Joe Wheatley now in the Northern League. Had a spell with Bishop Auckland last season.

Happy birthday, David Hodgson! Liverpool FC signed the 22-year-old striker in 1982, paying Middlesbrough £450,000. He spent two years at Anfield, making 49 first-team appearances and scoring 10 goals. David turns 65 today. Many happy returns!

Happy Birthday David Hodgson, 65 today!

Jonjo Dickman playing away to Rushden and Diamonds in a 1-1 draw on the first day of the season 20 years ago today. DFC: Russell, Martis, Hutchinson, Clarke, Valentine, Dickman, Appleby, Webster (Thomas 79), Logan, Johnson (Ndumbu-Nsungu 85), Wijnhard (Sodje 70). Att: 2,832

Darlington 🤝 Leeds United

Darlington's last eight first league games of the season... 😬 ❌ 2018: Curzon (h), 1-2 ❌ 2019: Farsley (a), 1-3 ❌ 2020: Fylde (a), 0-1 ❌ 2021: Alfreton (h), 2-3 ✅ 2022: Gloucester (h), 3-1 ❌ 2023: Curzon (h), 1-3 ❌ 2024: Kidderminster (h), 1-2 ❌ 2025: Chorley (h), 2-3

Darlington's results with Chorley at Blackwell... 🤝 2017-18: 2-2 🤝 2018-19: 1-1 ✅ 2021-22: 3-0 ❌ 2022-23: 0-3 ❌ 2023-24: 0-3 🤝 2024-25: 1-1 ❌ 2025-26: 2-3

Darlington lost the opening game of the season 2-1 a year ago today to Kidderminster. DFC: Jameson; Griffiths, Lees, Barrow, Hedley; Salkeld (Cornish), Forbes (Flint), Hatfield, Rivers (Nelson); Main, Maskell. Subs not used: McGrath (gk), Payne. Att: 1,817 📷 Dave Arrowsmith

The 2015-16 season ended with the NPL title, but it started with a 2-0 defeat at Buxton ten years ago today. Darlington: Jameson, Gibbons, Galbraith, Burgess, Hunter, Portas, Mitchell, Turnbull, Nowakowski (Dowson 12, Armstrong 60), Cartman, Thompson. Att: 708 📷 Tim Hickman

The first game at the Arena was 22 years ago today, Kidderminster winning 2-0. Danny Williams was the first player to score and Andy Bishop got the second. Official attendance was 11,600. Kick-off was delayed as there were long queues at the turnstiles.

Darlington's results at Alfreton Town in National League North: ✅ 2016-17: 3-0 🤝 2017-18: 1-1 🤝 2018-19: 0-0 ✅ 2019-20: 2-1 ✅ 2020-21: 2-0 🤝 2021-22: 0-0 🤝 2022-23: 2-2 ✅ 2023-24: 3-2 🤝 2024-25: 1-1 ✅ 2025-26: 3-0

Our first away game of 2024-25 was one year ago today, a 2-2 draw at Oxford City. Darlington: Jameson, Griffiths, Lees, Barrow, Hedley, Forbes, Hatfield, Flint, Rivers (Cornish 63), Main (Nelson 34), Maskell (Salkeld 82). Subs not used: McGrath, Payne. Att: 862 📸 Simon Godfrey

Darlington had a midweek game at Buxton one year ago today and lost 2-0. DFC: Jameson, Griffiths, Lees, Andoh (Cornish 55), Barrow, Forbes, Hatfield (Payne 81), Flint, Salkeld (Rivers 81), Maskell, Nelson (Taylor 74). Not used: Rudd 📸 Phil Peat Photography

⚽️ Graeme Armstrong scored his first goal of the season and his first since major abdominal surgery when Darlington beat Barwell 3-1 ten years ago today. Nathan Cartman and Tom Portas also scored. 📷 Tim Hickman

Darlington signed Oli Thompson on loan from Gateshead FC one year ago today, and he made his debut 24 hours later in a 1-0 win against Leamington.

A goal by Will Hatfield gave Darlington a 1-0 win against Leamington one year ago today. DFC: Jameson; Hedley, Lees, Forbes, Barrow; Hatfield, Flint; Cornish (Salkeld 74), Rivers, Thompson (Payne 85); Maskell. Not used: McGrath, Andoh, Taylor. Att: 1,382 📷 Dave Arrowsmith

Two Tez Galbraith goals (one a penalty) secured a 2-0 win that saw Darlington go top of the table after five games nine years ago today. DFC: Jameson, Marrs (Hunter), Galbraith, Burgess, Brown, Scott, Portas (Thompson), Turnbull, Beck, Hardy (Cartman), Gillies. Att: 1,543

Gavin Worboys is a guest in hospitality today at Blackwell, a Darlington striker in the mid-90s - except when he had to go in goal in an emergency! Gav Worboys 🧤

Alun Armstrong beats Mark Cooper, the battle of the former Darlo managers, in spectacular style - from 3-0 down.

It was 23 years ago today when Darlington chairman George Reynolds announced the imminent signing of Faustino Asprilla...