heard Valencia being in huge debt

[@2dirtyninja333]

I love your channel. I'm in the US and getting great reporting on clubs we never get to hear about in this country is a football fanatics dream. Keep up the great work!

[@runswithcows]

What a lovely story full of hope and resilience. Years ago Leyton Orient had similar but not so bad issues, so I can feel the pain and frustration.

[@alexholland2864]

Leyton Orient actually have a place in the history of Darlo - being the last team to visit Feethams before we moved to the white elephant

[@biscuitapocalypse5883]

The Darlo story is really interesting, but what I really liked be about this video is just the feeling of hanging out at a small club. It's wonderful. Anyone who hasn't been to their local non league club really should give it a try. ❤

[@lenla123]

Not too long after the stadium opened, they even installed a big screen, which I believe at the time was the largest screen within a stadium in the football league. One of the funniest memories of watching Darlo play was when Chris Brass scored an own goal and we got to watch it back on the screen. If you search in KZbin for Chris Brass own goal, it still exists and is one of the greatest own goals of all time. He even broke his nose! If I'm correct, I think Middlesbrough FC bought the screen when the stadium was sold.

[@renejean2523]

lol Thank you for pointing me in the direction of that little gem.

[@Martin64uk]

I was there photographing the game for Bury, Brassy really got some stick for ages. Brilliant match as we were close to going out of the league and the 3-2 win saved us. The scenes at the end were fantastic for us, especially with Kasper Schmeichel who celebrated like he’d won the Premier League.

[@FozzQuaker]

The only wound Brassy came away with was to his pride...It's a myth that he broke his nose

[@p1xl8d]

We had Vladimir Romanov at Hearts and now we're fan owned too. Same thing, wiped the debt, added new debt then we ended up in admin.

[@fabiomarques3098]

great video!! Darlington has a special place in my heart , as it was the first team I managed in a football game, back in premier manager 98 :)

[@flashtheoriginal]

Discovered this by chance. Never knew any of this. Brilliant reporting. Respect

[@dunoefam6240]

Great video as always Nieve. It's been a real shame to see the story of what happened to Darlo become buried under the other cases of mismanagement by owners even more recently, but appreciate you shining a light on this. Regardless, it's great to see the community come together to set up a new fan-owned club (even if the league progress has faltered a little in the past few years). I have a lot of family in Darlo and this video has inspired me to get myself to a game next time I'm up there!

[@alexandremoreira5062]

You are so beautiful, charismatic and funny. And above all, you tell a lot of things that a football fanatic wants to hear, while being very attentive with your fans and their comments. Congrats from Brazil, lady.

[@MightBeBray]

never see the big media stuff covering this sort of thing. Absolutely class video as usual!

[@yourmum955]

Well yeah because it's a pretty niche target demographic lmao

[@elcactusdelamuerte506]

@@yourmum955plus tbf it was covered by national media at the time (on numerous occasions throughout the years of Reynolds taking over and the clubs eventual collapse), it’s not really news a decade later

[@B1GB1RDB4G3L]

I love your reporting. It feels more about the crowd? The culture? The energy? This feels more real to me than anything Ive seen on football before

[@dc619]

Glad you make these, makes me learn the lower sides and gain sympathy for what they go through

[@jamesfield1674]

Love the research you do into other aspects of football not just the BIG FOUR! great channel

[@ChubbBates-mh5xp]

I’m 62 and I remember when Darlington was in the football league and also Workington Town.I thought both didn’t exist anymore.Glad you’re on your way back. Coys.

[@fault.]

You always perfectly capture the feel of the club with your clips around the ground ❤

[@charleswilliams4059]

These wonderful football clubs are part of our British heritage and should be protected.It is very sad to see the demise of Darlington. Hope they get back into the league one day

[@matthewfoley636]

Love the channel thank you so much for shedding some light on my club .. really struggling at the moment but I hope we can stay up

[@incarnateTheGreat]

Thanks for this, Pegg. Really appreciate you sharing this story about Darlo and the crap that they've gone through. Like you asked the Liverpool/Darlo lad if he'd rather win Europe or get back into the Football League, you have to go with Darlo there. Things like this are far more important for the club, it's supporters, and the town.

[@alansmithee8831]

A'reyt Nieve. Happy New Year to you and all reading this comment. Not the first video about this, but this was cheery as well as sad. Best wishes to any fans of clubs in this sort of situation. As a Bradfordian, with a Keighley family, it is very familiar from both football and rugby league.

[@MKManselton]

Awesome platforming and amplifying a story that needed telling. Legend.

[@garywallace8521]

I remember going to Feethams to watch a game. Prior to kick off all the fans were able to watch a cricket match first as the turnstiles were on the street so you paid the one entrance price. Not many clubs could claim that distinction. Unfortunately, the Feethams ground is now Sainsbury’s.

[@stuntpeggnieve]

Would’ve loved to have gone to Feethams. Great fact, thank you Gary.

[@xwhalerfanb776]

it sat empty for many years before finally getting razed...as a bradford city fan it was tough to watch as it happened same thing with bury

[@Vonobox1]

​@@stuntpeggnievethe Derby matches with us (Hartlepool) at Feethams were something else - a level of rivalry you don't see these days! Pretty dangerous in the 80s and early 90s when hooliganism was peaking

[@OscarOSullivan]

The antics of George Reynolds are a reminder that the mid 1990’s to 2008 could match the most decadent days of the Roman empire for decadence. Having to find someone as a replacement reminds me of the story of the Who concert where they had to get a replacement drummer as Keith Moon had passed out. As for Bury one of my uncles by a marriage supports them.

[@richardfurness7556]

@@stuntpeggnieve In a way you've already been. The Darlington home end - the 'tin shed' as it was nicknamed - was rescued from the derelict ground before it was demolished, and transplanted to Blackwell.

[@alanvasconcelos8411]

THANKS FOR THE SUBTITLE! As I'm not fluent in English, this will help me a lot to understand your videos

[@odeode4338]

Your story telling, videography and the whole channel is so amazing. I‘m glad for the algorithm sending me your way

[@pauldavenport9427]

Great video Nieve. It was over four decades ago now but I still remember a lad called Tony in my Newcastle Poly halls of residence who was from Darlington and always used to go on about Feethams. So sad how things have gone for the club and the town since then.

[@rhyspeter4682]

thank you for doing this!! i’ve been following darlo for the past 8 years! my best mate is a massive fan of them living up there! i just wish i could get up north to see the boys play more!

[@birinharibeiro]

Love your videos, its great for us that lives in other countries to get to know English teams outside of the Premier League, much love from Brazil

[@davidkelly8555]

What a really enjoyable video. Loved the background history of Darlington FC, well compiled and presented.

[@user-wb6so8mu6q]

Just down the road from Darlington there’s a village club called Marske United, they’ve just raised enough money to save the club (the club lost their owner due to having to make major stadium improvements, sort of suffering from their promotions up the pyramid) but can’t sadly stay in the tier they’re in at the minute.

[@edwardforster281]

I sponsored Marske pre moving to Greece. Sadly they have NOT raised enough to save the club, and they lost their main benefactor, not an owner.

[@Samouraii]

Saw that in the gazette earlier. Damn shame like, did so well for a team from a village.

[@czhillimedia2391]

Great bit of reportage with amazing filmmaking. You really capture the feel of a place.

[@stuntpeggnieve]

Thank you very much!

[@sc1788]

I always wondered what happened to Darlo. I knew they'd had financial struggles and had to create a phoenix club. But never knew the story behind it. Fantastic video Nieve. Love the extra chaos of an official getting injured 😅

[@charliezobel511]

There’s been quite a few videos on here already about Darlington and especially Reynolds, he was definitely a character to say the least 🤔 I actually noticed friction in the comments of one of the videos between pro Reynolds and anti Reynolds posters. End of the day, if you’re a member of a family that had their mortgage paid off by the geezer you would feel a massive degree of gratitude and even loyalty to the fella regardless.

[@clarkeysam]

Darlo didn't create a phoenix club. She was wrong about that. The fans bought the club and continue to run it. It's the same club it has been for over 140 years.

[@rogerash]

Another great video Nieve, looked you were getting emotional at times within that story. I remember Reynolds tried to sign Tino Asprilla at the same time as Gazza. The stadium had marble sinks and gold plated taps. How Reynolds passed a fit and proper person test is beyond me.

[@davidbolam7962]

When we played Darlo at Bishop Auckland in the Evostick league we spoke to the fans. Great people but some were reluctant to talk about Reynolds, now he has passed away that might be different but the majority of we spoke to despised him.

[@briankavo]

Agree, lack of vetting is ridiculous. We need strict regulation around who can invest in a club so that the likes of Reynolds can't launch vanity projects such as this. Football belongs to the people.....

[@stuntpeggnieve]

Agreed. I also think that the fact there are examples of owners who were refused permission to buy premier league clubs but allowed efl clubs, is damning.

[@yourmum955]

Even plenty of football fans don't believe that football belongs to the people schtick

[@alexh4683]

Nice video and glad to see some awareness of Darlington being raised. You could've covered some of the subsequent chairmen also. They inherited a rotten situation, but Raj Singh is arguably just as guilty for Darlington's demise as Reynolds was. He is now chairman of local rivals Hartlepool...

[@johndfc4647]

Don't forget the owner before Singh..

[@BOABModels]

One of the linesmen got injured at Fratton Park earlier this season. Thankfully a qualified referee was there supporting Pompey and he stepped up. Always sad to see clubs tumble down the divisions and to be honest, I didn't know enough about Darlington. Thanks for this video.

[@deletebilderberg]

Pompey had their issues, and Luton along with a few others but they bounced back better than ever. Only a matter of time before Darlo get back in the fast lane and back in the football league.

[@ShalomBrother]

Oldham wasn’t far off going this way until Sir Frank saved us

[@WeAreWombwellMain]

Wish Darlington all the best! The reformed club has done so well and great to see them back in their town. That huge stadium should have never been built!

[@clarkeysam]

Cheers, but we're not a reformed club, we are the same club we have always been. We (the fans) bought and run the club.

[@gilgoh1122]

Thanks for your unique point of view Nieve. Living for these new videos!

[@keithdear5368]

Great to see that the loyal Darlo fans are still backing their club on the journey back to the football league. As an Aldershot fan and with our own experiences I am completely disgusted how clubs can be destroyed by poor management. The effect on the community is far reaching after such events. The passion and drive by the supporters and community will surely put you back in the league. Total respect to Darlo. Keep the faith. ✊

[@Rosco-P.Coldchain]

I’ve watched this channel since you were a young lass..Love your knowledge of football and nice to see the channel grow..You deserve it lass..Love from Leeds 💙👌

[@Kloiyd]

You can tell Darlington fans have genuine passion for their club. I’m honestly so happy they’ve been able to rebuild their club and gain promotions.

[@jeffdelacruz5818]

Thank you for that, really well done. Come on Darlo from another Cardiff City fan. Just got to love that lad.

[@RoryJenningsFootball]

This is a brilliant video, Nieve.Well done.

[@dercrimson87]

I'm absolutely not into football. But i love sports in general und i love your content. Amazing stuff with a warm heart und great humor. Greetings from Germany

[@robjsh8101]

Absolutely incredible to see an in-depth video about our Quakers. Cheers.

[@southpaw17fl16]

I love these, you do such an amazing job, i have only been a football fan since 2011 so im still learning all of the hidden history, these help

[@jamesbrowne6351]

Absolutely wonderful glimpses into the grass roots of English football. Thank you.

[@Kulla1berg]

What a sad story I didn’t know the full story before, just that they built a huge stadium One single person can destroy everything for a club

[@louiesalinas1140]

Hello, Lou from America (California)I find English Football fascinating. The clubs, the players, management of the Clubs. Just like our past time, baseball. Baseball you have Management, Unions, generous people, greedy people, Great public heroes, great public villains. You're doing a great job Miss. George Bernard Shaw said "The Englishs and Americans are the same people separated by a common language".

[@markblackhurst6925]

Love your videos. Watched the Millmoor episode too. As a Luton Town fan, I feel their pain, but also know that there is a way back.

[@Martin64uk]

I went there a few times as part of the Bury press team and one of the highlights was the fantastic carvery, I miss that. We used to get quite a bit of gossip from a couple of the local press guys, just wish I could remember all of it. What I do remember is that although the capacity was 25,000, the ground was only licensed for a fraction of that. Also, the plan was for a twenty four hour operation, including a casino, but that was refused by the local council. Apparently he forgot to include it in the original planning application conveniently. To be fair, it was a very impressive white elephant when it first opened, you could tell it was a quality job behind the scenes.

[@tdtm82]

Top stuff again Nieve. Bella. The tragic issue is the 'fit-and-proper' chairman issue not being fit-for-purpose. It needs a rehaul. I'm also staggered that gambling firms are allowed to sponsor on club shirts and the players get blamed for becoming addicted. It's no surprise. Great work!

[@yourmum955]

I highly doubt them seeing a logo on the front of a shirt sparks a severe desire to gamble

[@tdtm82]

@@yourmum955 Really? The constant bombardment of advertising makes young people think it's ok. It's not.

[@effexon]

@04:25 so many people there despite that horrible weather, and singing. true dedication, no fancy big stadium roofs protecting.

[@nathancooper1]

This is a great channel. Thanks for posting. Nice work 👍🏼

[@Ajinkya_1804]

Great unique content covering clubs from lower divisions so we get to know more about them and this beautiful game👍 keep going

[@Vinceras]

Wonderful video. Fantastic grounds they've got now...looks like quite the atmosphere. Definitely needs to be some checks and balances in place so an owner can't completely wreck a team. The Glazers have been doing their best to ruin United...

[@NmpK24]

Totally agree. The people running all the English leagues are the problem. Too blinded by money. For example this 'fit and proper' test for new owners. Once they get approved thats where it ends. But if they screw up a club due to incompetence and greed its the fans, club employees and team who suffer consequences from points deductions, adminstration. But not the owners directly, who are often too wealthy to care. Time to start taking clubs back off the useless, absentee money grabbers.

[@gang9259]

In Argentina this is something we always have been afraid of, even more now because the new government has approved the anonymous societies in football clubs (here the clubs are non-profit civil associations). Chelsea owners, for example, are already interested in 6 football clubs of the country after this. A big club like Racing back in the days was really f#cked because of this management, it got bankrupted and almost dissappeared, similar like Malaga in Spain. It's so sad because the ones who gets the worst are always the fans. Great video tho.

[@nathanlima4608]

Então continuem sem ser SAF, que a gente continua ganhando libertadores

[@gorniklecznaman3414]

Vamos River!

[@garyjohnson9459]

You could probably do a story about North Ferriby a village just outside Hull. Similar thing … made it as far as the national league but then unlike Hoffenheim the wheels came off. Darlington were a traditional lower league side limping long. They just dropped off the radar I was unaware to the wheeling and dealings going on. Nice content.

[@iamianjb]

7:05 There is something about scholesey and his love for UTD that gives me the warm and fuzzies

[@kevinshanahan6064]

I was working in Sheffield on secondment and had the pleasure of dining at my hotel with a Darlington supporter also at the hotel while he found somewhere to live. I favour supporting the so called unfashionable local club over the likes of Merchandise United and financially doped clubs. Darlington had just dipped into the Conference and back to the FL swiftly and I was sorry they could not maintain FL status. May you rise up again!

[@clarkeysam]

That must have been a long time ago? 1990?

[@comuni-cocomuni-co7656]

thanks for your work. Love it. Sustainability over glory every time!

[@marksatoshi405]

Love your journalism and passion for grassroots football. Don't ever change.

[@DM-it2ch]

It was David Sullivan who said "If you want to make a small fortune, take a very large fortune and buy a football club". No-one should be allowed to buy a club unless thay can prove that they can afford to lose every penny they're spending, and every penny they've pledged to spend.

[@deeceecorfield8103]

GREAT video, thanks for making and posting.

[@chrismannion3418]

Stuntpegg is amazing, totally gets it, knows football, and it's importance to community. Really enjoying her vids

[@Penguinsurf19]

Great video on my home town club and thankyou for bringing awareness 🙂

[@mitch9392]

When I saw the title I thought this was gonna be about Coventry. Never heard this story which is bizarre because this guy built a whole Stadium for 5000 fans wtf?? It hits home pretty hard when you support a club who honestly is not miles off this happening, and we have a lot to lose being in the Championship.

[@EllisHogg]

I was born and used to live in darlo for years, it’s nice to see this being talked about and the story being told

[@XXLaffinGravyXX]

I was covering a game at Darlo a few years ago now and the fans were incredible...I overheard 3 of them behind me saying that they had gone through the turnstiles 3 times, just to put money back into the club ...they were all laughing as they said they were season ticket holders too.

[@scottwithe3946]

Great story Stuntpegg, really enjoying watching your channel

[@markdarby9015]

Genuinely one of ya best mate. And happy new year darling xx

[@FootballWithBrownie]

Brilliant seeing a fellow Cardiff City fan 👊🏼🔵⚪️

[@richl6966]

I've watched of couple of your vids before but this one tells me you are legit. Nice one.

[@goggy6850]

im a fan, love the real world content. seeing english football first hand thanks to you. cheers

[@capio78]

Reynolds the safe cracking mackem, that's an hour long story in itself. I played cricket outside their original ground many times.

[@elvisleeboy]

You're absolutely brilliant at this.

[@KyleJamesFrazer]

I hadn’t realised George had died - thought you were brave making the video given how fierce he could be. I lived in North Yorkshire at the time and went to a few games at the new ground. Terrible atmosphere, was never going to work. Glad they’re back on the feet with the supporters.

[@richp4084]

This is brilliant! Thank you for all of your videos!

[@rossitervideos]

Love these small club back stories that you do !! 🙂

[@vqlid417]

I’m a darlo fan, gutted I didn’t run into you at the game! But this is a great video on our football club, thanks Nieve

[@stuntpeggnieve]

Best of luck in this and future seasons!

[@vqlid417]

@@stuntpeggnieve Thanks Nieve!🖤🤍❤️

[@barretmc]

Great reporting. Rare case of a crook actually serving time this one. Power to the fans and the lads hanging out supporting their local footy, awesome side of it all.

[@rosiedollface]

Thank you for these insights into football clubs that are unheard of/not mentioned.. Great football education haha !

[@TheGreatApostate]

You have a great channel. Very entertaining and informative. Funny too, which is definitely a bonus 😁

[@JohnLovesSpain]

It is so refreshing to see videos of grassroots football success of clubs rising from the ashes rather than them being totally destroyed by magalomanic narccissistic tossers, well done Nieve and total respect to proper football fans👏👏 I wish Darlo all the best in the coming years and I will now be looking out for their results and hoping the best for them - UTV

[@Soyuz2578]

Love your videos Miss Stuntpegg!! Please keep the awesome content coming 😁 Cheers and Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺👍🏻

[@rickygrimshaw1255]

I remember playing Darlington back in league 2 scary how far they have fallen and how far we climbed. I hope they bounce back oneday and get back into the football league. 😞

[@AAlion15]

Another great Vid! Keep telling these compelling stories so well. Happy New Year🎉

[@Jon_FM]

Agreed, dodgy ownership has been at the heart of the problem for so many teams from the Premiership to the bottom of the non leagues. The team I follow Sunderland recently had fairly grifter owners at times and it makes me sad to see what it does to teams through no fault other than just trying to be better.

[@BlindyOTB]

Never seen a Liverpool and a United fan so chill near each other lol

[@clivedalgleish5987]

I am Actually a Wigan Athletic FC Supporter, Since 1978, but I Once Watched Darlington when they were playing at Feethams and followed their plight from when George Reynolds took over the Club…..onwards!! It was a Crying Shame that Crooks Like GR, can even get near a Football Club!!! I have So Much Respect for Darlington FC Fans and I sincerely wish The Club Every Success going forward!!!

[@glenbetton3146]

Played at both the Feethams football and cricket grounds in the mid 80s against Darlo reserves and Darlo in the NYSD cricket league. Darlo were in the 3rd division back then, ground's now a supermarket. Times have changed and not necessarily for the better