In the latest of his Memory Match series, Simon Weatherill looks back to the home game against Rochdale on New Year’s Day 1949.

The years immediately following the end of World War Two were a boom time for professional football in this country. After six years of extreme hardship people were looking for some fun and entertainment. Attendances reached record levels in the 1947/48 season, then these record figures were smashed again the following year. 1948/49 still holds the record for the biggest attendance figures ever. Over five million people watched Division 3 North games over the course of the season, at an average of 10,833 per game!

Darlington began the 1948/49 season in fine style with four straight victories to take them to the top of the table. They opened with two home wins, 3-0 v Accrington Stanley and 2-0 v Hartlepools, then followed that up with away wins at Rochdale (4-3) and then the return fixture at Hartlepools (1-0). Albert Quinn, a new signing from Sunderland, scored five goals in those opening four games -- not a bad start to his Darlington career. The good away form continued as they won six out of their first seven, but stuttering home form held the team back. Home and away Christmas fixtures against Carlisle brought the Quakers three points and moved them up to fourth in the table. A 2-2 draw at Feethams on Christmas Day was followed by a 2-0 win at Brunton Park two days later. Christmas Day fixtures were normal in those days and the draw was Darlington’s first of the season, in their 21st game!

They would open 1949 with a home game against Rochdale on New Year’s Day. Dale were sat in 8th place in the table with 22 points, five behind the Quakers and would provide tough opposition. Albert Quinn had missed the trip to Carlisle through injury, but he was fit to return for the Rochdale game. He took the place of Harry Clarke in the only change to the Quakers’ starting eleven.

A healthy crowd of 9,887 were at Feethams for the New Year’s Day fixture. They witnessed a bright opening to the game that saw both sides threaten to open the scoring with lively attacking play. The visitors were first to go close, Jack Moss hitting a fierce shot that Billy Dunn did well to save. Darlington hit back and Albert Quinn, Tom Varty and Tommy Ward all fired wide in quick succession. Rochdale replied with a strong attack that Bill Kelly ended by heading the ball wide of his own goal. From the resultant corner George McGeachie shot a yard wide of the Darlington upright. Quinn was particularly prominent in the home attacks and he hit a piledriver from 25 yards out that was narrowly wide of the mark. In an end to end opening it was Dale who finally grabbed the lead in the 23rd minute. After making progress down the left Moss put in a great shot, Dunn did brilliantly to get down and block his effort but the ball rebounded to Alan Middlebrough who fired the ball into the net over the still prostrate keeper.

The end to end play continued with both sides smashing shots against the woodwork before the Quakers found an equaliser on 37 minutes. Alf Milner swung a free kick into the Rochdale box and Varty put in a shot towards goal. Dale keeper Les Bywater seemed to have the shot covered but Ken Bower managed to nip in front of him and divert the ball into the net. Two minutes later Darlington were in front. Wilf Parsley made progress down the right wing and his centre was met by Quinn who drove the ball first time into the net. In the 43rd minute the home side went further ahead when Ward accepted a pass from Bower and scored with a hard, low shot. Three goals in six minutes had turned the game on its head and put the Quakers in a commanding position. Half time: Darlington 3 Rochdale 1.  

A quiet start to the second half was brought to life with a fourth Darlington goal on 57 minutes. Superb work by Ward down the right took him past two defenders. His cross was met by Quinn who fired towards goal. Bywater blocked his shot but the ball rebounded to Quinn who headed in. Bywater clawed the ball away again but the referee ruled that the ball had crossed the line, despite the visiting side’s protests.

In a rare attack, against the run of play, Moss headed just over the bar, but the Quakers were now in complete control and they went further ahead on 74 minutes. Guy Wharton gained possession in midfield and played it through to Quinn, who in turn played it through to Bower. The centre forward advanced into the box, holding off two defenders, and drove the ball home, well out of the reach of Bywater. The scoring was completed four minutes later when the Quakers added a sixth. A goalmouth scramble had seen a series of shots blocked before the ball fell to Ward who smashed it home. In the closing minutes of the game Darlington went looking for more goals with Wharton and Quinn both going close.

Two goals each by Quinn, Bower and Ward had secured the 6-1 victory and confirmed the Quakers in fourth place in the table. They sat level with Doncaster on 29 points. The good results continued, and Darlington eventually finished the season in fourth place with 46 points, four fewer than Rovers, although both clubs were well adrift of the top two clubs Hull and Rotherham. Hull eventually winning the one and only promotion place with 65 points.

The 48/49 season proved to be the best ever season for attendances at Feethams. The record attendance for a Division 3N game at the ground was broken three times. On October 9th, 14,590 saw a 2-0 victory over Rotherham. Then on October 23rd, 15,326 saw a 1-5 defeat by Doncaster, and on March 12th the record was broken again when 17,978 saw a narrow 0-1 home defeat by eventual champions Hull City. The average home gate for the season was an impressive 10,235.

The programme for the 1948/49 season was a very simple affair, consisting of four pages and costing 2d. The front page carried the only reading material, Club News, the centre pages had the team line ups and the back page listed the fixtures and results.

Team v Rochdale: 1 Billy Dunn 2 Joe Davison 3 Bob Eves 4 Wilf Parsley 5 Bill Kelly 6 Guy Wharton 7 Alf Milner 8 Tommy Ward 9 Ken Bower 10 Albert Quinn 11 Tom Varty.

Darlington FC -- at the heart of the community