League 2

[PeteC]

Here's a club BB that seems to be in much worse shape than yours. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/16584216.stm

I get terribly confused trying to figure out which league some of these clubs play in, but I did see "League 2 North" mentioned so assume close in stature to your club. Pete

[Big Boy]

Coincidentally, Darlington were the nearest league team to me when I worked at Eaglescliffe (slightly closer than Middlesbrough). I went down there a few times while I worked up North. Back in those days, you had to walk through a cricket ground to get to the football ground. I believe they are at a brand new ground these days.

They are currently playing in the Conference, which is the graveyard where league clubs go when they've been relegated from the Football League. Effectively, they are playing in Division 5 (where the Premiership is Division 1 and League 2 is Division 4).

Darlington have been a fringe league side for many years - often at the bottom of the 4th Division (where the Green Army have been languishing this season). You are right, they do seem to have gone just a little bit further than we did. However, their core circumstances are very different. IMHO, they seem to have gone beyond the point of no return.

[PeteC]

What impresses me with the way the UK football leagues are set up, and the shear quantity of them, is that a boy with some kind of talent can probably get in somewhere to see if he has what it takes to progress.

I wish that were true for boys concerning American football, baseball, basketball and even soccer. The first three you need to play through university level most of the time to even be remotely considered for selection by one of the pro clubs minor league organizations. With soccer, I don't think you even have that yet. You can play for a university (few) that has a team but in most cases once a boy gets to age 16 and finishes something like AYSO play, there is nothing but a few local clubs that are somewhat organized. I have no clue where the few boys come from that you see representing the USA in international play. Unfortunately probably a case of "right place, right time" for most of them when they were noticed by some scout. Having said all of that, there are some clubs in all sports who hold open try out events. Perhaps a few come from that if lucky. Pete

[Big Boy]

I'd never thought about it that way, but yes, you're right. Every season a player comes in from the wilderness of non-league football, and makes a name for himself in the top echelon of the Football League.

[Big Boy]

And here's another team who're really struggling http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16617069.stm . When you've been there yourself, you can really feel for these guys.

[Big Boy]

As the only Division 4 (League 2) side to survive the bad weather this weekend, there is a definite opportunity for the Green Army to get out of the relegation zone, and bridge that gap with the rest of the division.

The only obstacle in the way is former Green Army hero Paul Sturrock's Southend United. COYG!!!

[Big Boy]

As the only Division 4 (League 2) side to survive the bad weather this weekend, there is a definite opportunity for the Green Army to get out of the relegation zone, and bridge that gap with the rest of the division.

The only obstacle in the way is former Green Army hero Paul Sturrock's Southend United. COYG!!!

It was a nice dream