Ok thanks, makes sense, You're right it's a punishment if you like, probably deserved too, no disrespect to clubs at this level. Anyway we're just going to take all of Spennymoor's players and walk this league [/quote]

Don't be too sure, Spennymoor were taken to pieces by Witton in the FA Cup, would have placed them mid table from that one game I saw them

I welcome the bigger clubs who are demoted, you are right, they are great for the league, especially financially...But also it gives these larger clubs a bit more humbleness of how to run their club, having seen how small clubs run on a shoestring at times.

Playing in these lower leagues gives you a more sense of belonging to a club, you are not just a number through the turnstile..the only thing that i don't like is, why should a member of say the NPL lose it's status because of something happening 2 or 3 divisions higher. It's seems the lower you play, the more you get crapped on.

I apologise if I am not upto date with the Darlington saga. Just last week, there were plans and alot of talk that they were going to be launching a phoenix club, just as Chester and Halifax Town have done. If that's true. then they should be placed at the bottom of the tier. I have no problem with Northwich Victoria playing in the Evo-Stik, unless they decided to close and launch a phoenix club in its place.

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That is why I put in the caveat "(as it currently exists)" when referring to Darlington.

If a new Club is formed after a club goes out of business, then according to the statement put out at the end of June, 2010, by the FA after the Chester debacle, they should start at Step 5.

Of course, we are talking about the FA here and sure enough, at the first opportunity to back up that statement with action which came only a year later, they placed the newly formed Ilkeston FC at Step 4.

Of course, if Darlington fans were to start up a new club whilst the current club still exists, then I would expect the new club to have to start at Step 6 or Step 7 (or lower possibly).

I wouldn't worry too much about Darlington FC. At the moment, its state of affairs can be summed up as:

No manager;
No players;
No ground;
No guarantee of a league place and
No money.

Whether it is a new club or a phoenix club is open to debate. Essentially it has exited administration without a CVA which means, whilst the new company has bought the clubs assets (goodwill, right to the name and honours etc. and some sell on rights from previous transfers), the creditors, including football creditors, get nothing.

My gut feeling is that the FA is going to clamp down hard this time. It is the third administration the club has been through, only this time the creditors have been shafted big style (2 have formally complained to the FA). What sort of message does it send out if the club is placed in the Evostick?

Don't get me wrong, I'm gutted about what's happened to a club that I've supported for over 30 years, but I want the right thing done. Why should clubs that have screwed up get preferential treatment?

That's the same for Vics too. There is little chance we will start the season in our current state, and even if we do, we won't have anywhere near the attendance to push for the top. I don't know of anyone who will be watching us in Stafford next season.

I doubt Vics will start next season with an imminent threat of a winding up order.

We will be lucky to get 100 at Stafford if we start next season and with huge debts and a potential new CVA to pay off, we should be no where near the top of the league. I think taking all that into account, we will struggle to attract the players to even put a team together.

But this is Mr Rushe we are talking about and he might want to go out with a bang.

Don't listen to him folks.
1) Manager - talks are already being held
2) Players - will be sorted once manager is in place
3) Ground - confirmed we will be playing at Shildon this morning
4) League placing - up to the FA but confident of EvoStik
5) Money - re-investment will commence sometime this week, confident of raising 200k quite quickly

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Darlington FC - Estab 1883
Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

Darlington are the existing club, so in theory should be relegated to the Evostik Premier, as per the FA and conference rules for failing to agree a CVA.

Although for some reason it seems more likely we'll end up in Evostik 1N? Why? I can see no good reason why we should be demoted yet another league.

I think people are assuming this based on previous phoenix clubs who ended up in Evostik 1N. We are not a phoenix club.

Anyway as from this season, phoenix clubs cannot start higher than step 5, and new clubs step 7.

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Darlington in the Northern League - Everyone, please remain calm. We are trying to solve this problem as quickly as possible. Please be patient.

Be careful using the term "Phoenix Club".

This item below is reproduced verbatim from an article published on the NWCL forum by the NWCL committee in early July 2010 and to which I referred above.

Given the recent publicity surrounding the allocation of the newly formed Chester FC at Step 4 in the National League System, an interesting announcement was also made at the meeting with regard to the issue of "phoenix" clubs reforming under a new name.

The National League System Rules have been updated and the wording "reformed" has been removed. In future, a club would either be considered an Old or New Club. Any New Club taking over from an Old Club would be placed at Step 5.

League Secretary John Deal said: "The points raised at the meeting regarding the re-organisation at Step 7 level are encouraging, and it is hoped that the end result will benefit everyone".

"Regarding the clarification of "Old" and "New" clubs, the League Management Committee is extremely pleased to see that the FA has taken steps to address a lack of clarity in the previous rules, which is exactly what our Chairman Dave Tomlinson called for in the statement issued last week. The FA's prompt action in addressing this important issue is to be commended".

"Hopefully, this now means that if any future occurrences arise similar to the formation of Chester FC, there will be no doubt or debate as to where a newly formed club would be placed in the National League System".


And whether Darlington turn out to be an "Old" Club or a "New" Club rather depends upon what happens in the close season. If some Darlington fans get their way, they will be a "New" Club.

We are the existing club, not a new club replacing the old club. End of story.

I also don't know what you mean about "if some Darlington fans get their way, they will be a new club" Who are these fans and just how would they achieve that?

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Darlington in the Northern League - Everyone, please remain calm. We are trying to solve this problem as quickly as possible. Please be patient.

Are you suggesting that no one has discussed the possibility of a "New" club?


http://www.darlofc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=241738#p241738

Of course it's been discussed, but the thread you highlighted was before it was announced that the current club was saved and taken over. People were worried the club would fold and were discussing the worst case scenario.

Now the existing club is to continue, then nobody will be actively pursuing a new club.

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Darlington in the Northern League - Everyone, please remain calm. We are trying to solve this problem as quickly as possible. Please be patient.

Perhaps.

I don't look on the Darlington forum every day and the post I linked to is only four days old.

How up to date is the bit at the top of your forum which says that you have raised £20k so far to save football in Darlington?

I imagine more than that would be needed.

Look you clearly don't know what you are talking about so maybe you shouldn't have an opinion on Darlo really.

1 Four days ago was D-Day, the day we found out whether 1883 had done a deal to save the club or we folded - hence the thread about folding.

2 The totaliser on the forum is just the amount raised by messageboard users, that 20k was just a part of the money raising.

The total a week ago was £335,770 raised to save the club.

Unfortunately due to Raj Singh it was still not possible to pay off creditors and arrange a CVA (long story) which is why that route was shelved, and we took the non CVA route.

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Darlington in the Northern League - Everyone, please remain calm. We are trying to solve this problem as quickly as possible. Please be patient.