Robbie Painter is pictured taking the ball around goalkeeper Trevor Wood to score against Walsall (writes Craig Stoddart)

Played in November 1994 at Feethams, this game ended 2-2 with Sean Gregan also on target, the homegrown defender scoring one of his two goals of season 1994-95.

Striker Painter, a crowd favourite of the time, ended the campaign with a modest nine, enough to make him the squad’s top scorer in a season that ended with Darlington 20th in Division Three while Walsall won promotion as runners-up.

Wood had turned down a move to Darlington in order to join Walsall. During the summer of 1994 Quakers boss Alan Murray had been optimistic of bringing him to the North-East from Port Vale, but he instead chose Walsall where he stayed for three seasons before joining Hereford United.

Murray’s assistant Eddie Kyle told The Northern Echo at the time: “The main reason he turned us down was that his wife has a good job in computers and she was reluctant to leave it to come up here.

“The money he was offered at Walsall was slightly better, though I think he would have joined us if there hadn't been the consideration of his wife's position. It's disappointing but we'll have to turn our attention elsewhere now.”

Darlington instead signed Mike Pollitt from Lincoln City, a player who proved to be an astute signing for the club.

Watch out for a series of Zoom interviews with Robbie, beginning tomorrow!