 Having made a total of 287 league and cup appearances for Port Vale, scoring 34 goals, he joined David Hodgson's Darlington on a free transfer in May 2006.He quickly became a regular in the first-team for the "Quakers", making 45 league and cup appearances in the 2006–07 season despite suffering from a groin problem.Darlington knocked Championship side Stoke City out of the League Cup in August 2006, and finished the season in mid-table.