Latest on new and additional clubs

Welcome Dolton's Rangers and the return of the Bishop and Knights

Dolton Rangers football club are a completely new team to the Devon & Exeter League but they have a long and impressive history. The club have played most of their football in the North Devon League possibly starting out in the early 1920s as Dolton & Dowland United. It seems they were members then of a Village league of eight clubs, but no details or name of League yet traced.
They became members of the N Devon League for two seasons in 1928 and 1929 and then spent some years in the Kingsley League. However it seems that after 1933 the team was dissolved and may not have had another team until just after the war when they reformed and rejoined the N Devon League. Since then they have won a number of trophies, notably the Brayford cup (1973, 1988 and 2006) and have appeared twice in the Devon Intermediate cup final (then known as the Devon Junior cup, but losing 2-1 to Rockbeare in 1954 and 1-0 to Kingsbridge in 1966 (World Cup year). In the 1954 final Hutchings was the goalscorer for Dolton while Clapp had both goals for the triumphant Rockets.

If and when the League gets under way again, then it will have a new look with a dozen new clubs and teams, of course including Dolton.

Falcons FC are another completely new face and they will be playing their football at Uplowman, presumably sharing the pitch with current occupants Uplowman Athletic.

Beacon Knights are one of those teams returning to the League and it is good to see them back after a five year absence having withdrawn from Division One in 2015.

South Zeal United with a much longer history are back after a short absence, as are Morchard Bishop, Bickleigh and Axminster Town Res.

Five clubs have entered another team. North Tawton, Ottery St Mary, Thorverton, Whipton & Pinhoe and Winchester.

There is yet no news of the League constitution but that will only happen and be confirmed when a starting date is announced.

Saturday 27th June 2020