Biography
Goalkeeper Benjamin Stoves “Ben” Darling was born in Houghton-le-Spring in the Sunderland coalfields area but was raised in South Shields to a policeman father. He played for County Durham Schoolboys and had a trial for England Schoolboys as a youngster. He played local league football before joining North Eastern League side South Shields on the club’s formation in the 1936 close season – a previous Football League club in South Shields had moved to Gateshead and taken the name of its new home town in 1930. Initially playing in the Reserves, by the end of the 1936/37 season Darling was first choice as first team goalkeeper and during the 1937/38 season he impressed visiting scouts from Football League clubs. In June 1938 he signed a contract with Hull City and was deputy to John Ellis, another new signing – Ellis was drafted in as first choice keeper to replace Edward Goodall, another netminder from South Shields who had signed for Bolton Wanderers that summer.
In November 1938 Ellis dislocated a shoulder in a fiery League victory over York City and Darling was given his chance in the first team. He made three starts, two League defeats to Rochdale and Doncaster Rovers and an FA Cup victory over Rotherham United. Darling returned to the reserves whn Ellis was restored to full fitness and never played again for the Tigers first team.
Darling returned to South Shields when World War Two commenced in September 1939 and worked as a shipyard fitter while also serving in the local Home Guard. He didn’t return to senior football after the War and remained living in South Shields, dying in January 1974.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 23 March 1916, Houghton-le-Spring
Hull City First Game: 19 November 1938, Rochdale A (Division Three North), 22 years, 241 days old
Hull City Final Game: 3 December 1938, Doncaster Rovers A (Division Three North), 22 years, 255 days old
Clubs
South Shields (1936-1938), Hull City (1938-1939)
Hull City Record
Career: 3 apps, 0 goals
Ben Darling| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938/39 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |