Sports in Seaton

Axminster Town's newly-appointed commercial manager Ray Self has wasted no time in getting his message across that despite the lockdown, due to be lifted on March 29, Tiger Way is very much open for business.

A former player, manager and chairman who spearheaded the move from Sector Lane to Chard Road, providing some of the best facilities in football in the West Country, has rejoined the Tigers with a dual role. As well as taking over the commercial activity at the club, he will also be acting as an ambassador, a role that suits him as one of the most respected characters in football in the area.

Axminster Town Football Club has this afternoon (Saturday) named a new management structure.

Club chairman Andy Hurford has announced that Reserve team manager Dan Prettejohn has stepped up as first team boss and will be naming his own assistant.

Ray Self, the former player, manager and chairman, is back in Tiger Way, the home of Axminster Town Football.

Self oversaw the move from Sector Lane, the Tiger's iconic ground for more than a hundred years, to a £1million plus complex off Chard Road, providing some of the best footballing facilities in the West Country.

The Devon and Exeter League, in which two Lyme Regis FC team compete, have agreed to relaunch the 2020-21 season - but teams do not have to participate if they don't want to.

That was the surprise news received by teams this evening when it was expected the D & E would follow the decision by the South West Peninsular League to void the current season because of the back log of fixtures.

The league season is over for the first teams of three East Devon football clubs – Axminster Town, Sidmouth Town and Honiton.

The South West Peninsular League has decided to curtail the 2020-2021season with immediate effect, despite the fact the government has indicated that football can recommence as from March 29th.

Axminster Town FC have parted company with first team manager Josh Stunell and his assistant John Clements.

In a statement from club chairman Andy Hurford, it was confirmed that after three seasons together at the club it was felt a fresh approach was required with the priority of building a team team squad that can compete in the top half of the SouthWest Peninsular Premier East division.

IT looks increasingly likely that Axminster Town's league programme is over for this season due to clubs not being able to fulfil their fixtures when they eventually come out of lockdown.

The FA issued a statement last week to say that the survey of local clubs had been completed and they are now looking at recommendations before communicating with the league.

Former Millwey Rise players were saddened by the death this week of Cedric Vernon, 85, one of their most respected goalkeepers.

Known affectionately as "Ceddy", Mr Vernon joined the Axminster estate side in their second year of operation and went on to win a number of trophies with The Slopers, including the Perry Street Division Three trophy in 1968.

It's been an on-off sort of year for Colyton Football Club.

In March, COVID-19 forced the FA to abandon the 2019-20 amateur season. When the new season got underway in September, the first team was riding high in the Premier East division of the Joma Devon & Exeter League when the most recent lockdown brought a new temporary halt.

By Stuart Broom