Tomorrow at the Paycare Stadium Darlaston start their 2022/23 season after a break of 9 weeks when they welcome local rivals and Northern League Midlands Division Sporting Khalsa for the first game of their pre-season campaign.

Sporting Khalsa were promoted from the Midlands Football League Premier Division after two successful part completed campaigns during COVID by virtue of their substantial points per game total over the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.

The FA placed Khalsa into the Midlands Division of the Northern Premier League playing against the likes of Chasetown, Halesowen Town, and Sutton Coldfield Town. Last season, their first in the new league playing at Step 4 of the NLS Sporting Khalsa finished well in a highly creditable 8th position, three places outside the play-offs.

Khalsa’s management team headed by manager Ian Rowe has been working hard in the off-season retaining most of last season’s squad which includes long-time servants goalkeeper Sam Arnold, central defender and captain Tesfa Robinson along with Carlo Franco, Michael Perks, Gurjit Singh, and the squad has been boosted with the new signings of goalkeeper Raajan Gill from Whitton Albion and Issac Jagroop from Boldmore St.Michaels.

Last weekend in their first outing of pre-season Ian Rowe took his squad to Leicester University to play in the Annual Non-League Diversity Football Festival, it proved very successful as Sporting Khalsa were crowned winners and lifted the trophy by beating opponents Leicester Nirvana 5-0 and P.U. F.C. Gravesend 3-1.

Darlaston meanwhile only returned to squad training sessions last Saturday, but the squad has been monitored during the 9-week break. Dean Gill has added two signings so far to last season’s squad with the addition of forward Dominic Dell from AFC Wulfrunians and defender Liam Smith has returned from OJM Black Country.

Everyone at Darlaston is looking forward to the return of football tomorrow and this is the first of four consecutive Saturdays when Darlaston will host three Step 4 teams, all from The Northern Premier League Midlands Division. Following the FA Cup draw at lunchtime Tividale have withdrawn from next week's fixture, so the club is trying to find new opponents.

Tomorrow the gates will open at 1.00 p.m. as usual.

Entrance is Adults £6.00, concessions £4.00, Children Under 10 Free

The bar will be serving its usual pre-match hot and cold food and the bar will remain open all afternoon.

Kick-off is 3.00 p.m. and all supporters are welcome.

Darlaston supporters are to be reminded that Season Tickets for the forthcoming season go on sale tomorrow and will be available for collection priced at Adults - £99.00 and Concessions - £60.00, please speak to a Committee Member or the Bar Staff for further details.

We hope to see as many as possible of you there tomorrow.