At Millwey Rise FC 's AGM prior to the 1967-68 season, secretary Dick Sturch reported that "although neither teams performance had been consistent during the previous season, it proved very successful in many other ways".

The team spirit shown by both teams never wavered and on behalf of the committee I thanked the players for their unfailing support throughout. The 1st X1 started the campaign well but unfortunately the pace proved too great and they fell away in the final games.

They won away at Lyme Regis and Winsham, the first time either team had lost at home. They had also beaten Chard 5-0 on their own ground. I was confident they could build success on the lessons learnt throughout the season.

Millwey had 23 players signed on for the new season but had lost several key players including Perce Downton to Axminster, Mike Albano to Whitford, Ray Tiller to Kilmington, Nobby Swain to newly formed Chardstock, Andy Jackman to Beer and Malcolm McDonald to Seaton.

In response to the loss, I said: "Although they had no major new signings I'm not too bothered as they have just beaten Feniton 4-1 in a friendly and we're not a bad side. We don`t have a winger to replace Downton but I feel we can counteract this by playing a different system."

This is how the season panned out and how it was recorded in Pulman's Weekly News, the bible as far as sport was concerned in those days.

On September 2 in the first game of the season, playing a 4-2-4 system, Millwey thrashed Winsham 5-1 with Roger Hurrell getting a hat-trick and Dick Sturch together with Luke Davey, who had returned from Axminster, accounting for the others.

The following week a weakened Millwey were themselves overwhelmed when a rampant Merriott put eight goals past them with Barry Bisgrove netting 4. A 5-1 defeat by Chard in the Coronation Cup followed before going down 4-0 seven days later against Perry Street. They finished the month with a welcome 6-3 win away at Colyton in the Devon Junior Cup, Trevor Gage scoring a hat-trick and Cedric Vernon making a welcome return between the sticks.

The first game of October was away and finished with their opponents Ilminster winning 4-3 with a disputed penalty when a draw would have been the fairest result. Roger Hurrell was again amongst the goals scoring twice for 'Rise'.

The following week`s game, with Lyme Regis, leading 3-0, was abandoned at half time due to torrential rain. Lyme claimed it was due to Millwey's unwillingness to play on. This was strongly disputed by committee man Jack Spiller who declared: "The lads were only wringing their kit out and would have carried on, in fact we had as many players on the pitch as Lyme when the ref called it off."

There was an astounding 9-0 victory against Crewkerne in the month`s final game where Hurrell claimed a hat-trick and Galloway netted two.

On the first Saturday of November 'Rise' were beaten 5-2 at home by Chard. It was the only match played in the league due to the heavy rain that had fallen throughout the area. The report in Pulman's Weekly News ended: "Both teams deserve full marks for their performance in the mud." (I would add that on the morning of this game I picked up a trailer load of sand from Wilmington Quarry and spread it on the most waterlogged areas of the pitch. Without it the game would not have been played.)

The following week`s game at Drimpton, under the headline "Power play" saw Millwey put under the cosh, losing 7-0. The last match of the month was a 4-1 defeat at home to Lyme Regis with Ginger Bartlett scoring a hat-trick for Lyme. . A footnote to the game read: "The points were a great help to Lyme but the game will not be long remembered."

To add to the despondency that was setting in there was a dearth of games between December and late January. Visitors Netherbury beat a much weakened Millwey 3-1 which could have been more were it not for stand-in keeper Don Chubb who had a "fine game." The final match of the month saw Millwey fall 8-0 to Perry Street in the Challenge Cup and according to their opponent's spokesman: "They (Millwey) are a side with about three good players who have to carry the rest."

The first game in February saw current league leaders Shepton Beauchamp playing at 'Rise' and going home with a 3-2 win under their belt courtesy of another strongly disputed penalty late in the final quarter. Hurrell and Knight were scorers for Millwey for whom Geoff Vickery had an outstanding game.

The following week`s game at Netherbury (third from bottom of the league) was headlined 'Goal riot' when they beat 'Rise' (languishing second from bottom) 8-5.

Beaminster were the next opponents and with Sturch, Galloway, Gage and Davey missing. Millwey secured a creditable 2-2 draw after being 2-0 up at half time through schoolboy Alan Seward and Hurrell. Vernon in goal was in good form but could do nothing about the second half equalisers.

"Millwey Rise drop deeper into the relegation mire." according to the Pulman's Weekly report when they lost 4-0 at Lyme Regis who also missed a penalty taken by Stuart Broom. The report added "Lyme were the better side in an unmemorable match" (obviously our games with Lyme were pretty boring affairs.)

Beaminster were Millwey`s first opponents in March and the article on their 4-1 victory read: " It looks as if the win eases their relegation worries and leaves Millwey Rise and Netherbury fighting to avoid relegation with Crewkerne already destined for it."

The following week`s 12-1 trouncing by Drimpton really underlined Millwey`s demise. They were only 3-1 down at half time, due to an excellent performance from keeper Vernon. but in the second half Ray Drayton scored five and Tony Phillips four to complete the scoring.

It has to be said at this stage Drimpton had scored 20 more goals than any other team in Division One and were vying for promotion.

Chard were the next opponents to heap more misery on a dispirited 'Rise', winning 3-0 which could have been more but for keeper Vernon who saved a penalty.

The last game of March was at Combe St Nicholas who, according to the newspaper report, "were another side with an eye on the runner-up medals as they beat Millwey Rise 4-1. Although 'Rise' were 1-0 ahead at half time it looks like, barring a miracle, 'they will go down."

April began with a midweek 2-1 home defeat by Perry Street followed by narrowly losing at Shepton Beauchamp 3-1 which, acording to the accompanying report, stated: "They made it a mathmatical impossibility for Millwey to escape the relegation that has been threatening for so long."

The next match was in the second round of the Challenge Cup against Beaminster who we are told "won 3-1 after falling behind to a Luke Davey goal who, together with Dick Sturch, had a good game". Beaminster were 2-1 up at half time and wrapped it up with a third towards the end.

Winsham inflicted another heavy 7-1 blow in the penultimate league game of the season even without their top scorer Geoff Peacock. The write-up of the game included: "Vernon in the 'Rise' goal was injured and Sturch took over between the sticks and was only beaten twice. They (Millwey) had several good individual players, Galloway, Davey and Sturch but as a team were not much to shout about."

May provided the final game of the season for 'Rise', losing 4-1 to Merriott who secured their runnersup position behind league champions Perry Street. For Millwey Rise it was the final nail cementing their second to bottom position and the accompanying relegation that went with it which was to prove decimating for the club.

The stats for that 1967-68 season were: Played 24 - Won 3 - Drawn 3 - Lost 18 - Goals For 48 - Against 102. No wins in the 18 games played in 1968. Conceded goals in every game. Top scorers: Roger Hurrell - 18; Ian Galloway – 12; Jimmy White 11. Pulman's Player of the year for the third consecutive year - Dick Sturch.

The following is the Pulman's report on the ensuing AGM. "Secretary Mr.D.J.Sturch said that "apart from a good run in the Devon Junior Cup last season`s display was very disappointing."

"During the season there was a certain amount of discontentment both on and off the field and this in turn fed a lack of enthusiasm which cost the team vital points in their battle against relegation. On only two occasions was it possible to field the same side and this did nothing to engender a good team spirit.

"They had been lucky to have committee members like Gerry Thompson and Jack Spiller without whom there wouldn`t have been a pitch fit to play let alone a team to play on it."

In closing his rather dismal report, Mr Sturch said: "I can only ask on behalf of those players and officials who want to emulate the successes of past seasons we have more members willing to share the burdens that come with it."

But the damage had been done, a further newspaper report announced: "Relegated Millwey Rise are due to hold a crisis meeting this Sunday to see just who is prepared to play. We understand it is 100 per cent certain that the reserve team will be withdrawn from Division Three and their secretary and star player Dick Sturch will join Offwell.

"Geoff Vickery, Cedric Vernon and Graham Hayball have all moved to Axminster. Jimmy White has gone to Chard Town, Andrew Badley to Seaton while Roger Hurrell is also likely to go to Axminster if he plays at all."

The wheels had certainly come off but luckily there were still people left to put them back on again. Thank goodness.