Best Budleighs

Budleigh Salterton v Tavistock 

Off to the hotbed of football, Budleigh Salterton.  In tow was Mad Dai, who seemed to be particularly docile today.

Usual move down to Exeter on 1C04. A +35 onto the local train to Starcross meant we could scoop the Majestic and the Great Western, both GBG but dud. 

At Starcross, walked back to the new footbridge over the railway for some phots of trains on the sea wall. Back along the canal towpath to Turf Locks for the ferry over to Topsham. 

Both the GBGs in Topsham are dud, but how can you not vsist the Bridge Inn, 9 local ales, all on gravity. 

Only disappointed to find that they have succumb to the spring beer fad, green ales in grenades doesn’t look right.

For some reason, all the photos I have from today seem to be of Dai.  Anyway, we headed for Topsham for a unit down the estuary to Exmouth.

A quick scoop at the Powder Monkey which was a GBG tick, but a Wetherspoons, so a fairly Pyrrhic tick. Bus on to Budleigh for the main event.

Dai was in the lead as we followed the signs to the ground.  Sure enough, we emerged through a hedge into the playing fields themselves, somehow missing the car park entrance of the road.

Budleigh Salterton 1 v Tavistock 4, South West Peninsula League - Dividion 1 East

Budleigh Salterton were established in 1908, playing in the East Devon League.  In 1919 they moved to the Devon and Exeter League, since when they have let the leagues come to them, as first the D&E became the Devon County League in 1995, which in turn became the South West Peninsula League Division 1 west in 2007.

Tavistock are a well foundered club, being formed in 1888,  playing in the Devon League. Dissapointingly, a merger with, Tavistock Comrades, Bannawell Blues United and Tavistock West End saw the change from the original salmon pink and chocolate shirt colours.  Post war, the side competed in the Plymouth Combination League, before joining the South Western League in 1952. After 60 years, this is the first season they find themselves outside the top division.

Budleigh moved to Greenway Lane in 1952. I'd visited in the 1990s and I am sure the pitch runs the opposite direction than it used to?  

Without doubt, one of the most scenic settings for a football ground, with the rolling East Devon hills in the background.

Dai lives out his Cardiff Soul Crew upbringing by taking the home end with the minimum of fuss. 

The attendances for the last eight games were listed as 48, 45, 46, 42, 44, 44, 46 and 48, which kind of suggests that they have given up counting.

I think this was the only seating in the ground.  I really should take more interest in things other that what beers are on in the clubhouse.

The social club was deserted but had Soccer Saturday on all the TVs. The only other inhabitant requested to watch the Grand National but was made to watch it on this tiny 14 inch TV that until then, was showing the CCTV for the entrance buzzer.

 The social club which set the standard in honours boards.  This is hand painted on a wooden board.



Budleigh were on top for most of the game but didn’t take their chances and were sloppy in defence. 



Tavistock were much more clinical, and converted most of the chances they had. 

Game finished 1 v 4 to Tavistock.

Afterwards, buses on to Budleigh to clear the Salterton Arms, East Budleigh for Walter Raleigh, Newton Poppleford for the Cannon, and Sidmouth for the Swan.

On the Bus back into Exeter, there was a stunning sunset over the city, which I captured with the usual results.

The earlier visit to Topsham meant a stop off at the recommended Country Cheeses for a whole Little Stinky, Hill Farm Stawley, and Ticklemore Beenleigh Blue. These were enjoyed on the train back home, with a somewhat prolonged stop at Bristol due to someone on a mad acid trip ripping the pipework out of the toilet as they though they were drowning.

2016 Postscript

It was pointed out at the time that it is clear that Dai is on the Starcross-Exmouth ferry, not the one at Turf Locks.  But I do have pictures from the day, taken from the new bridge at Exton, so god knows what we actually did.

Also, there is definitely a seated stand at the ground, it is even in the background of one of the photos.  

But I did get one thing right, the pitch was indeed moved when floodlights were installed in 2002.