Century of rivalry in charity football game

Darlaston Town and Bilston Town will meet for the first time in seven years.

It comes as Darlaston are sitting at the top of the West Midlands Regional League Division Two a year after being expelled due to financial problems.

Following support from residents and local businesses, the club announced in April that more than £5,000 had been raised to cover the running costs of for the team for this season. They are now five points clear at the top of the division.

and have announced this The charity match at 2pm on New Year's Day will be in aid of the Bilston Remembered community group, which is running a series of First World War remembrance events.

Records show that games between Bilston and Darlaston go back 118 years to 1896/97 when both clubs played in the Walsall Junior League, which later became the Walsall and District League. At the time Bilston were known as Bilston United and finished fourth, while Darlaston came second behind champions Bloxwich Strollers. Both clubs moved to the Birmingham Junior League in 1907. Darlaston won both games 1-0 before going on to win the league by a single point from their local rivals. Included in Darlaston's championship winning team was William Lloyd, whose grandson Graham and great-grandson Robert are still regulars at Darlaston's home games.

Former England captain and Aston Villa's all time leading goalscorer Billy Walker made his Darlaston debut against Bilston in a 5-2 win in the war time Walsall Combination on October 9, 1915.

Bilston are currently in 11th place in the West Midlands Regional League premier division and over the years the two clubs have enjoyed a friendly, but fierce rivalry.

The last time they met in competitive action was in Darlaston's 2006/07 West Midlands League Division One Championship winning season. Darlaston won their home fixture 3-1 on 7 October with the away game ending 1-1 in April 2007 the last time the teams met competitively.

Darlaston chairman Neil Chambers said: "Historically Bilston v Darlaston games were played on Boxing Day and we were both hopeful of reviving the old tradition. Unfortunately both clubs have a League game then, on Saturday 27 so that was not possible. Graham suggested we play on New Year's Day and so both managers agreed so the game could go ahead on New Year's in aid of a fantastic cause."

"I first became a Darlaston supporter in the 1960s when as young boy my father and a group of his friends used to take me to Darlaston v Bilston games over the Christmas and New Year period.

"At the time crowds were between 500 to 700 and it would be fantastic if some of the older supporters brought the next generation to the game. Both clubs are currently doing well and we hope for a good crowd in aid of a fantastic charity."

Darlaston played at the Waverley Road based City Ground for 115 years but after it fell into a state of disrepair it has found a new base on Bentley Road South for the current season.

There are still hopes it will return to the City Ground but talks are being held with Walsall Council over other potential sites.