Darlo Go Home For Christmas

Darlington 1883 have secured FA permission to play their first game in Darlington since reformation.

The National North side have played in Bishop Auckland since the collapse of the original club in 2012, but will take on Halifax Town at Blackwell Meadows on Boxing Day in the 3,000 capacity ground.

The move has been around two years to the day in the making since the ground was identified as a potential new home. They secured Council planning permission six months afterwards, but legal and funding issues delayed the project by nearly a year afterwards.

Supporters finally raised funds, along with a FA grant, to complete the work with the FA signing off on the move back to their spiritual home town this week.

Since reforming, the Quakers have enjoyed three promotions, one as play-off winners. Attendances have increased by a third this season, bringing in totals of 1996 and 2001 for their most recent home matches. having slowly dropped from their debut season.

The fifth placed side will need to fund further work if they are to succeed in a fourth successive promotion to achieve National League ground grading status, but it has been a big step to return to the town where the only other suitable ground is the oversized and uneconomical Arena that led to the original club's demise.