History & Future Aspirations.

The club was formed in 1977 purely as a junior football club. We started life in the Torbay Pioneer League playing at Sandringham Park. As a junior club it was the biggest in the area, running a total of six sides in six different age groups for several seasons. We won many titles over the years including the Devon Youth Cup. In the season of 1987-88 we were accepted into the Devon and Exeter League and started our senior football life in Senior Division Three playing home games at Coach Road with today Chairman Roy Holmes in charge. We finally achieved our dream of being promoted in the Premier Division in 1992-93, having now moved to Homers Lane in Kingsteignton and the club hasn't looked back. In 1994-95 season we won our first Premier Division Championship, a crowning glory to our rise up through the divisions. In 1999-2000 we won the Premier Championship for a second time and realized our club dream of being promoted to the Westward Developments Devon League. In our first season in the Devon League we finished runners-up in the league, we also picked up the Sportsmanship Cup and Programme Award. Our final move in 2005 to Homers Heath in Decoy is another major milestone and will provide first class facilities for the future.

Today Buckland have three senior football teams and eight junior teams playing in five leagues with one hundred & ninety players registered for the different leagues, we train one hundred and forty children each week at our weekly training sessions. All teams have FA qualified coaches in first AID & child protection and our club policy is to cater for all children that want to be part of our club. On the senior front Buckland have now made the next progressive step by notifying the new Peninsula League (Devon & Cornwall League) of their intention to be a member 2007/ 2008 season, the climb to this level in such a short history in local amateur football is unrivalled, our ultimate goal is to bring Western League football to Newton Abbot which covers all the Counties South of Bristol. We know to have a team of this stature in years to come we need the full support of our local community, so we must not only provide a first rate club available to people of Newton & the surrounding areas but be pro-active in local charity work, help local schools & practice what we are good at coaching children.

We hope to see you soon at Homers Heath.

S.P.L.A.S.H

The Club recently put on a coaching day for a local group called S.P.L.A.S.H. The group is made up of children of ages from 4 to 16 with special needs. The children’s disabilities range from Down syndrome, ADHD, Autism, Asburges and Scribal Palsy. The group meet throughout school holidays and go out on day trips, do various workshops or do play activities at their base. The club knew about the group through a club coach who works with them, who recognized the children’s love for sport, so proposed at a committee meeting that the club should hold a day football workshop with them. This was an event that could be of great importance as a club we knew that we should make football for all, especially with the safe facilities we have to offer. Seven coaches that showed interest booked a day off work or made themselves available to volunteer themselves to help the day run successfully. The children were at the club from 9.30 am until 4.30 pm. In this time we spent the majority of the time out on the football field. We identified the key points to the coaches as being inclusion and boosting confidence, identifying their abilities. So we tried to allow the children to have a ball each throughout the sessions.

We went through basic skills (shooting, dribbling, stopping & passing) in different formats, including the helpers in some activities to guide the children and give them praise. We had one coach to two children at all times & could keep the day flowing. It was clear that the children gained a lot from being at a “real” football club, using the same changing rooms as the players and working with coaches. We also made our clubhouse available for lunch, watching a DVD, doing some crafts to ensure the children had sufficient rests throughout the day. The children’s confidence evidently grew throughout the day, with them all leaving with beaming smiles. At the end of the day the children were all presented with laminated certificates with their name on from the club as well as a water bottle & key ring courtesy of the Devon F.A. The group have shown interest in coming to the club for another coaching day in the summer holidays. The link we have made with the group will continue into the future. as it was evident how much both the children & coaches gained from it.

Devon Air Ambulance.

Devon Air Ambulance were presented with cheque for £2640 from AVSC in association with BAFC. Buckland hosted the charity day at Homers For DAA, the main event was Aston Villa 1981 European cup winner side versus Villa Supporter’s from around the South West. The day started with adult six a side competition with teams from Cornwall, Wales & the midlands. Other events held on the day were children 6 a-side football, in door paint ball marquee, Sports memorabilia auction, Magic shows, Football mascots & Devon Gemini Radio, At the end of the day over 2000 people were counted into Homers ground. A fantastic day was had by all and a healthy sum raised for DAA. Special thanks to A Perrins from AVSC.

Francis Swims with Dolphins.