Club stalwart bids farewell to Darlo
TOM Wade is relishing the challenge of working alongside former Celtic star Didier Agathe at Northern League Division Two club Durham City.
The former Blyth Spartans manager was confirmed as part of the Citizens managerial team on Friday evening and his appointment ends his 14-month absence from the game.
He brings a vast array of experience with him after spending time in the dugout with the likes of Gateshead, Harrogate Town and Newcastle Benfield.
But it was with his hometown club where Wade made national headlines after leading Spartans to the third round of the FA Cup in 2015.
The Croft Park outfit saw off the likes of Darlington, Altrincham and Hartlepool United, but saw their dramatic run ended by a brave 3-2 home defeat against Championship club Birmingham City.
Wade departed in September 2016 and went on to have a spell working alongside Steve Harmison at Ashington, before returning to Newcastle Benfield in October 2018.
His return to Sam Smith’s Park was short-lived as he left Benfield five months later – but now he will bring an end to his absence from the game to work alongside Agathe at Durham.
After his appointment was confirmed,
DARLINGTON have confirmed that long-serving forward Stephen Thompson is to leave the National League North club.
Thompson joined the Quakers from Durham City in the early stages of the 2012/13 season and went on to help the club romp to the Northern League title by the end of the campaign.
His goalscoring form continued into the Northern Premier League as Darlington secured promotion into the Premier Division at the second attempt.
Thompson remained a key player throughout a memorable 2015/16 Wade told the Sunday Sun: “Didier obviously doesn’t really know the league so I am going to work alongside him with the club.
“I wasn’t too bothered about getting back into the game, but the attraction is working alongside someone like Didier, who has a very different background in the game to the one I have.
“I remember Durham City having a fantastic side not so long ago and they were one of the best sides in the Northern Premier League.
“Obviously things have gone the wrong way since then, but there is season when he scored 11 goals to help the Quakers overhaul Blyth Spartans to claim the Premier Division title.
He continued to find the back of the net in the National League North and wrote his name into the club’s history books when he scored his one hundredth goal for the Quakers with a penalty at Spennymoor Town on Boxing Day last year.
However, his future will now lie away from Darlington after the club revealed that Thompson had rejected now a long-term plan in place and getting someone like Didier is a really positive step.
“He’s a positive guy, I have enjoyed chatting to him over the phone and I am looking forward to meeting him. Hopefully we can move the club forwards together.”
Director of football John Woolnough believes that Wade’s appointment to the club’s management team is a further boost to their longterm plans.
The Citizens have endured a traumatic time over the last five years and only the voiding of last season new terms testimonial.
A club statement released on Saturday read: “Darlington striker Stephen Thompson has informed us that he is leaving the club. The club offered him new terms and a testimonial, but he’s decided that he wants to play elsewhere.
“Thommo joined us from Durham City early in the Northern League season and became our joint record top scorer last season when he scored his 100th Darlington goal against Spennymoor.
“Everyone at Darlington FC would like to wish him well for the future.”
and
the
offer
of
a prevented them from possibly slipping into the Wearside League.
But Woolnough is now looking forward and he believes that the new management team can herald a new, brighter future.
He said: “Tom was at Blyth Spartans, he got them to the third round of the FA Cup, and he has been around the Northern League too.
“He works with England C, so he knows a lot about the non-league scene around the country.
“He will compliment Didier and everything that he brings, and his experience will be a big help.
“They have been speaking for the last few days, their plans and their thoughts on the new season. They seem really happy; they are really happy to work with each other and I am sure the combination will work really well.”