THREE weeks ago, we were averaging out Darlington FC’s attendance since the financially-troubled Quakers entered the Football League in the 1921- 22 season.

Jane Taylor, of the Yorkshire Dales Cheese Co, sends a copy of the Newcastle Evening Chronicle’s four-page Football Edition of Saturday, February 3, 1912, which she inherited from her great uncle, Harry Irving, the founder of the Gateshead Post.

In those days, Darlington were playing in the North Eastern League, but were a force to be reckoned with in the FA Cup.

The season before, they twice made history. In Round One, by defeating Sheffield United, they became the first non-league club to beat a First Division club.

In Round Two, they drew Bradford Park Avenue, at Feethams. Officially, a crowd of 12,030 crammed into the Skerneside ground, which was so full, kick-off was brought forward a few minutes.

Some were up telegraph poles, others were clinging to rooftops. “A few had just mounted a wall at the South Park end of the ground when the tenant of the adjoining property threw bucketfuls of water at them,” reported the Echo.

Bradford Park Avenue were beaten 2-1, and the Quakers became the only non-league club to reach the last 16 of the famous cup.

Unfortunately, they lost 3-0 at Feethams in Round Three to Swindon Town, watched by 9,038.

Next season, as Jane’s Evening Chronicle shows, they had another good run.

In the qualifying rounds, they beat Shildon 6-0 and North Shields Athletic 2-1.

Brighton and Hove Albion were despatched by the same scoreline in Round One before a crowd of 9,053.

In Round Two, Northampton Town came to Feethams.

“Snow fell to a considerable extent in Darlington during the morning,” said the Chronicle, “but had been well cleared from the Feethams enclosure and there was but a slight depth of snow upon the sandy surface when the cup tie commenced.

“The state of the weather kept many away, but the enthusiasts were there in their thousands, and sang away the hour’s wait in a most cheerful style. When the ball started, there would be between 9,000 and 10,000 present.”

Frank Tweddle’s excellent book, The Definitive Darlington FC, records an official attendance of 7,683.

As the flurries continued, Northampton took the lead, but ten minutes into the second half, Donnelly equalised with a penalty.

“The point was hailed with a roar of cheers and rattles, and a shower of flying hats such as is rarely seen on the football ground,” said the Chronicle.

“With this, a rough element entered into play – an unfortunate circumstance, for hitherto the tactics of both sides had been beyond reproach, and thoroughly lacking in traditional cup-tie vigour.”

The tie went to a replay at Northampton which the Quakers lost 2-0, and their FA Cup dreams were over for another season.