Where are they now ?

Demise of small town and village teams tells a sad story

Many of you will recall the article I wrote a while ago on the disappearance of some football teams, but I thought it might be an appropriate time to remind everyone about many small town and village clubs no longer with us. Clubs nowadays are finding the costs and paperwork of running a team tough going, but I feel the major problem is that so many villages no longer have enough local players to form a team(s) and even less people willing to adminster the club. This of course doesn’t just apply to village teams and I am sure many will agree with that reasoning.

The 54 teams listed below are former league members , and it seems sad that they either no longer operate, have moved into other leagues or are simply running youth teams. Will we ever see them return, sadly it seems unlikely but I make no apologies for relisting their names and to hope they will rise from the ashes once more.

Teams who also folded recently but not listed below are Ashwater,  Chulmleigh, Fluxton, Sidbury United, & Westexe, so around 60 names to reflect on:

Black Torrington	Devon Valley Mill	Northlew
Brampford Speke	Drewsteignton	Payhembury
Branscombe	Dulverton	Poughill
Bratton Clovelly	Dunsford	Puddington
Bridford	Escot Rovers	Rewe
Broadclyst	Exbourne	Rockbeare
Broadhembury	Exton	Shobrooke
Chawleigh	Follygate	Southleigh Rovers
Cheriton Bishop	Fordton United	Stoke Canon
Christow	Gittisham United	Taw Valley
Clyst Hydon	Halberton	Uffculme
Clyst Rovers	High Bickington	Upton Pyne
Clyst St George	Ide	West Hill United
Colaton Raleigh	Kenn Utd	Whimple
Coleridge	Kenton	Whitestone
Copplestone	Killerton	Withycombe
Culmstock	Kilmington	Woodbury Salterton
Dalwood	Littleham	Yeoford

Thursday 30th March 2017