This afternoon Darlaston Town (1874) return to the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division after a 6-year absence and what a journey has taken place in that time.

After the club resigned from the West Midlands (Regional) League at the end of the 2012-13 season a new phoenix club was formed in September of that year, using the name of Darlaston Town (1874).

I don't propose to go through the history that everyone connected with the club is aware of, only that returning to the Premier Division within 6 years is an incredible feat, not only on but off the pitch. When the club rose for the ashes it had nothing no ground, no team, no bank account, no committee. Now the club today people might say is in dreamland, an extremely viable company that has secured a long lease on a ground that is the envy of many clubs that visit. The facilities by the end of September over £200,000 has been invested in The Paycare Ground and The Bentley Pavilion, money that has been raised by the volunteers and funding through grants. I think everybody will realise that that is a magnificent and almost impossible achievement in such a short time

This could not be another achieved without two teams at Darlaston the first the one everyone sees, the face of the club, the football team, earning two promotions in six years to return to the level the old club finished at. The team had been guided by two managers since reforming, both achieving a promotion Mark Swann and the current incumbent Andy Parkes these two managers have pushed the club to where it is today.

Thanks, should go to every player that has pulled on the stripes of Darlaston Town 1874. The sacrifice that the players and coaches’ managers medical staff have made during that 6-year period has been significant, all for no reward, just for the playing the game they love, and after a time Darlaston always finds a special place in their hearts.

I know that two individuals connected with the first team sacrifice most of their family time for the benefit of the club as they strive to succeed. Both are very driven, don’t suffer fools gladly and only want to be winners, they don’t do second best. They are investing more than the hours in the team and club, than they spend at work every week, time they should be spending with their loved ones. They expect and demand the best, not only from the players but also from the club. They are doing everything they can to progress the players to be the best they possibly can be and need the support of everyone to achieve their goals, which in turn will benefit the club because they will rise up the non-league ladder with them. Today sees a milestone for these two individuals and one player in todays squad, who in the last three seasons have earned two promotions for the two clubs they have been associated with to progresses from Division Two to the Premier Division, some achievement is that.

The newly formed youth section and this season’s ladies’ team have recently joined the fold and I'm sure with the development of both the youth and the ladies’ section we are in for an exciting time in years to come.

The second team responsible for the rise from the ashes is the off the field to the arm the team of volunteers the committee, directors the ground staff the ladies in the kitchen, the bar staff, cleaners, tradesman and anyone that gives any time to the club, these are the people that have built the club from nothing to where it is today. There have been many volunteers over the 6 years, some have come and gone, but the majority of people that raised their hands at the first meeting to reform the club are still involved in key positions today.

A lot of work goes unnoticed in our club, and there are far too many people to thank individually, but the one thing the volunteers should feel today is pride, everyone has helped in their own way and contributed to the clubs journey over the last six years and thank you for everything you have done.

There are always individuals within any club that are vital to its existence, these people vary rarely get the praise and recognition they deserve. This is not belittling the work that others do, take our grumpy (his words not mine) chairman Neil Chambers a very astute man, he has guided the club from nothing to where it is today running a very tight ship, with clear and tight governance, making successful grant applications without which the club would be nowhere near where it is today and the club should be really thankful of his efforts.

Neil is always striving and looking as to how to move to the club onto the next level, planning for what the future will bring, not only for the club, but also for the site and first team too, his vision and ability to see what’s round the next corner has been so important in the clubs development. His focus is the first team and by definition he provides support to the manager and his team on the pitch. But what most people don’t see is the cleaning, painting, continual re-stocking of the bar, and the classy bacon and sausage sandwiches he makes for the Breakfast Clubs that regularly use our facilities. Neil is always thankful of the time that the volunteer’s management and players give to the club. One thing that is a dead certainty without his is stewardship the club would certainly not been the position it is today after starting from nothing 6 years ago.

Vice chairman Garry Hale is the opposite to Neil, that’s why they work so well together, Gaz is a doer, a grafter, painter and decorator the man that can make money from nothing, Gaz again has been standing side by side with Neil through the whole process supporting Neil, and vice versa, Neil takes a back step and Gaz leads when things demand his skill set. Gaz and his family are fully committed to the club, his wife Lynne is the master of the kitchen, some may say the heartbeat of the club on matchdays, the players and supporters are fed by this fine lady, and Lynne has been one of the many reasons why the club has won the League Bob Juggins Hospitality Award for three out of the last four years. Now Myles has joined in, becoming Gil’s assistant, working with Gil to learn the Groundsman’s and kit man roles.

In any club, you need a “master of coin” a treasurer, this gentleman and he is certainly gentle. Bob is another one of the team who works his magic behind the scenes, a very quiet unassuming man, so much so not many people connected with the club even know who he is, but he is at every game with his wife sue and family. Bob like Neil is accountancy trained and has a big influence on the path the club is on and how money is collected and spent, he always has the club’s best interests at heart.

Finally, we turn to Mr Darlaston, who needs no introduction Gil Preece, groundsman, kit man and club secretary, but few people know Gil does even more. He turns up on every Sunday morning with his sidekick George Hancocks at 7 am to clean up after the function, ensuring the club is tidy and presentable ready for youth teams who turn up for their 10.30 am kick offs. Gil in the week helps Neil with the Breakfast Clubs and restocking of the club.

All of these people deserve a huge thank you, but so does everyone else who invests time in our fantastic club, I could pick out loads of people, Anton, Nicola, Coz, Katie, Emma, Gil’s helpers on the ground, the lads that man the gate at every home game irrespective of the weather Walsall's Deputy Mayor Rose Burley retired Councillor Keith Chambers and so on, each is deserving as each other. Just think how many thousands of hours some volunteers have given to the club since the first meeting to reform the club, you see the number of hours a volunteer donates to the cause, some it may only be a few, it just does not matter, it the total of these hours that does matter, it’s the collective that makes our club so unique, some would argue it’s not a club, as Nicola would say “It’s my extended family” and she is probably right, because strangers working for the common cause become friend very quickly.

I'm sure I speak for everyone that is connected with the club that to see a Darlaston Town take the field at 3 pm this afternoon will be bursting with pride to see the club has returned to where it should be.

Now we have a fantastic management team, a fantastic fully committed squad of players, a board of directors and club committee looking toward big projects to be completed over the next few months to make the ground ready for Step 5 for when promotion is available, which is the next step up for this fast developing club, who knows how long it will take, where the club will go and what can be achieved in time, one things for certain the first team management team will be doing everything to ensure the club succeeds on the pitch, and that’s why it’s so important the two teams at the club pull together and work towards achieving the common goal.

But as I have said, many many people deserve large thank you just in my opinion sometimes the important ones get forgotten, so THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE who has dedicated any time to this wonderful club over the years.