8th January 1985 - Our lowest ebb

[erimus74]

This day 1985 - One of our darkest periods in our history for me

Though I still look back with fondness at the club at that time, to what we come through & to where we ended up not so long after

This seaon (1984/85) the Boro were going from one crisis to the next, we only had 6 wins leading up to this match & facing another long battle against relegation to the 3rd division

The start of the year didn't start off well, on NYD we lost at home to Oxford 1-0, then 4 days later on the 5th we drew 0-0 at home to Darlington in the FAC 3rd round & coming away thinking how lucky we were to still be in the cup, if we thought we were lucky to escape the 1st match we certainly wern't in the replay, as a few Boro old boys came back to haunt us & have their day of glory

2 former Boro players scored against the mighty Boro & again we face a mountain to drag ourselves back in to this cup tie

Crowd trouble erupted throughout the game, fans running on the pitch, utter chaos

I felt for the late, great Willie Maddren in the dug out, he didn't sign up for this, he was taking one step forward & two steps backwards

The ref took both teams off the pitch, a section of the Boro fans were hopefully thinking the game would be abandoned but the ref told both managers, no matter what time it will be, tonight's match will finish

With the police finally getting the crowd under control & back in the stands both teams returned to the pitch & the game resumed, almost immediately the Boro scored when
Tony McAndrew dragged a goal back bringing us back in the game at 2-1, his final Boro FAC goal, at last a Boro Cup goal & away goal for that matter, but as Boro huffed & puffed it was a case of, to little to late & we were out of the cup & the Boro gloom continues

Willie Maddren picked the following team

Kelham O'Hanlon
Irving Nattrass
Gary Hamilton
Mick Buckley
Mick Saxby
Paul Ward - Future Darlington youngest temp manager
Tony Mowbray
David Mills
Heine Otto
Dave Currie
Tony McAndrew

[Johnny Thunder]

Dark times indeed.

[tunstall]

anyone know who Darlo got in the next round?

[Johnny Thunder]

Google it ye lazy get.




 

[tunstall]

Google it ye lazy get.




 

i did

just got a page full of bewers

[Johnny Thunder]

 

[borope]

Where bad times. I went to darlo i think more fans went there than to most home games at the time.