MySpace a place for friends

Established in February 2001, Uncovered FC are a football team made up entirely of Darlington supporters who regularly play matches against fellow supporters teams.
Taking their name from the Darlo Uncovered website, for many years run by Scott Thornberry who is also a UFC player as well as chairman, the lads travel the country to play against fans of other League Two clubs and in doing so have built up plenty of friendships (and rivalries) along the way.
But the club got off to an auspicious start when only five players turned up to their very first training session. A fundraising friendly against Hartlepool had been organised for later in 2001 but the signs were ominous when so few turned up at team’s first gathering.
However, that they are still going strong six years later and over 70 games since are testament to the dedication and commitment the team has shown since that day in February 2001.
That first training session, held at Abbey Road playing fields in Darlington, signalled the beginning of preparations for a charity match later that year versus Hartlepool – named In The Net Poolies - that saw the Poolies end as winners on penalties.
Twelve months later the sides held a rematch at Hundens Lane in Darlington but this time Uncovered ended as 5-3 winners and while the result instigated the demise of In The Net Poolies, Uncovered have gone from strength to strength.
First managed by Dan King, he eventually quit to concentrate on his left-wing role which allowed striker David Aiken to take up the managerial reigns. Aiken has been with the club since day one as he was one of the infamous five at the very first snow covered training session, the others being Mark Cox, Paul Baker, Phil Thornberry, Gary Barden and Craig Stoddart – the latter three all still part of UFC.
Although around 100 players have donned Uncovered colours over the years, a hardcore of 15-20 players have kept the UFC flag flying with the only requirement being that all players must support Quakers and that has helped maintain their identity as a Darlington supporters team.
Being big Darlington fans, many of the team achieved what must rank as their proudest moment when UFC played in one of the final ever matches at Feethams in 2003.
Darlington’s last match at their former home, before moving to the 96.6TFM Darlington Arena, was the 2-2 draw with Leyton Orient on Saturday, May 3, 2003.
However, seven days after Neil Wainwright scored Quakers’ equaliser to score what is regarded as the final ever Darlington goal at the ground, Uncovered staged a match in which then 16-year-old called Tom Breedon bundled the ball home at the Tin Shed end so can now justifiably claim to have scored the final Darlington goal at Feethams.
York City were the opponents that day after UFC striker Craig Kane did his best Jimmy Saville impression by fixing it for both sides to play at Feethams, and although the visitors won the match, simply playing at the ground was a great achievement for the team.
The club’s profile among Darlington fans given a huge boost in the summer of 2003 when Uncovered launched a venture into replica kit merchandising with their own black and white hooped kit. After the traditional Darlington design had been ignored for so long by Quakers’ hierarchy, UFC were keen to bring back the hoops and a little over six months later the shirts were borrowed by Darlignton and used in two charity games held at the Arena.
As with many Darlington fans, black and white hoops were the design that UFC’s players wanted to see Quakers play in and as a result UFC sold over 100 of the popular shirts. Someone at the Arena must have been taking note because 12 months after the UFC kit release, Darlington unveiled their own black and white hooped kit. Having apparently had such an impact was a proud moment for the Uncovered team and next season Quakers will again be in hoops for what will be the fourth consecutive year.
On the field, Uncovered always put in a competitive performance and have recorded some excellent results over the years with their high point coming in the summer of 2005 at Worldnet in Leeds.
The 64-team annual competition brings together fans of supporters from across the country, as well as one or two from Italy and France, for a two-day tournament and in the summer of 2005 Uncovered reached the quarter finals where they were beaten by the excellent eventual winners, Rotherham United.
Having won the group stage and overcome Gillingham with a dramatic golden goal victory, Uncovered were unfortunate to come up against an impressive Rotherham but still felt proud of their efforts.
With the likes of Hull City, Doncaster Rovers, Huddersfield Town, Scunthorpe United, Kidderminster Harriers and York City all leaving League Two in recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for Uncovered to find opposition.
Grimsby Town and Bury have become regular fixtures but more and Uncovered are taking detours on route to other destinations simply to get a game of 11-a-side staged. Such examples have seen them play at Rotherham on route to Mansfield and Sheffield United on route to Barnsley.
Similar detours have seen the supporters teams from Hull and Stockport stop off to play in Darlington against Uncovered FC before heading off to support their team play at Hartlepool United.
Recently the Hull City supporters played a game in Darlington before getting back on the road to see their club play at Sunderland.
That match was staged at the new Haughton Education Village, Uncovered FC’s latest venue. Although Eastbourne Sports Complex is where they have staged the majority of their matches, the council-run facility is not always available so Aiken’s side has often had to play elsewhere, including at Darlington RA on Brinkburn Road.
However, much to the chagrin of club treasure and penny-pincher Craig Stoddart, the close proximity of neighbouring gardens mean that footballs are often lost so playing at the RA can be a costly business. So it was with interest that UFC heard the news that Darlington Football Club hope to build new grassroots sports facilities as, from their own experience of trying and failing to play at Eastbourne Sports Complex, believe the town is badly in need of new football pitches.
In May 2007, though, Uncovered played at the 25,000 all-seater Darlington Arena - a far cry from their usual bobbly park pitches. Quakers striker Tommy Wright arranged for the game, against a team of his friends from Leicester called Gangbangers FC, to be played at the stadium. UFC were beaten 6-0 by a strong and skilful side, but it marked another highlight in the history of the club.
Given the unpromising first ever gathering in February 2001, few imagined the club would still be here today but, fresh from their appearance on the hallowed turf and preparing for their fourth appearance at Worldnet, Uncovered are clearly still going strong.