AS debuts go, a 62-7 thrashing of your opponents is as good a way as any to celebrate playing at a new venue. And Darlington Mowden Park’s crushing of Bromsgrove last Saturday was in marked contrast to the first game of football played at the Darlington Arena almost 10 years ago. The Quakers’ first match at what was then called the Reynolds Arena resulted in a 0-2 reverse to Kidderminster Harriers. And it was all downhill from there.

Mowden Park’s purchase of the stadium last year raised eyebrows in the town and further afield.

How could a rugby club, which typically attracted 200 souls to its fixtures at Yiewsley Drive (in Mowden), make a go of covering the costs of a structure which brought the professional football club, slowly but surely, to its knees and ultimately led to its winding up?

Apart from the result on the pitch, the signs on Saturday were encouraging. For example, there was evidence (all those minis playing at half-time with proud parents watching) that Mowden Park’s community links are stronger than the Quakers, which counts for a lot when times are hard.

And there are clearly some hard-nosed business types at Mowden Park. They have done their sums and have immediately taken steps to use some of the space for office and leisure facilities which will generate revenue to help offset the stadium’s running costs. There is interest from the Rugby Football Union to use a facility which is now the biggest rugby union ground in the country outside Twickenham. It augers well for a sustainable future for The Northern Echo Arena.