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“Beyond the<br />
Dressing Room”<br />
Welcome back for my second instalment of “Beyond the Dressing Room”. Which is<br />
split between todays and Monday’s programmes.<br />
This week I have decided to give you a bit of an insight into how some of the<br />
characters within Darlaston Town (1874) FC came to be involved with the club. I<br />
will then hope you get an idea of just how infectious/warm and close knitted our on/<br />
off the field team really are…<br />
Most people think of Darlaston Town (1874) and think of a particular player, the<br />
manager or maybe even the chairman, but to me there would be no Darlaston<br />
Town without a traditional and proud history. Nobody lies at the heart of that more<br />
than our club secretary/grounds maintenance who for his 30 plus years’ service to<br />
the club has seen recognition in receiving “Black Country’s unsung hero 2015”, and<br />
this summer the “Queens Valued Volunteer Award”.<br />
Gilberto as I call him has become more than a part of the football family, to me and<br />
my own family he is just “family”. He is the most kind hearted and dedicated man<br />
I’ve ever met, and I love listening to his stories from years gone by, I among others<br />
know Gil as Mr Darlaston and he has a reputation far and wide across Midlands<br />
grassroots football. His reputation is weighted in respect for his knowledge and<br />
experience, we all joke but for me Gil signifies what this level of football is about<br />
and is integral to our club.<br />
Next is Neil Chambers our chairman, he gets his own section in the programme<br />
every home game, so of course everyone knows his face, but few know what<br />
commitment and heart lies behind that face. Neil is a retired tax inspector and we<br />
all of course joke with him about how his conscience and determination to follow<br />
the rules to the letter. His desire to follow every guideline, protect the reputation of<br />
the club and to build and develop the club ensuring it is sustainable and here for<br />
generations to enjoy for the foreseeable.<br />
You see Neil is the brains of the outfit, he keeps meetings to time, is the paperwork<br />
maestro, he does so so much more than steer our ship. Neil is extremely hands on<br />
and often jokes about his “title” giving him some kind of protection from the more<br />
grizzly jobs such as toilet cleaning and bacon flipping, but no he gets on those<br />
marigolds as much as the next volunteer and does more than his bit.<br />
18
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