Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club is excited to play a central role in the ambitious new vision unveiled by Newcastle Red Bulls, with the club set to benefit from a long-term partnership designed to strengthen player development and elevate rugby across the North East.

A key part of that partnership sees newly appointed Mowden Head Coach Darren “Daz” Fearn become an integral figure within the Newcastle Red Bulls coaching and player development pathway, creating closer alignment between the two clubs and providing enhanced opportunities for emerging talent.

The collaboration represents far more than a player pathway. It is a shared commitment to building a stronger regional rugby ecosystem, ensuring talented players can continue their development within the North East while helping both clubs thrive over the coming years.

Director of Rugby Neil Young believes the partnership marks the beginning of an exciting journey for Darlington Mowden Park.
“This is a hugely exciting time for DMP and we’re proud to be part of what Newcastle Red Bulls are building. Having Daz Fearn working across both programmes creates a genuine connection between our clubs and gives our players access to an outstanding coaching environment.

“This isn’t about immediate results; it’s about building something sustainable together. We’re right at the beginning of what we believe will become a really exciting journey, and partnerships like this will only grow stronger over time.

It also gives the club fresh impetus to push on and challenge at the highest levels of the English game. By working closely with Newcastle Red Bulls, sharing expertise and aligning our programmes, we’re creating an environment where everyone can continue to improve and where our ambitions as a club are matched by the opportunities available to our players and coaches.

The ambition is to create an environment where the very best players from across the North East can see a genuine pathway without feeling they have to leave the region to fulfil their potential. If we can keep developing local players, local coaches and local clubs together, there’s no reason why the North East can’t become a real rugby hotbed.

Everyone involved shares that vision, and DMP is delighted to be playing its part in making it a reality.”

The partnership will see Mowden provide an important bridge within the regional player pathway, offering ambitious players meaningful senior rugby in an environment closely aligned with Newcastle Red Bulls’ coaching philosophy and long-term performance objectives.

With greater collaboration across coaching, player development and performance, both clubs believe the relationship will strengthen year on year, creating opportunities not only for elite players but for rugby throughout the region.

Speaking on the partnership, John Fletcher, Newcastle Red Bulls academy and pathways director said:
“This is a long-term commitment which will benefit all parties, and it’s also important to stress that this isn’t at the expense of our relationship with other clubs in our region. We will absolutely have strong links with the likes of Tynedale, Billingham and others as we have always done, and we want more clubs from our region into the national leagues.

“Specifically in relation to Darlington Mowden Park, this new partnership will involve players going on dual-registration and loan, getting players in on trial, and a big factor will be Darren Fearn going there as head coach.

“Darren his role as a transition coach at Newcastle Red Bulls, working with DMP’s director of rugby Neil Young and also Danny Brown, who was their long-time director of rugby and still has an important involvement around their infrastructure.”

“We’ll have lots of alignment around our playing philosophy and game model which will help smooth that transition for players moving between the two environments, and there will be a rugby committee set up with representatives from both clubs. Obviously Darren will have a big role in that relationship but it’s absolutely not all down to him, and there will be plenty of support from all sides.

“From the Newcastle Red Bulls end that will involve the likes of myself as academy and pathways director, James Ponton as head of academy and Neil McIlroy as sporting general manager, and there will be lots of other ways in which ourselves and DMP can work together in a mutually beneficial way.”

As Newcastle Red Bulls invest in the future of rugby across the North East, Darlington Mowden Park is proud to stand alongside them at the beginning of a partnership built on shared ambition, long-term development and a commitment to ensuring the region’s best talent can flourish close to home.

DMP Chairman, Kevin Robinson stated:
"This rugby partnership with Newcastle Red Bulls is fantastic news for our club, the Board of Directors and our dedicated club members. The work of those individuals, from both clubs involved in achieving this milestone in the club’s history, has been first class and testament to their professionalism."

Photo caption (left to right): John Fletcher (Newcastle Red Bulls academy and pathways director), Kieran Forbes (DMP Player), Neil Young (DMP director of rugby), Liam Checksfield (DMP vice-captain), Darren Fearn (DMP head coach, Newcastle Red Bulls transition coach).