Darlaston Town lad leading second revolution
Former Darlaston Town 1874 manager Andy Parkes is determined to bring his Midas touch to his new venture at FC Darlaston, with dreams of replicating the success he achieved in his previous stint.
Parkes, who led Darlaston Town 1874 to promotion into the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division during his three-and-a-half-year tenure, is now spearheading FC Darlaston's ambitious journey.
FC Darlaston faced a challenging start to their current campaign - losing four of their opening five games. However, a remarkable transformation has taken place since Michael Greatrex assumed the role of chairman.
One of Greatrex's first tasks as chairman was to appoint Parkes as manager and to head up the football side of things, and this move which has so far master stroke. Under Parkes' guidance, FC Darlaston secured four wins out of their last five matches, propelling them to eighth place in the West Midlands (Regional) League Division One.
While the team suffered their first defeat under Parkes against Wyrley FC in their last match, the club remains committed to achieving promotion in the future, demonstrating their strong aspirations for success.
Parkes expressed his enthusiasm for the club's future, saying, "Being a Darlaston person, the ambition and desire is to achieve what I did with Darlaston 1874, and try to get them promoted up to Step 6. That'd be a great achievement for the community and the Darlaston area.
"I've put together a fresh backroom staff, and now I'm joined by Nick Lewis, my trusted ally who is also a Darlaston lad. His expertise, dedication, and strong work ethic are crucial. Nick has been by my side in previous endeavours, serving on my support staff at different clubs. He's the ideal assistant manager, meeting all the necessary criteria and bringing his own managerial experience to the table."
Greatrex, as the chairman, has laid out his vision to revive the spirit of togetherness among the local community both on and off the pitch. His plans extend to fostering growth in all areas of the club, with a particular focus on the youth, including boys, girls, men, and women's sectors.
Parkes shares this vision and is dedicated to making it a reality at FC Darlaston. "I've gone across to FC Darlaston, which is where my friend is the chairman there," he explained.
"He has asked me to take over on the football side of things while Mike works hard on the community-run side at the REC, which is Darlaston Community Centre."
FC Darlaston has recently secured a 25-year lease on their facilities, including astro turf fields. The club is working to enhance the infrastructure and rekindle its role as a community hub.
"I used to live just over the road when I was younger. It's really trying to build a community-based club again and get the community of Darlaston back involved," Parkes emphasized
The future appears bright for FC Darlaston as Parkes and Greatrex join forces to lead the club towards new heights both on and off the pitch.
