Wem Town

moments, this week has seen another two milestones reached in the club’s history.
Firstly, on Sunday our newly formed Ladies team played their second, but first game at The
Paycare Ground, watched by a crowd of 55, a number unheard of in Ladies football at the
level they play, to be fair its usually just the girls and the management. Darlaston were
playing Shifnal Town Ladies, a team that plays three Divisions higher than our ladies team.
The game finished in a 3-3 draw was an encouraging result especially given that they were
playing against such an established team who are successful at the level they play. Knowing
our club is Inclusive, full of diversity and open to all, which is something that I was so
passionate about when we reformed. It’s something I see as vital and how clubs should be,
and it is definitely on the list of moments that make my list of proud achievements.
Secondly the other milestone is huge, of course the floodlights that we now have. I started
this ar=cle by saying we had to raise £5,000 to get the club up and running, but to finally
have the floodlights erected and commissioned, a condi=on of our promo=on into the
Premier Division of the West Midlands (Regional) Premier Division. The task has been
completed nearly six weeks ahead of =me, once again thanks to chairman Neil Chambers and
the club commi@ee, who have always been very studious with the club finances to ensure
the £20,000 we needed to get the remainder from the Football Improvement Grant from
the FA.
You see the club has saved all their profits in a development fund. Every penny raised by the
club’s volunteers has been reinvested back into the club, facili=es and the ground. To say
nearly £200,000 has been invested in our site, is nothing short of remarkable. And we
thought the £5,000 needed to reform the club was a huge amount. All the club’s
achievements and success off the field is testament to the governance, structure and hard
work of everyone involved in the club.
I am sure Andy made promises to Neil when he became manager of the first team and Neil
too would have made assurances to Andy that when the =me came, the club would support
him by ensuring everything would be in place to ensure we complied with the ground
grading requirements necessary to obtain promo=on.
Our plan for the future is not le8 to fate at Darlaston we have a 5-year plan that's reviewed
and renewed as we achieve our aims. We drive forward and we plan for eventuali=es and
nothing is le8 to chance. Risks are calculated and factored, and we are moving at such a pace
now that I almost have to stop and pinch myself at =mes.
I always say our club is infec=ous, it's an extended family. It's founded on one common goal
and the community spirit we create is remarkable. I am so proud of my involvement and link
to OUR club and am delighted I have been able to contribute to the journey that we are all
on.
#darloaywe 23