This is the first of what will be an ongong series looking back at great teams/seasons from the past. I'm starting off with some self indulgent nostalgia, and the last time a team I follow actually won their league. So welcome to Darlington's division 4 season of 1990/91. Seriously? Yep.
August
With memories of the promotion winning Conference season, Gary Coatsworth's looping header and "you can stick the vauxhall conference up your arse" on the pitch at Welling still fresh, Darlington fans were unnaturally full of confidence heading into the 90/91 season. The management team of Brian Little and Frank Gray was still around as was most of last years triumphant squad, the main addition to which was Mick Tait, a fearsome midfielder formerly of Portsmouth, slowly working his way back down the leagues, but still very much a formidable prescence.
The main players.
Mark Prudhoe, Goalkeeper. A lower league journeyman who finally stuck with a club at Darlington and turned into a top quality goalie and a bit of a cult hero.
Les McJannett, Right Back. Energetic full back who loved to get forward.
Frank Gray, Left back, Scottish international and European cup winner moved down to Darlington as player/assistant manager. Apparently he liked a drink, the infamously bad video the club put out to celebrate the conference winning season featured a clip of him being presented with a Guinness tie, in recognition of a particularly boozy evening.
Jimmy Willis, Centre Back. A really classy defender who was way too good for Darlo, Missed the end of last year's winning conference season with a broken leg.
Kevan Smith, Centre Back. Captain and in his second spell at the club, sandwiching a trip into the first division with Coventry. Generally a solid defender, but had a tendency for awful mistakes.
David Corner, Centre Back, Tough no-nonsense defender who scored his share of goals from corners and penalties. The only player in the 1985 Milk Cup final who doesn't have a wikipedia page.
Mick Tait, Centre Back/Sweeper. Tough as nails converted midfielder.
Andy Toman, Midfield. Big money (40,000) signing before the previous season, small, niggly but very effective midfielder.
Gary Gill, Midfield. Pretty boy with Cannigia-esque hair and headband. Talented midfielder who'd spent most of the previous season injured.
Paul Emson, Left Winger. Formerly known as "The whippet" He'd clearly lost his speed and was on his way down the divisions.
John Borthwick, Striker. Hard working but a frustratingly bad finisher, who nevertheless was our top scorer with 19 goals in the Conference season.
David Cork, Striker. Much more skillful than Borthwick, but clearly on the downslide of his career, a bit on the chubby side, and quite slow.
Our standard formation was 5-3-2. A really solid back line, Gill and Toman in central midfield with Emson on the left wing and McJannet getting forward on the right wing whenever he could.
There was just the two games in August, as that year the season started on August 25th! A 1-0 defeat at Gillingham was followed by a 0-0 draw at home to Blackpool in the League cup first round/first leg. An inauspicious start for the team, and also for this series as I don't remember a thing about either of those games. Ah well, I do remember it was good to be back.
Coming soon, September, goals! wins! and more details of the game, I promise.
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