THIS weekend should have seen the playing fields at Lords Meadow a hive of activity with Crediton Youth FC hosting its annual six-a-side tournament.

Sadly, Covid-19 has seen this year’s tournament postponed until the weekend of August 8 and 9, but even that will go ahead only subject to government and FA approval.

The tournament is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the season and the monies raised support the club over the course of the season.

Like many other clubs and organisations the club has been effected financially during these challenging times.

The event would have attracted around 180 teams from all over the South West with around 16 pitches in use each day.

Since the very first tournament, held back in 1996, it has gained the reputation as being one of the best summer tournaments in the region, with many clubs returning year-on-year.

Graham and Mary Avery, who were heavily involved with the youth at the time, have shared some memories of the first tournament.

The original idea came from Tony Leach, and the first tournament attracted around 90 teams.

Sandie Blake was in charge of programme advertisements and Nigel Garside in purchasing the trophies. The whole event was run from an old caravan with the tournament being held on the recreation field opposite the rugby club.

The tournament has since settled at the club’s base at Lords Meadow playing fields for many years now.

Over the years the tournament weekend has become a favourite with both the club’s players and parents, with many seeing it as the highlight of the football season.

The amazing camaraderie over the weekend behind the scenes, sees many parents returning to help out, long after their children have left the club, to assist existing parents to ensure the weekend runs smoothly. This brings a real feeling of team spirit to the weekend.

The club would like to take this opportunity to thank all those companies and organisations who have supported the event through sponsorship and goodwill over the years, and to everyone who helps make it such a successful event.

Special thanks must go to Crediton Dairy who are the major sponsor of the tournament. Ironically, Northern Dairies were the sponsors of the very first tournament.

We must not forget as well, the team of excellent local referees who also return year-on-year to officiate.

More recently the club has used the event to help raise the profile of some local charities that have helped people within the club during difficult times and have been proud to raise monies for the Devon Air Ambulance, ELF, MIND and Pete’s Dragons.

Over the years the event has grown to the size it is today, helped by the excellent reputation of previous tournaments and the growth of girls football.

Every year the club endeavour to plough some monies back into the infrastructure of the event to continually improve it for the following year.

Club stalwart Mike Edworthy recalls how the club used to borrow goals from other local clubs and even peoples gardens, and barbecues from Hayward’s and Landscore PTA’s.

One year the club even borrowed a marquee from the Royal Marines. It really is amazing that the club is now in a position to be able to run the tournament with all of its own equipment.

Past club Chairman Martin Daniel said: “It only really hits you how popular the event is when you meet coaches on FA coaching courses who when you say you are from Crediton, reply ‘we used to go there every year as a kid for their tournament, it was our favourite and now I take my own team there and they love it too’.”

Fingers crossed that the current situation changes soon to allow football to return again to Lords Meadow.

Martin Daniel