FOLLOWING Tony Voysey’s departure in the summer of 2007, Crediton United were once again seeking a new manager.

John Cornforth, former professional with Swansea Town, Birmingham City, Exeter City and player coach/manager at Exeter City, Torquay United, and Newport County, was looking to resume a position in professional football.

Whilst waiting for an opportunity to arise, John agreed to take over as a team “Advisor” - in effect team manager – of United but still wanting to maintain some credibility if a professional club came “looking”.

John had also gained a couple of Wales Caps in his days with Swansea and commanded a transfer fee of £350,000 in his transfer to Birmingham City.

He proved very popular with the players and, despite reaching the age of 40, was still able to show his footballing skills in team training sessions.

He was keen to encourage young players who showed potential and instil some discipline into the team, including having the team meeting early for pre-match lunches in the Clubhouse - assisted by Dave Blanchford as Chef!

FUNDRAISER

Cornforth was also acting as a fundraiser for the Club and organised two Sportsman’s evenings with Alan Kennedy and then Alex Stepney as guests.

He also had contacts in the kit supply business and talked a football colleague in the trade into donating a new kit for the team free-of-charge.

Former Club player Pete Boardman was recruited as assistant manager and dealt with day-to-day team matters. During his time in the position, Peter took part in a charity trip to Ghana as a representative of a sports charity which collects used football kits no longer needed by clubs and distributes them to sports clubs in Africa.

Cornforth’s policy of picking local players, particularly young players showing potential, gave several players the opportunity to play at a higher standard with Mike Broome getting a chance at Truro City and Barnstaple, Mike Searle, a contract with Torquay United youth team, Steve Avery a chance at Truro and Barnstaple and Andy Rogers a place at Barnstaple.

Cornforth’s first season didn’t produce a great improvement, finishing in a lowly position but any likelihood of being relegated was dispelled by the news that there would be no relegation that season.

But the experience did help a lot of young players improve their game.

By the end of his second season at the club virtually all the regular team players were local lads and there are still some of these lads playing in Crediton first and second teams 12 years later.

John had planned to continue managing the team for a third spell but a month into the 2009-10 season he had to relinquish the position for personal reasons.

On his departure John recommended Steve Guppy as his successor, which he held for two seasons with first Andy Coles, then Dan Whelan, as his assistant.

“Gupps” who had started his goalkeeping career as a Crediton Under 15’s player had a successful career in Western League football and brought a lot of experience to the team.

Strengthened by some fresh “blood” the team finished in a satisfactory position well clear of the re-election zone.

Surprisingly of the 18 clubs contesting the SW Peninsula League East that season, 13 are not now playing at the same level six as Crediton.

Some are playing at step seven in the Devon County Leagues and others in the Devon and Exeter League.

Stoke Gabriel, Newton Abbot Spurs and Axminster Town are still our opponents, whilst Exmouth Town have progressed to the dizzy heights of the Western League Premier Division.

EVENTFUL

Season 2010-11 turned out to be a very eventful period.

On August 1, the club entertained a Plymouth Argyle Legends team in a fundraising pre-season friendly, whilst the start of the actual league season celebrated the Club’s Centenary Year.

We entertained Cullompton Rangers, a league above us, in the FA Vase competition, and managed a 3-3 draw in front of a bumper crowd at home on the Friday evening (September 3), but lost 2-0 in the away replay the following Tuesday.

At the end of the season, on Friday, April 21, 2011, we hosted one of the SW Peninsula League’s Easter Ground Hop Matches, drawing a bumper crowd for local supporters and Ground Hop enthusiasts from all over the country.

Whilst this was all happening, Steve Guppy had decided to stand down as team manager late in 2010 and was succeeded by another ex-professional footballer in the shape of Warren Patmore who had started the season as "Gupps" assistant.

Patmore had played for many league clubs including Cambridge United, Millwall and Northampton Town.

He then went to Northern Ireland to play for Ards before joining non-league club Yeovil Town.

Warren is recognised as probably the all-time great player at Yeovil scoring 140 goals in 287 games for the Club.

He was a very successful businessman, and looked on his involvement with football as his hobby.

Warren tried to instil a professional attitude among the players that he brought to his team and ran the team in a professional manner.

He had started his time in local football, with Morchard Bishop winning two consecutive championships.

He then took charge at Wellington for a short-time, and then Witheridge, before taking charge at Crediton.

Warren’s first full season with Crediton resulted in the best season for more than 10 years with a top six finish.

Although he remained as manager into the start of the 2012-13 season he left the club after a few weeks leaving the Club in a near dangerous position.

His Wikipedia page reads: “It was all very amicable. I want things to be right not only on the pitch but off it as well. Crediton is a lovely Club but I’m ambitious and wanted to push on."

He subsequently joined Tiverton Town as Reserves team manager and then Elmore Football Club.

So, yet again, United were in the “proverbial”.

Club Player John Veale took over the managing of the team for the remainder of the season and the Club owes big thanks to him for doing so.

However United were looking forward to a new Trend!

Chris Gillard