History was made as Darlaston Town (1874) FC played their first ever game in the Midland League Division One at the weekend, against Chelmsley Town FC.

 

And it was even more special as the club took the opportunity to rename their ground The Paycare Stadium in recognition of our sponsorship and support.

 

As the name suggests, the team was originally formed in 1874 (the very same year as Paycare!) and they played in various leagues before becoming the founder members of the West Midlands (Regional) League which they’ve played in for a total of 57 seasons.

 

But following the restructuring of the national league system by the FA, all existing clubs were moved and Darlaston was placed into the Midland Football League.

 

Our Partnership Engagement Officer Sally Bromley visited the ground for the officially renaming on Saturday – which also marked the first time the team had worn their new strip.

 

She said:

 

“As well as a new league and a newly-named stadium, Darlaston also played under the management of Dean Gill for the first time. He’s got a tremendous track record of bringing through youngsters, and the team didn’t disappoint, winning an exciting opening game 4 – 0.

 

“What a fantastic occasion to watch the team get off to a great winning start in their first season in the Midland League Division One. We are really proud at Paycare to be supporting this fantastic club, so rich in local history. It was a real honour for me to watch the game amongst their loyal supporters.”

 

Team Chairman Neil Chambers added:

“We are absolutely delighted that Paycare are still supporting the club and that we have now been able to rename the ground as The Paycare Stadium. Both Sally and Paycare CEO Kevin Rogers have been magnificent in their support, and it was fantastic that Sally was able to attend our first game of the season, not only to see the new signs but also the new boards around the pitch and the new home shirts bearing the Paycare logo.”

 

Well done to Darlaston, and good luck as you continue your season! We will be cheering you on! 🙌😃⚽

 

Take a look at www.darlastontown1874fc.com for all the latest from the team, including their upcoming fixture details 📝