Oldest mascot is also the loudest!

21 Apr 2016 By David Watters

If the Quakers beat Whitby Town on Thursday night to clinch the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League title and promotion with a game to spare then the loudest cheers are likely to come from super fan and grandmother Joyce Rumney!

A fan for over seven decades after falling in love with the club in 1944 aged 15, proud Darlington are claiming her as the country’s oldest matchday mascot after the 86-year-old led them out for last Sunday’s key 2-1 win over Stamford at Spennymoor to keep their title tilt on course.

Now no longer able to grace the terraces, club officials say their oldest fan uses the internet to catch every result while noisily cheering the highlights and goals.

If the Quakers can go on to win the championship, the pensioner has told officials that her decibel levels may even be higher than the highlight of her years following them - Wednesday 29 January 1958, the day Darlington knocked Chelsea out of the FA CUP after beating the Blues 4-1 after extra time in the fourth round.

Images courtesy of Darlington 1883

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Where next?

Congratulations to the champions! Congratulations to Darlington 1883 on winning the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League's Premier Division title with a game to spare!