Tomorrow Darlaston welcome Alvechurch to the Paycare Ground for the second game in three months. The first ended in a 1-0 win to Alvechurch and outstanding finish from Tyrell Hamilton who has since moved onto pastures new.

Both managers will have different players at their disposal as Dean Gill and Ian Long look towards the start of their prospective seasons on the 7th and 14th August.

Games between the two squads are usually very close affairs and certainly do not show the difference in the levels the two clubs within in the non-league ladder.

Ian Long and his management team have been busy in building their squad for the coming season retaining important players such as skipper Jamie Willetts and his fellow central defender Joe Hull who have formed a formidable partnership. Also, important midfielders Dave Bellis who according to the Ian Long makes them tick along with Tom Turton, Kevin Monteiro and 20-year-old Peter Taylor who is recovering from a serious injury suffered last September.

Last season’s two keepers have also committed the experienced Matt Sargent and his young understudy Ollie Taylor who proved he was more than up to the task when he had to step in

Long although has lost Tyrell Hamilton to AFC Telford United ex-wolves forward James Spray has resigned as well as two young prospects in Louis Monaghan and the pacey Ben Cassidy the clubs youngest ever goal scorer.

Alvechurch suffered a blow after securing the services of well-travelled forward Anthony O'Neil Dwyer to lead the line, Dwyer left the club without kicking a ball citing the need to play football nearer his Nottingham home.

There is however a connection between Ian Long and Darlaston’s manager Dean Gill, over the years. Dean has produced several players that have continued their development at clubs higher up the non-league ladder and in the EFL, two of those players have played for Alvechurch, the first being Kieron Cook, who has this season moved to Leamington from Alvechurch, after following Long and his management team from Alvechurch to Stourbridge, then back to Alvechurch.

The second is Luke Yates, both players have played for Dean at youth and adult level at Wednesfield, 16 year old Yates scored 33 goals for Wednesfield in their trophy laden and promotion winning season in 2016/17 both were snapped up by Long from the West Midlands Regional League team.

Yates left Alvechurch in 2019 signing for near neighbours Redditch United. When Redditch manager Paul Smith left the club to move to Halesowen Town, Yates followed him, and was a huge success at the Yeltz, which prompted Ian Long to bring the player home resigning the 21-year-old in May this year.

Last night I spoke to Dean Gill about his relationship with Ian Long, Gill said “Alvechurch are managed by without doubt the best manager I’ve come across locally, Pee (Ian Long) has the ability to do what he wants in the game, circumstances can be cruel in football and they turned that way when he went to Stourbridge, however he’s still a young gaffer and will fulfil his ability I have no doubt.

Alvechurch under Richard Thorndike (Chairs) leadership have done incredible things and are a very well-respected club top to bottom with a blossoming youth setup. When Thorndike joined the club six seasons ago, they had nothing except the ground and a mountain of debt, with his drive and a hard-working board of Directors they have taken the club from the same division we will be playing in next season at Step 6 of the National League Structure to Step 3, one level away from the National League.

We look forward to the game immensely, we know many of their players and they know ours. Two of our squad members Ryan Winwood & Paul Evans have been stalwarts for Pee (Ian Long) over the years and recent signing Luke Yates was given his debut in adult football by me at Wednesfield five seasons ago and was an integral part of the team’s success during that season.

Tomorrow should be a great spectacle, they are usually very close competitive affairs and it’s a great test for both squads with the season so close.”

The match will kick off at 3 pm, the gates open at 1.30 pm with food, hot and cold beverages along with alcohol will be on sale in the now fully open bar, we would ask that you still wear masks when not seated.

Entrance is £5 Adults, £3 concessions, and children under 10 free.

We hope to see you at The Paycare Ground tomorrow to watch a top non-league game.