1,500+ DFC Fan Owners Hit!
By David Steel
Yet another key milestone has been hit in the history of DFC fan ownership, as for the very first time we can say that 1,500+ Darlo fans own just over 90% of the football club.
At the beginning of July we gave Darlo fans the target of taking our already-record high number of DFC fan owners (1,460) to 1,500+ before the end of the month and the commencement of season 2026/27.
Given Darlo fans' track record of taking on a challenge, we thought that that number was achievable within a month. And we weren't wrong!
As we all know, Darlo fans love a target, as evidenced by Boost The Budget each May, so it shouldn't surprise anyone in the world of football to find out that the 1,500+ DFC fan owner number target was hit eight days before the end of July! 50 new fan owners signed up in that time - a 3% increase in 17 days and 500+ more fan owners than we had in January 2022 (a 50% increase!).
Which means that, for the first time since fan ownership commenced in mid-2012, we have reached 1,500+ (1,510 to be exact...) DFC fan owners/DFCSG members. Another big milestone.
For those that aren't aware already, Darlington Football Club is owned by it's fans. Members of DFCSG (Darlington Football Club Supporters Group) make up the majority shareholder group of the club - just over 90% at present - with every single DFC fan owner/DFCSG member having a say in how our football club is run.
"Football clubs are for life, not just for business..."
The more DFC fan owners/DFCSG members we have, the stronger our club becomes and the better we are on the pitch.
Our DFC fan owners/DFCSG members enjoy a range of exclusive benefits for being a part of the collective, all for just £25 a year (or £2.09 a month).
As an example, those who can say that they have an ownership stake in the club via DFCSG membership can enjoy a range of discounts from local business via our growing Quaker Savers scheme. This list keeps on growing (40 brands/businesses and counting...).
Quaker Retail offer DFC fan owners/DFCSG members 10% off on selected items and there is also a discount available on the DFCSG Supporters' bus for travelling to away games and on DFC Hospitality for home games.
The YOURCLUB Content back catalogue of columns, articles, videos and interviews here on YOURCLUB currently sits at just over 310, the vast majority of which are DFC owner-only in terms of access.
But, beyond discounts, exclusive access and special offers, we have always felt that being able to say: "I'm part of a collective that owns *my* football club..." is one of the biggest benefits on offer to DFC fan owners/DFCSG members. Not many football fans, particularly in England, can say this.
To have gone from virtually nothing in 2012, when extinction was a possibility, to finishing just outside the play-off spots in the National League North last season after three promotions across four seasons (2013 to 2016), with 1,500+ of us owning c90% of the football club, is some achievement and something we should all be very proud of.
So, if you're already one of the 1,510 (at time of writing - Friday 24th July 2026) DFC fan owners/DFCSG members, we thank you for your support and dedication to the club. It means everything.
If you're not one of those 1,510, then read this then click here to sign up today - what are you waiting for?!
Help us get to 2,000+ before 2027 rolls round...
