WATCH US RISE FROM THE ASHES
IHAVE always taken a keen interest in playing fortunes of the praiseworthy phoenix clubs which grace our Non-League family. When a football club folds for whatever reason, it is always the fans who suffer most. But what invariably happens is that those loyal supporters rally round to launch a new team. A phoenix rising from the ashes.
There are several notable examples at the highest level of the Pyramid including Aldershot Town, AFC Telford United, Bradford (Park Avenue), Chester, FC Halifax Town, Hereford and Maidstone United. These sides all play in the National League at Steps 1 & 2 and benefit from excellent crowds.
But what about further down the ranks? How difficult is it to instigate a phoenix club with smaller attendances and limited financial backing?
In effect, much depends on the ability to attract sponsorship and grants.
As a case study, I decided to visit Darlaston Town (1874) FC who compete at Step 6 having been switched to the Midland League Division One at the start of this season.
They were inaugurated as a phoenix team nine years ago after the original Darlaston Town – who dated back to 1874 – disbanded and lost their spiritual home at the City Ground. The last fixture there in the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division was a 1-0 victory against Wolverhampton Sporting Community on May 7, 2013.
Neil Chambers has been chairman of Darlaston Town (1874) since they were relaunched. He told me: “Immediately upon hearing of the previous club’s demise, a group of supporters were keen to ensure that the name of Darlaston Town continued. In September 2013, more than 100 people attended a meeting to reform the club. A new committee was rapidly assembled with the intention of bringing Darlaston back into NonLeague football.
“Our numbers included two former Darlaston Town chairmen as well as several club stalwarts. They brought the experience and knowledge of more than 100 years’ service between them.
“A vote was taken at the meeting agreeing the name of the phoenix club as Darlaston Town (1874) FC. Associate membership of the Birmingham County FA was swiftly secured for 2013/14 to ensure an unbroken club history.
“For the next nine months, we held talks with Walsall Council about a possible move back to the City Ground. Unfortunately this was a non-starter for various reasons and the site fell into decline due to a spate of vandalism and arson attacks.
Foresight
“However, our future prospects were hugely boosted when we entered into a sponsorship deal with Bilston-based health cash plan provider Paycare. This arrangement has continued ever since.
“With the appropriate financial support in place, the club applied to rejoin the West Midlands (Regional) League for the 2014/15 campaign. We started out by renting a pitch at local rivals Red Star Alma FC.
“Halfway through that season though, we recognised the potential of a permanent new ground at the Bentley Leisure Pavilion. Looking back, we showed tremendous foresight in making a leap of faith in December 2014 by signing a short-term licence agreement to run and manage the 11-acre site. It housed four pitches, two large club rooms, six dressing rooms and a two sets of match officials’ changing rooms. However, the main pitch was not enclosed and had no spectator facilities whatsoever.”
Since then, Darlaston Town (1874) have worked really hard to develop what had previously been a basic open field with one main pavilion building. It has now been transformed into a tidy Non-League venue and Chambers is quite rightly proud of this achievement.
“As part of a five year plan, the club committee and volunteers started to raise the necessary funds,” he said. “We obtained more sponsors and set about improving the facilities themselves.
“Then after 12 months’ experience of successfully running the new venue, we eventually signed a 25 year lease in March 2016. This enabled us to greatly enhance our set-up.
“We have subsequently invested nearly £100,000 of our own funds. With the help of the Football Foundation and The Landfill Communities Trust, a further £150,000 has been obtained to meet and exceed Step 6 ground grading requirements.
The list of improvements includes…
● A completely refurbished clubhouse
● New toilets for spectators
● A state of the art computerised heating system
● A gym for the players
● Two new spectator stands
● Pitchside perimeter post and rail
● A new boundary fence
● Spectator hardstanding on all four sides of the pitch
● Dug-outs
● A new medical room
● A new match officials’ dressing room
● Additional showers
● Two extra dressing rooms
● New floodlights
“As we continue to monitor our finances very closely, the club agreed a further three year sponsorship with Paycare in 2020. It saw the renaming of our ground as The Paycare Stadium for the current season.
“The entire project has significantly helped with our community involvement. As well as the first team, we also have 14 youth sides plus a ladies’ team and veterans’ team representing the town of Darlaston.”
I have been really impressed by the ongoing success story at Darlaston Town (1874). In fact, Chambers confirmed that the next chapter of the club’s phoenix-like rise could be just around the corner.
“We have qualified for the end of season play-offs in the Midland League Division One,” he told. “If we are successful in winning the two games on May 3 and 7 then Darlaston Town will play at Step 5 or equivalent for the first time in our long history.”