Feethams was a historic football and cricket ground on Victoria Embankment in Darlington, England. Darlington F.C. made it their home in 1883 and stayed for 120 years, playing their final match there on 3 May 2003. With a capacity of around 8,500, the compact ground became one of the most distinctive venues in north-east English football, its Twin Towers entrance — erected in 1913 — recognised by supporters across the country.
What set Feethams apart was its shared existence as both a football and cricket venue. After passing through the Twin Towers turnstiles, football supporters were required to walk around the perimeter of the cricket outfield to reach the terracing — an arrangement unique in English football. The ground also hosted a 1907 England Amateur international in which England defeated the Netherlands 12–2, still counted among the heaviest defeats in Dutch football history.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Darlington F.C.
- Location: Victoria Embankment, Darlington, England
- Opened: 1883 (football use)
- Final Match: 3 May 2003
- Demolished: February 2006
- Capacity: 8,500
- Twin Towers erected: 1913 — predating Wembley’s iconic towers by over a decade
A Ground Unlike Any Other
The layout at Feethams defied every convention of English football grounds. After entering through the Twin Towers, supporters walked around the perimeter of the cricket pitch before stepping onto the football terracing. The arrangement also allowed fans to change ends at half time — a tradition many regulars kept up, trooping across to mass behind whichever goal Darlington were attacking.
The Twin Towers themselves became an enduring emblem of the ground. Erected in 1913, they predated the famous Twin Towers at the old Wembley Stadium by more than a decade. For generations of Darlington supporters, passing through those towers was an act steeped in ritual, a threshold between everyday life and the theatre of matchday.
The Final Whistle and Aftermath
On 3 May 2003, a capacity crowd gathered at Feethams to mark 120 years of football on the ground. Darlington came from two goals down to earn a 2–2 draw with Leyton Orient — a defiant farewell in keeping with the club’s spirit. The team subsequently moved to a purpose-built stadium now known as The Darlington Arena.
The football stands were demolished in February 2006, shortly after an arson attack left the structure unsafe. The cricket ground, home to Darlington Cricket Club since 1866, was preserved and continues in use today. The cleared football site was later sold for residential development, leaving Feethams to live on in photographs, matchday programmes, and the memories of those who passed through its Twin Towers.
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Feethams FAQs
Why did fans have to walk around a cricket pitch to enter Feethams?
The football and cricket grounds shared the same site. After coming through the Twin Towers turnstiles, football supporters had to walk around the cricket outfield to reach the terracing on the other side — a quirk of the dual-purpose layout that persisted throughout the ground’s 120-year football history.
When was Feethams demolished?
The football stands and terracing at Feethams were demolished in February 2006, following an arson attack that left them structurally compromised. The adjacent cricket ground was not affected and remains active.
What was the capacity of Feethams?
Feethams had a football capacity of approximately 8,500. It served as Darlington F.C.’s home from 1883 until the club’s final match there — a 2–2 draw with Leyton Orient on 3 May 2003.
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Photo: mark harrington / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.