After a summeresque week away in Scotland, it was back to County Durham and back to typical chilly march weather. I decided to venture up to 'crisis club' Durham City AFC and was invited with other City supporters up to the executive lounge, where the chairman held a Q&A on the plight of the club - the overriding factor being that the extra travel costs of being in the national league for the past 3-4 years is killing the club. Reading between the lines City will be back in the regionalised Northern League next season.
It's a shame because it's a great little club with one of the best grounds you could have at that level. A few years ago they won the Northern League and got promoted to the Unibond 1st and duly won this. Two games into their Unibond Premier (now Evo-Stik) tenure the sponsors pulled out - the FA saying that City could progress no higher in the non-league pyramid because of their plastic pitch was seen as the reason. City, potless, were close to folding. The entire squad was sold but City bravely fulfilled their fixtures playing young lads but taking right hammerings off teams like Boston United and Halifax Town. The season after they were back in the 1st division and consolidated and have been there since.
However recent problems, non financial, is how the club is being managed by former Sunderland favourite Dickie Ord. He recently sacked his assistant manager leaving himself the sole chargehand. However when he was away last week, injured first choice keeper James Winter was forced to take charge - he's 26. The physio left as well leaving the only first aider a designated sub with a water bottle. Defender Ross Wilkinson had 8 stitches in his head after a clash and all they could do was rinse it clear. Shocking turn of events given the recent Fabrice Muamba incident. Finally the communication is poor. Players are not told about training day changes until the last minute so they can't reorganise their working week, leading to poor fitness levels. This lack of comms was highlighted at an away match when only 9 fit players turned up, leading to 2 injured ones having to start the game and to be subbed off and replaced by other injured players (one was player/manager/goalkeeper Jimmy Winter who brought himself on as an outfield player only to be sent off after 3 minutes).
So with all that bad feeling Winter once again lead Durham out in Ord's absence and took on Warrington Town. The game started openly with both teams having decent chances, particularly Town hitting the bar. City pounced first though super striker David Dowson (ex S'land & Darlo) when he coolly slotted home a one-on-one. The turning point came on half an hour when Town's Michael Jackson was dismissed for swearing at the ref. Shamone. Warrington suffered a collapse when three more goals were scored in first half stoppage time through Stephen Thompson, Johnny Davis and Andrew Stephenson. Four nil at half time? Crisis? What crisis?
Three minutes after the restart Thompo got his second, a beauty of a rasping drive from 20 yards right into the stanchion. Warrington got a consolation but City continued to press and make the advantage count. Connor Winter scored a sixth before Thompson completed his hat trick and made it a record breaking score for City at this level and stand in gaffer James Winter chuckling away to himself. 7-1 to City. A top mid table finish in the league beckons but will Durham be finished in the league come what May? Going from what the chairman said, or more importantly what he didn't say, I think there's going to be a sticky end to the Evo-Stik.
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