The Great White Hopes
There’s probably only one set of fans that share the feelings of elation and pride in their club that are currently default settings for Swans supporters, but the reasons for that pride are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. The Swans continue to celebrate the scalping of Arsenal and bask in the worldwide compliments on the style of play at the Liberty whilst Darlington fans rejoice in a mammoth collective effort to keep their club alive for just that little bit longer as it struggles for its very existence.
It was a remarkable day yesterday for the Quakers as it looked for all the world like the club would pass from administration to liquidation but a very last ditch rescue package from the Darlington Football Club Rescue Group (DFCRG) brought a stay of execution until the end of January. For Darlington fans, many of whom contributed to that rescue package through donations to the Supporters Trust, the elation comes from knowing that they are still in there with a chance of surviving…and whilst there is still a breath in the club’s body then hope springs eternal.
Swansea City has, of course, been in Darlington’s situation more than once and for those that have borne witness to those struggles and actively took part in the various rescue attempts and resuscitation of the club the current heady Premier League days are a golden reward. If you can’t enjoy this time as a Swans fan then really, give it up now, because you’ll never get much better than what you’ve got right now!
And as the publicity surrounding our passing football passes fever pitch, every struggling club out there should sit up and take note for we are The Great White Hopes – the proof that you can come back from the brink and make it to the top.
From the very bottom of the League to spanking the arse of Arsenal in the top flight in less than a decade, and not a sugar daddy or oil sheikh in sight. It can be done. We are the living proof of it. And every club in the lower divisions can cling to that reality just as they used the rise of Wimbledon from obscurity to the top table as an example all those years ago.
You can see the template beginning to work again with Wrexham – at death’s door, tumbled out of the League, fought off nefarious owners and now prospering again thanks to the fans at the helm. I watched their F A Cup replay with Brighton last night, which they lost on the narrowest of narrow margins (a penalty shoot out), and they played their Championship opponents off the park at times; they have a livewire team sitting proudly at the top of the Blue Square and are looking good for a return to the Football League.
Who knows, if they follow the template laid down by The Great White Hopes, we may well be watching a Swansea v Wrexham Welsh derby in the Premier League in less than a decade. As for Darlo, survival in any form will do for them right now and I wish them the very best of luck in that fight.
January 21, 2012 at 12:24 am
Superb, Nige.