Over the weekend the FA published the constitutions for the 2019/20 season of all Football Leagues in the Country operating between Step 1 and Step 6 of the National League System. Step 1 is the National League from which Leyton Orient and Salford City have just been promoted to the Football League.

Step 6 includes the West Midlands Regional League Premier Division. Black Country based club Darlaston Town (1874) received confirmation of their promotion to the Premier Division late on Saturday night but the news of their promotion was embargoed until 7.30am on Sunday morning. In their 2018/19 Division One campaign the club won 25 of their 32 league games with 3 losses and 4 defeats scoring 100 goals with a goal difference of 66.

Also promoted to the West Midlands Regional League Premier Division are Worcester Raiders FC who had the magnificent record of losing just one game in a 32 game season.

As a result of a restructuring of the National League System the Premier Division will look very different next season with no fewer than 8 changes to the constitution. This season's Premier Division champions Tividale and Shrewsbury based Haughmond FC have both been promoted to The Midland League Premier Division. Gt Wyrley based Wolverhampton Sporting Community have been relegated from the Midland League whilst Evesham based Littleton FC have made a sideways move from Midland League Division One. The four clubs making way are Malvern Town as well as three Herefordshire based clubs Wellington FC, Pegasus Juniors and Hereford Lads Club all of whom are moving to the Hellenic Football league Division One West.

The 2019/20 West Midlands Regional League Premier Division will consist of 18 clubs They are: AFC Bridgnorth, Bewdley Town , Bilston Town, Black Country Rangers, Cradley Town, Darlaston Town (1874), Dudley Sports, Dudley Town, Littleton FC, Pershore Town, Shifnal Town, Shawbury United, Smethwick Rangers, Wednesfield Town, Wem Town, Wolverhampton Casuals, Wolverhampton Sporting and Worcester Raiders.

Darlaston Town manager Andy Parkes was delighted to hear the news on Sunday morning and said " This is fantastic news for everyone involved with the club. In the two seasons I have been manager the club has progressed significantly both on and off the field. The 2018/19 season was the toughest I have encountered in my football career. Division One is a very competitive Division with no easy games. There are some very good teams in the Division who play quality football, but my players have been magnificent and risen to every challenge they have faced. In our last 20 games we won 17 and drew 3, at any standard that is fantastic form. Everyone's work over a 10-month season has paid off and I am very proud of every player and my backroom staff. They have cemented their names in the history of this wonderful club".

The club originally formed in 1874 is a founder member of the West Midlands Regional League and has been playing in the League since its inaugural 1962/63 playing season. The club folded temporarily in 2013/14 but a new committee formed a phoenix club as Darlaston Town (1874). The club returned to football action a year later starting again in Division Two. The club was promoted to Division One at the end of its first season.

Chairman Neil Chambers said " It was wonderful to get the email informing us of our promotion. It has taken five years of hard work on and off the field to get back to the Premier Division. Manager Andy Parkes has done a tremendous job and the group of players he has assembled have been superb. They support the club in every way and their pride in the club and representation of the town is great to see. I made a promise to Andy at his appointment interview that when he has a team capable of promotion then we will have the facilities in place to ensure we can be promoted. We have spent a lot of our own money as well as some grant funding and over the last 5 years we have invested £156k improving our facilities and equipment / with the support of the FAs Football Foundation we will be investing another £75k on erecting floodlights. So, we have both kept our promises to each other".

I could not be prouder for the committee, directors, players, management team, volunteers , supporters and our sponsors. All have played their part in achieving this moment".

The club's last Premier Division game was 6 years ago on 7 May 2013, a 1-0 home win against Wolverhampton Sporting. They will return to Premier Division action on Saturday 3 August 2019 the opening day of their 2019/20 campaign.