Quakers army hailed by Harrogate

Darlington’s fans have been hailed by Harrogate Railway Athletic’s officials after helping to set a new club record attendance in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League.

Since promotion from the NCEL in 2006, the Railwaymen’s previous record league attendance was 703, recorded in October 2010 when they entertained Chester at Station View. On Saturday 1026 turned up to see the encounter with the Quakers, with an estimated 900 of the crowd arriving from the North East.

After seeing his side lose the First Division North encounter 2-0 at the weekend, Club Secretary and programme editor Mike Sunley praised their visitors for their behaviour as well as their numbers.

He said: "Our committee were unsure of how many were going to turn up when most of us were thinking in the region of between 450 to 650 judging by the average away gates they have had this season. We were told that about two to three hundred would be attending but we never expected anything like this - they just kept coming through the gates and it never stopped until just before the kick-off.

“At any level of football, except maybe the Premiership and Championship, it was a magnificent turnout by the Darlington fans and a credit to their club. There wasn't any trouble of any kind and again they were a fantastic credit to Darlington 1883 FC."

He added: "Our average gate is only 94 so I also have to mention too that it was a truly a magnificent effort by all the staff and volunteers of Harrogate Railway who helped to manage and cope with such a large crowd on the day."