Little can make a big difference

Darlington enjoyed two successive promotions after losing their league status

Lifelong Darlington fan DOUG EMBLETON tells Wrexham supporters that relegation from the Football League need not mean the end - especially with Brian Little in charge.

When Darlington, in their penultimate game of 1988-89, made the ultimate drop into the (then) Vauxhall Conference the immediate feelings were of arm-pinching disbelief and desolation.

Not dissimilar to the immediate aftermath of a road accident. How on earth did this happen?

Cometh the hour, sometimes cometh the man. "Sir" Brian Little certainly was the man. Interesting that almost 20 years later he finds himself in the same position at Wrexham.

There had been many to blame to Darlo's fall from grace but Brian had been drafted in far too late in that season to work any instant miracles. Another similarity.

BRIAN LITTLE FACTFILE 1953: Born Horden, Co Durham 1971: Signed for Aston Villa 1975: Won one England cap against Wales, promotion to Div 1 and League Cup 1979: Retired through injury, after 295 matches and 82 goals, including in 1977 League Cup final win 1979-1989: Coaching roles at Villa, Wolves, Middlesbrough Feb 1989: Took over as Darlington manager, but could not stop them being relegated to the Conference 1990: Won Conference title and promotion back to the Football League 1991: Won Fourth Division title before joining Leicester City 1994: Won play-off promotion to Premier League at third attempt and later appointed manager at Aston Villa, where he won the League Cup in 1996 Nov 2007: After spells at Stoke, West Brom, Hull and Tranmere, Little joined struggling Wrexham Analysis: What next for Wrexham? Wrexham's demise - a fan's eye view

However, it soon became clear that he was the Messiah. His close-season rebuilding of the squad and his attention to detail swept Darlo to two successive championships. First, the Conference title; then the following season, the old Fourth Division.

So, what was it like from a fan's perspective, once the shattered dreams and glass of the road accident had been swept up?

In absolute truth, if you nowadays asked any Darlo fan who was there at the time, they would tell you that the Conference season was "the season of all seasons."

For a start, the club, despite severe financial pressures, decided to retain a fully professional squad. Over the close season, fans could see this rebuilding, with Darlo even paying out a few decent transfer fees for the first time in several years.

The hardcore fans hit upon an inspirational concept of "The Only Way Is Up" - which was the strapline for the "Darlo On Tour" T-shirts.

These optimistic themes paved the way to a fantastic season, which really was a tour.

There were so many new, virgin territory teams and grounds for Darlo's away fans to visit and, by logic, so many new teams for home fans to see. Home gates steadily increased as did Darlo's away support, the latter continuing to the present day.

Crowds rose during Darlington's Conference season in 1989-1990

People will perhaps ask what were the actual pleasures in visiting so many new grounds if the real objective was the very scary, nail-biting need to regain a League position and, thus, promotion.

These pleasures were on different levels. From the purely results-driven perspective of a lifelong fan there was, of course, the strangely new but real expectation (usually delivered by Sir Brian) of actually coming away with a result!

And, on a social level, many fans took to the highways for the first time in years, forged new friendships and acquired the away-day habit.

'Take heart'

Over and above these levels was the genuine, as it proved, feeling that many of the clubs visited were engaged in "real" football. This made so many aspects of the visit - the ground, the catering, the friendliness of the fans; the atmosphere at the away end - quite special.

Northwich Victoria, with the oldest known English football ground location; and the clubs seemed to have more genuine football names - Harriers, Wanderers, Rangers, Athletic.

The promotion clincher at Welling United was a typical example of many. Some of the teams no longer play even at Conference level and so the visits truly were a one-off opportunity.

But take heart. Some of the teams from that particular Conference season did go on to higher levels - Wycombe, Yeovil, Barnet, Macclesfield, Cheltenham and Boston.

Back then, only one team was promoted and there were no play-offs. Promotion went to the wire but the away games were memorable not only as new away-day experiences but also for the visible and vocal support which gave the team that extra edge.

And these games provided so many memories. Look after Sir Brian. And keep the faith. "The Only Way Is Up" - and it can be a very enjoyable journey.

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