I know the M180 from a previous life but this time it was to see Scunthorpe United play Darlington in the FA Trophy second round. These two ex English Football League clubs have been on a downward trajectory but have now steadied their ships and look to move higher.
It was a grey day with full cloud cover that luckily gave no more rain. It almost seemed a balmy day at 13 degrees and even the breeze didn’t feel cool.
The stadium is just off the motorway into town and just behind a retail park. There is plenty of hard standing parking, don’t park there if there is an alternative, I queued for 25 minutes to get out and then had to navigate those leaving the Retail Park.
Once inside you can see that Scunthorpe have been at a higher level. There are three sides with covered seating and one covered standing terrace all linked with the same roofline. Only two and a bit sides were open for the crowd of 1977. The leg space on the seats was great, not like having to be a contortionist to recently sit at Mansfield. An amazing ground for a National League North side. It did look a bit shaby but not surprising after recent times and the greyness of the day didn’t help.
The vibrant green grass flat pitch stood out against the grey sky.
1899 saw the start of Scunthorpe United, 11 years later merging with North Lindsey United and adopting the name Scunthorpe and Lindsey United, a name they kept until 1958 when they dropped the Lindsey. After formation their success in local football was rewarded with entry to the Midland League in 1912. Their success in that league spawned applications to the Football League which was finally rewarded in 1950.
The highest level they reached was 6 years in the Second Division in the late 50’s and early 60’s. and again in the Championship in 2007 and 2010. They then yo-yoed in leagues One and Two until relegation to the National League in 2022 and lower still the following season to where they are today.
Uncertainty at board level over the last few years has seen them teetering on extinction but they were bought by a local business person in early October 2023 and just a few days ago it was announced that their Glanford Park ground has been saved too, is this the start of a come back.
Darlington were founded even earlier in1883, after playing locally they were founder members of the Northern League in 1889 and of the Third Division North in 1921. They too have been in the second tier of the Football League but were relegated to the Conference in 1989 only to bounce straight back. With the turn of the millennium they were financed by a George Reynolds and they moved to an amazing new stadium. Unfortunately loans, previous personal problems and little chance of filling the stadium led to their first administration in 2003. Despite a charity match by famous footballers raising £100000 and being sold on they again went into administration in 2009 but again survived. They were relegated to the Conference in 2010 and sparked a mini revival when they won the FA trophy at Wembley in 2011. 2012 saw another administration and a relegation. Darlington was wound up in 2012 and placed in the Northern League with the new name Darlington 1883. They duly won the Northern League in 2013 as a fan/community owned club and further back to back promotions from the Northern Premier League in 2015 and 2016. They did change their name back to Darlington FC in 2017 and developed their new ground and after 4 years looked set at their new level until this season languishing near the bottom.
Saturday 18th November 2023 Kick off 15.00 pm FA Trophy Second Round.
Glanford Park, Scunthorpe Iron v Quakers also ‘Darlo’
3rd in National League North v 22nd in National League North
Scunthorpe; claret shirts and shorts with light blue shoulders and sleeves, Darlington Black and white horizontal hooped shirts with black shorts
Scunthorpe United FC 2 Darlington FC 0
Darlington started the game on the back of an eight nil drubbing at Chorley in mid week and things didn’t look good when on only 8 minutes Connor Smith of Scunthorpe was left alone to run through to receive a perfect pass to let him clip the ball along the ground across the goal keeper into the far corner of the net. Scunthorpe dominated play and added a second on 28 minutes when some individual brilliance from Jacob Butterfield saw him unleash a 25 yard shot into the net.
It took until 34 minutes for Darlington to have their first shot but with no avail and by half time the home team were well on top with from my estimate over 65% of possession.
The dullness of the second half did not improve as I watched a train meander by on an embankment behind the goal rather than the football. There was a burst with 6 minutes left when Darlington finally had a shot cleared off the home team’s line and another that just clipped the post.
All in all a dull game after last weeks 4.4 in Beverley although the home fans were happy as their revival continues.
Unfortunately no chips or hot drinks other than coffee although some fans in front of me were expecting a return of a better food offering now that the ground ownership has been secured. Instead I had a sausage roll that was delicious but not good for the waist line.
There was also no program!
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