Darlaston Town F.C.
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| Full name | Darlaston Town Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Darlo |
| Founded | 1874 (as Darlaston) |
| Ground | The City Ground Darlaston |
| Chairman | Paul Tonks |
| Manager | Steve Hinks |
| League | West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division |
| 2007–08 | West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division, 9th |
Darlaston Town F.C. are a football club based in Darlaston, West Midlands, England. For the 2008-09 season, they are members of the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division.
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[edit] History
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Formed in 1874 Darlaston are the oldest West Midlands League club and one of the oldest non league clubs in the country. They have played at the “City Ground” since 1890 when it was known as the Wakes Ground. Darlaston played their early football locally in the Wednesbury Junior league and Walsall District League winning both championships.
In 1897/98 the Birmingham County Junior Cup was won 1-0 beating Hoobrook Olympic in the final. In the 1907/08 season Darlaston were members of the Birmingham Junior League which they won. The 1908/09 season saw Darlaston one of the founder members of the Birmingham Combination, winning it in season 1910/11. In the 1911/12 season Darlaston were promoted to the senior Birmingham & District League replacing Crewe Alexandera, who entered the Central League. Darlaston remained members of the District League until the end of the 1927/28 season when they returned to the Birmingham Combination.
During the Second World War the Combination ceased to run but on the return to normal Combination Football in season 1945/46, Darlaston were Champions. Darlaston remained in the Birmingham Combination until the end of the 1953/54 season when the league folded. With other clubs they then moved to the reorganised Birmingham & District League playing in Division One North.
The Birmingham & District League became the West Midlands (Regional) League in the 1962/63 season and Darlaston played in the Premier Division until 1981/82 when they were demoted. From the 1982/83 season they were members of Division One winning the division and promotion in 1989/90. The following season 1990/91 they finished 4th in the Premier Division. They also became the first side to win the Birmingham County FA Vase back to back in seasons 1990/91 and 1991/92.
Darlaston FC added Town to its name at the beginning of the 1996/97 season.
At the end of the 2001/02 season Darlaston had the misfortune to be relegated to Division One after finishing 19th out of 24 clubs due to the ground not being up to Premier Division standards.
In 2005 Paul Tonks took over the running of the club and appointed Rob Morris and Lee Price to the management hot seat. In their first season in charge, 2006/07, they led Darlaston to the Division One Championship and League Cup winners and promotion back to the Premier Division. The 2007/08 season saw Darlaston Town finish 9th in the Premier Division as well as winning the Wednesbury Charity Cup for a record 18th time.
[edit] Stadium
In March 2009 Darlaston's home stadium, the City Ground, was attacked by vandals, who damaged the pitch and floodlights.[1]
[edit] Honours
- BCFA Senior Cup
- 1938/39 Runners Up 0-1 Redditch
- 1972/73 Winners 2-1 AP Leamington
- 1973/74 Runners Up 2-3 Highgate United
- BCFA Vase
- 1990/91 Winners 6-2 Chelmsley Town
- 1991/92 Winners 1-0 Gornal Ath AET
- BCFA Junior Cup
- 1897/98 Winners 4-2 Hoobrook Olympic
- Birmingham Combination Champions 1910/11, 1945/46
- West Midland Regional League Division 1 North 1989/90, 2006/07
- Wednesbury Charity Cup
- Record 18 wins and 3 shared in 32 finals
[edit] References
- ^ "Vandal attack puts pitch out of action". Express & Star. 6 March 2009. http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/03/06/vandal-attack-puts-pitch-out-of-action/. Retrieved on 9 March 2009.
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West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division 2008-09
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