New clubs join the South Devon League

The South Devon Football League continues to buck the trend in adult Saturday football. At the annual general meeting held at Buckland Athletic football club, six new teams were voted into the growing competition by the current member clubs.

Plymouth Pheonix, last season’s champions from the green city, have decided to test themselves against stronger opposition and the teams that finished in 2nd and 3rd behind them have also switched allegiance.

The Windmill rejoin the South Devon League after a two-year stint in the football pyramid and Plymouth True Blues, who are a branch of the Glasgow Rangers supporters club and have a fantastic support, are sure to add to the colour and occasion of a division one football game.

Also joining them, but in Division Two, are Mount Gould FC. The club disbanded their Devon League team after a mass player exodus to Ivybridge Town, who will be playing in the Western league this coming season. Mount Gould have had to press the reset button and start from scratch in Division Two.

Kingskerswell FC have also reformed an adult team after a two-year absence and Sunday league outfit Templar Way will try their skills in Saturday football, both will play in Division Four.

The league will operate with 60 teams, which is an increase of 11 from two years ago and cements its place as the second largest football competition in the county. It has also become an England FA accredited league during the last 12 months, which is a credit to the league management committee who oversee the competition.

In addition to the five divisions, the league will have seven cup competitions, one for each division and one for all reserve teams, plus the Herald Cup, which is the league’s flagship knockout competition.

The league will have 2200 registered players chasing trophies and the first piece of silverware they will be interested in is the traditional season opener, the Torbay Clearance Services Charity Shield.

This season’s invitees are Herald Cup winners Newton Abbot 66, who will face Premier Division champions Ilsington Villa at Buckland Athletic FC on Friday, August 16 with a 7pm kick off. This will be a repeat of last season’s Herald Cup final, which 66 just edged, so the Moorlanders will be looking for revenge and both teams will want to get their hands on some silverware to boost their hopes for the season ahead.

Most other teams will need to wait for the official first weekend of fixtures on Saturday, August 31.

The league also had their presentation evening at Dainton Golf Club, where an array of trophies were handed out by sponsors to league winners Ilsington Villa, Newton Abbot Spurs, Bovey Tracey, Watcombe Wanderers and Elburton Villa. Sporting trophies were won by Buckfastleigh Rangers, Harbertonford, Paignton Villa, Newton Abbot 66 and Newton Rovers.