Tomorrow a new season dawns Darlaston return to the West Midlands (Premier) Division to face new opponents in Pershore Town, a club that are in their second season in the West Midlands League having been laterally moved across from the Total Motion Midland Football League in the National League restructuring at the beginning part of last season

Andy Parkes and his men face one of the favourites for promotion, over the closed season they have I recruited exceptionally well signing the likes of goalkeeper Matt Gwynne for Worcester City, along with Stourport Swifts ex-captain Shaun Griffiths. Strikers Tom Harding formally of Hereford Utd, Westfields and Zaq Hussain Redditch Utd and Stratford Town, will bring masses of experience to a squad that fought relegation last season, ex Aston Villa academy player and Turkish youth international Umit Eminoglu has also joined the club/ Having finished in 14th position at the end of last season, following a great run of results in the second half of the season. Last season’s playing record was 38 games won 11 drawn 6 lost 21 with a goal difference of 39 but Pershore conceded 100 goals a difficult first season in a new league. season and hence why they are now looking to progress further up the non-league ladder under the management of Les Jones with his assistant manager Derek Doyle

Jones and Doyle newly assembled squad have had an impressive pre-season beating near rivals beaten Worcester City 4-2 and beat last season's West Midlands Premier Division champion Tividale 5-2 as well as securing a 1-1 draw against BetVictor Southern League Side Evesham Town the results back up everybody thoughts that Pershore are one of the favourites to occupy one of the for promotion spots available in the league this season

Pershore Town 88, a club very much like ourselves have since the 1990s played with in the Midlands Combination and Midland Alliance winning Division 2 of the Midland Combination in 1989 19 early promotion the following season finishing third earning promotion into the Midland Combination Premier Division and being crowned champions three seasons later in 93/94.

The prize was promotion to the Midlands Alliance where they played until 1999 to 2000 season finishing bottom and being relegated back into the Midland Combination Premier Division where they stayed until the local non-league was restricted by the FA for the start of the 2014/15 when the Midland Football League was created from many local long established Leagues.

Pershore were placed into Division One, their highest finish was 11th place and their lowest 18th at the end of the 2017/18 season the club was laterally moved into the West Midlands Premier Division.

Darlaston are really looking forward to the start of the season, a season where they will probably be underdogs in almost all of the fixtures they play in the league. This is even after a very good pre-season where they have played against higher League opposition, the same as Pershore but certainly without the success that Pershore have had.

After Andy Parkes had announced his squad to the players this afternoon he said, “Pre-season went exceptionally well on the football side, we managed to keep the 14 players we aimed too, a lot of last seasons squad have been offered money to go to other clubs, so we are extremely fortunate they have been loyal and stayed with the club, We ask an awful lot of the players, training twice weekly and playing, we don’t pay them a penny nothing, not even traveling expenses, so when clubs come knocking promising money, we can offer no more than what we do already. The same can be said of some of the players we have signed also, two have turned down large weekly sums to play for nothing, and since they have been with us they have really brought into the club, squad and team ethic and totally understand what we as a club and management team are about and what we can deliver to them.”

“I am really looking forward to playing against the big boy’s and tomorrow is the first game against one of them, followed by Shifnal next Saturday at home. By the middle of September after around six games we will know a lot more and hopefully we will be around the position I would expect us to be.”

Darlaston will definitely start as second favourites tomorrow and will be hoping to be able to compete at the required level and give a good account of themselves.

So why not bring the family to Pershore a lovely Riverside town and take it an hour and a half out to watch Darlaston return back to the Premier Division the game is being played at Pershore Town, Community Stadium, King George's Way Pershore WR10 1QU kick off 3 p.m.

For those of you not wanting to drive there may be some seats available on the team coach. If you are interested please speak to chairman Neil Chambers or email the club on general@darlastontown1874fc.com as soon as possible