Manager Parkes and his team of Nick Lewis Ant Follows and Ryan McAllister have been busy again, today it gives great pleasure to announce three players that have been added to Darlaston’s quickly growing squad.

All three players finished last season at FC Darlaston, one is no stranger to Darlaston Town having played for the club the season before last, the other two are both midfielders, one an 18-year-old promising player and the third a gifted technical player who has a fantastic engine.

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Welcome back Ricardo Ricketts.

Ricardo originally joined us from Walsall Wood before returning back to them after a three-month spell with us. Ricardo has improved as a player and is a valuable asset to have, that rare thing in today’s game, a utility player that can play in any position in defence or wide on the touchline. Parkes said “I watched Ricardo several times at the end of last season, and he was certainly a major contribution to FC Darlaston’s efforts to win the League. Ricardo is more than capable of playing anywhere in the back line, mostly as an overlapping full back, as well as out wide in midfield. He has returned to the club after almost two seasons, he is much wiser and has improved significantly in that time and I look forward to working with him once again”.

Ricardo’s previous clubs include spending two years at Walsall Wood during which time he had a trial period at Mansfield Town in two spells, leaving for a short time to play for us., as well as FC Darlaston at the end of last season where he made 7 appearances, scoring two goals.

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Welcome Aiden Blackham

The second player of the three to join the squad, is 22-year-old Aiden Blackham. Aiden was an important member of FC Darlaston’s midfield at the business end of the season, he made 16 appearances for the Division Two club, scoring two goals and being nominated for man of the match twice.

Parkes said of Aiden “I have kept tabs on Aiden for some time now, he is an exceptionally talented technically gifted midfielder and will give us a different dimension in such an important area of the pitch. Aiden manger last season said of Aiden “For me Aiden is a complete midfielder can run, tackle, good in the air, see a pass, score goals, glide past opponents with ease, along with an endless supply of energy with great desire to win. A genuine lad who’s got a massive future, and with a lot of effort and hard work over the coming season I think we can improve him significantly”.

Aiden’s previous clubs include FC Darlaston, Penncroft and Wolverhampton Casuals

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Welcome Joe Baker

Last but no means least, is one of the most sought-after youngsters in the Black Country, 18-year-old Joe Baker, a young lad with a huge future. Joe, like Ricardo and Aiden ended the season with FC Darlaston, he made 17 appearances for the club, 11 from the bench and 6 starts, scoring two goals and he received a single man of the match nomination.

Joe has forged a prestigious reputation in youth football, where he has dominated the midfield areas and honed his technical abilities and now, he is starting from the bottom again as he tries to build a reputation in the adult game.

Manager Parkes said of Joe “We are absolutely delighted Joe has agreed to join the squad. He is such an exciting young prospect, who is very tidy on the ball, and has an ability to spot and execute a pass, other players don’t even spot. His hunger and desire to improve has been seriously impressive and for such a young man Joe has shown a very mature attitude on and off the field, also he is street wise around on pitch, never backing down from a challenge. Joe has a huge future in the non-league game, and we are looking forward to watching his talent develop once we are able to work on his shortcomings and fine tuning his best attributes”. Clearly the Manager thinks Joe could be a real diamond in the future, he could not be in a better place for someone to bring the best out of him.

Joe’s previous clubs include FC Darlaston and Sunday team the Frying Pan at senior level and Wolverhampton Casuals, Wrens Nest and Heath Hayes at youth level.