DESPITE the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, things are looking up for the South Devon Football League which accepted no fewer than seven new teams at the AGM, writes Neil Hocking.
Even before the virus, the SDFL had been hammered by the loss of 11 teams, including nine Premier outfits, to the newly-formed Devon Football League. This led to the contraction of the league to four divisions for the 2019/20 season.
The AGM was held via the video conferencing platform Zoom, with club delegates expressing their votes via the platform’s inbuilt polling system.
The new admissions include two Plymouth-based clubs, The Windmill FC and Elburton Villa Reserves, which will go straight into an expanded 16-team Premier Division.
The Windmill FC were the unbeaten leaders of the Plymouth & West Devon Football League when the 2020/21 season was curtailed.
Their club representative at the AGM explained how the club was looking for a challenge.
Elburton Villa have a first team that currently plays in the South West Peninsula League Premier East Division.
The 2017/18 Premier Division champions Ashburton return to the league following a year’s absence and will compete in Division One.
South Brent, who last played in the SDFL in the 2014/15 season have also been readmitted and placed in Division Three.
Brixham Town and Liverton United Reserves also return to the league. They last competed in the SDFL in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons respectively.
The remaining successful applicants were Galmpton United Reserves.
The SDFL now has 58 teams and more than 1,500 registered players playing Saturday football in South Devon, providing proof that some players prefer not to have to travel all over the county for a game of football.
Following acceptance of the new teams, the club representatives also voted to adopt the 2020/21 constitution based on an assumed starting date in September.
The constitution is as follows:
Premier Division
- Barton Athletic
- Brixham AFC Reserves
- Broadmeadow STFC
- Buckland Athletic Development
- Buckfastleigh Rangers
- East Allington United
- Elburton Villa Reserves
- Ipplepen Athletic
- Ivybridge Town Reserves
- Meadowbrook Athletic
- Newton Abbot ’66
- Plympton Athletic Reserves
- Salcombe Town
- Torbay Police
- Watts Blake Bearne
- The Windmill FC
Division One
- Abbotskerswell
- Ashburton
- Beesands Rovers
- Buckfastleigh Rangers Reserves
- Chudleigh Athletic Reserves
- Kingskerswell & Chelston
- Kingsteignton Athletic Reserves
- Galmpton United
- Harbertonford
- Paignton Saints Reserves
- Paignton Villa Reserves
- Stoke Gabriel Reserves
- Upton Athletic
- Waldon Athletic Reserves
Division Two
- Babbacombe Corinthians
- Barton Athletic Reserves
- Broadhempston United
- Bishopsteinton United
- Dartmouth AFC Reserves
- Dittisham United
- East Allington United Reserves
- Ilsington Villa
- Ipplepen Athletic Reserves
- Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds
- Newton Rovers
- Torbay Police Reserves
- Torquay Town
- Watcombe Wanderers Reserves
Division Three
- Brixham Town
- Babbacombe Corinthians Reserves
- Chudleigh Athletic Thirds
- Galmpton United Reserves
- Kingsteignton Athletic Thirds
- Kingsbridge & Kellaton United
- Liverton United Reserves
- Newton Rovers Reserves
- Newton Abbot ’66 Reserves
- South Brent
- Teign Village
- Torquay Town Reserves
- Totnes & Dartington Reserves
- Watts Blake Bearne Reserves