Dave McLean was one of Darlington’s longest serving midfielders, playing 338 matches between 1979 and 1986, scoring 52 goals.

Here are his memories from the Farewell to Feethams book by RS and Andrew Wilkinson

The livewire Geordie was inspirational in a side which rose from perennial strugglers to promotion winners under Cyril Knowles. "After struggling you appreciate the good times," said Dave. “Though even when things were not going well, I was happy at Darlington. They were easily the best years of my career."
He played a few games for Newcastle, until Bill McGarry became manager.
"I was injured,” recalled Dave. "But McGarry said he knew what I could do, encouraged me to get fit. Then within a week I was on my way to Carlisle. That was my first lesson in not believing everything I was told."
Dave hankered after a return to the north east. "Billy Elliott was Darlington manager, and signed me after a trial. He had quirky ideas, but was a former international and had coached abroad, and I respected that.
"Jimmy Shoulder, an honest and hardworking guy, was coach. They made me want to play for them. Money was tight, and we ended up with a side full of players other clubs didn’t want. But we forged a good spirit.
“Billy left out of the blue, and I hoped the next guy would be as good." It was Cyril, and Dave quickly learnt that what the manager wanted, he got.
“There were no grey areas. You were told something, and you did it! He brought in John Craggs as player coach. He was class, and suddenly we had a talented though small squad.
“We stuck together and played through injuries. I was captain, and to win promotion was fantastic after we had finished third from bottom in my first season and struggled in others.
"I had a few run ins with Cyril, but none lasted more than a couple of minutes. I had a reputation as a fiery character - maybe because of my red hair - but I never saw myself that way.
“The Fourth Division toughened me. I was all pace and skill as a winger in young days. but in midfield in the lower leagues you must look after yourself.”
Dave was penalty taker, and recalls smashing one over the bar, but that was the only time he missed the target.
His commitment was summed up by the very few games he missed. An injury towards the end of his first season restricted him to 36 league appearances. The season following it was 41, then for two seasons he was ever present, before making 43, 44 and 38 appearances.
A model of consistency, he started as an attacking midfielder then gradually assumed an anchor role.
The final game of the promotion season when Torquay were beaten 1-0 in an incessant storm that left the pitch standing in water remains in his memory.
"We had a trialist goalkeeper that night (Rocha Kaara, a Tunisian). What a character he was. It's funny that I played all those games yet can't remember many, yet he played only once and I recall him vividly.”
Dave also remembers the 2-2 draw with Crewe when Quakers clinched promotion. "We'd got the jitters and hadn't won for five games. But ten minutes before the end of the Crewe game we knew a draw would see us promoted, and we were jubilant, coasting home.”
Dave left a big impression on the fans, none more than Neil Maddison.

“He was a Darlington fan before he became a professional,” recalled Dave. “When he was at Southampton, a magazine did a profile on him. It was after I had finished playing. When asked his favourite player, he said “Dave McLean”. I was really proud of that.”,
In Dave’s time, Darlington took some hidings, but had famous victories., including a 6-1 win at Aldershot.  "We were all good players - but so inconsistent. When it clicked we looked world beaters. But often we were awful."
Among the players he remembers well was Alan Walsh.  "What a hammer of a left foot he had,” said Dave. "He scored some incredibly powerful goals – mind you, his right foot wasn’t that much use.
“David Speedie was unbelievable in the air for one so short, and a right so-and-so on the training ground, always up to tricks.  Kev Smith was the local boy made good. He was raw, but had a huge heart.”
Dave left in regrettable circumstances after Darlington's first season in the old Third Division.
”My contract was up, but I wanted to stay. We were a division higher and I wanted a pay rise. Cyril and chairman Ken Warne offered me the bare minimum. I felt let down. I had worked so hard and was captain Cyril and I had discussed a lot together.
"Freedom of contract was coming in, and the phone didn't stop. Even a Belgian club came in but I went to Scunthorpe because my old mate Bill Green was there.
"Then I found out that Scunthorpe had tried to buy me for £30,000. Darlington had never told me, which I felt bad about after all my service."
Dave had offered to stay at Darlington for very little more money, as long as he got a testimonial in three years' time after completing ten years. The answer was no.
He played in the last game at the Old Show Ground before Scunthorpe moved to Glanford Park. "It was the second leg of the play-offs and we lost to Torquay. That was my last game.”
He played at Wembley for Brigg Town when they won the FA Vase in 1996, ironically the year that Quakers first played there in the play off final.  “We beat Billingham on the way, Kev Smith was in their side.”
Dave went on to manage Brigg Town and worked in Sheffield. When he was interviewed in 2002, he still had the shirt from the soaking night against Torquay. “It’s just about dried out,” he laughed.