[1] The club record he set of 60 goals in 1958–59, as Ashington finished second to Peterborough United in the Midland League, still stands, and his goalscoring earned him a move to Aberdeen.
[5][6] Cummings first joined Aberdeen on a part-time basis, continuing to work as a coal miner at Bates Colliery, at Blyth, Northumberland, to ensure his exemption from National Service.
[7] He made his Scottish League debut on 1 March 1960 against Rangers and a year later, playing at outside right, he became only the third Aberdeen player, and first Englishman, to score a hat-trick against that club.
[3] In October 1963, Cummings played as a guest and scored for a Newcastle United XI in a testimonial match for Alf McMichael, and five days later he signed for the club for a £5,000 fee.
[8] Cummings scored twice on his Darlington debut, in a 3–0 defeat of Stockport County,[8] and went on to become the club's top scorer for the 1965–66 season as they gained promotion for the first time in more than 40 years.