RESOUNDING victories, devastating fires and frozen pitches are all featured in a new book about football at Feethams.

Former Darlington FC players, including David Speedie, Ron Greener, Alan Walsh and Fred Barber, have contributed to Farewell to Feethams - a collection of Darlington FC Memories.

The book, written by Ray Simpson and Andrew Wilkinson, marks the end of the team's life at the Feethams ground and its planned move to the new stadium off Neasham Road.

Mr Simpson said: "We wanted to mark the fact that the new stadium is being built and decided to produce a book which would commemorate the club moving.

"We approached loads of former players and fans for their memories and we got about 100 stories back about Darlington FC's time at Feethams."

It is published by The Northern Echo and includes a host of black and white photographs from the newspaper's archives as well as images captured by fans over the years.

The cover of the book, which also features photos from Feethams' past, was designed by Steve Whetton, one of The Northern Echo's artists.

The book includes a chapter on famous matches in the club's history as well as some of the characters involved in the life and times of Darlington FC.

Among the stories retold in the book are one of fastest ever own goals which took place in a match between Darlington and Southport and the club's involvement in a game which saw the fastest ever sending off of a goalkeeper.

The club was also one of the first to take part in a floodlit match.

Among those who recounted a story for the book was Ken Lonsdale, Feethams' first public address announcer.

Before he was appointed in 1959, much of the information about a match was passed around by word of mouth and fans had to rely on The Northern Echo to find out who would be playing on the day.

In those days, the half-time scores in other matches often did not reach Feethams until the second half had started so the results were written on a sandwich board and paraded around the ground by one of the ball-boys.

Other historic moments like the team winning the Division Three North Cup in 1934 and a 6-0 victory over Cambridge in 1974 are also featured in the book.

Mr Simpson said: "This book is not a history of the club at Feethams but a dip into it.

"The players featured are not necessarily the best to pull on the Quakers shirt. They were selected purely at random, some because of their major contribution and others because of the different eras in which they played.

"The fans were a mixed bunch too! All had a desire to be included that stands as a tribute to their passion for their team."

The paperback, priced at £7.99, is available from The Northern Echo offices.