Feethams

Feethams was the home of the Darlington Cricket Club. From the 1860s, amateur football had been played on the site. In 1883 the newly formed Darlington F.C. made its home at Feethams. The 1903 Deed of Foundation of the Feethams Cricket Field Trust stated that the land in question was acquired by the Trust "for the purpose of securing the said premises as an open space to be used for Cricket and other Athletic exercises".

The ground itself was a typical lower-league affair, with terraces (standing areas) and benches providing the majority of accommodation for the spectators. There were four sections: the West Stand, the East Stand, Polam Lane (South) End and the Tin Shed home terrace (the Cricket Ground End). All-seater stadiums have been compulsory in the English Premiership since the start of the 1994–95 season as a result of the Taylor Report , which gave recommendations to improve stadium safety after the Hillsborough disaster, when almost 100 fans died in a crowd crush. The East Stand was built in 1997 as an all-seater, which led to the club's financial difficulties, culminating in the chairmanship of…