DCFA Building

Our History

Since 1883

supporting grassroots football in durham since 1883

In 1879 the joint Durham and Northumberland Football Association was founded and they stayed that way until 1883 when increasing numbers and travel problems for the clubs necessitated a change. On 11 May 1883, 40 clubs met in the Alexandra Hotel in Newcastle and voted to form an independent body known as the Northumberland Football Association. The Durham clubs followed suit holding a meeting at the Three Tuns Hotel, Durham City, on 25 May 1883. The nine clubs who were represented at that meeting formed the Durham County Football Association.

The association opened its first rented office at 10 Tenters Terrace, Durham City, on 1 October 1913. In June 1923, it purchased Codeslaw, The Avenue, Durham City, to provide "an office, meeting rooms and residence for the secretary". In 1971, the association moved to larger offices at The Sands, Durham City, which were officially opened by its then President, Arthur Askew. Owing to an increase in staff, another move was required and a custom-built suite of offices was erected at The Riverside, Chester-le-Street, which were officially opened on 9 June 2005 by the association’s then president, Frank Pattison, and the chairman of The Football Association, Geoffrey Thompson.