A message from the Board of Tiverton Town Football Club: Friday 13th February.

This season has been incredibly tough; there is no other way to describe it. On the pitch, although most can see a young, vibrant, and local squad competing and playing some attractive football, results have not reflected performances, and we find ourselves deep in the relegation zone with time running out. Asa and Steve have our backing. We have bought into what they are trying to do, and we see the huge level of commitment and work they put in each and every day of the week.

This season’s weather has been some of the worst we, as a club, have ever experienced. Since the beginning of November, we have seen far higher levels of rain than in 2024, with November recording 209.75mm compared to 122mm the year before; December recording 218mm compared to 91.75mm the year before; and January recording 289.50mm compared to 184.25mm the year before. In January 2024, we saw only 116mm of rain, so January 2026 saw nearly three times that amount (source: www.middevonparish.co.uk). The club brought in a professional pitch maintenance contractor in November, who now looks after the pitch, supported by a valuable group of volunteers. However, the pitch has been so wet for such a prolonged period that it is nearly impossible to carry out any significant improvement work. This situation was exasperated recently when South West Water’s drainage system under the roads next to the ground backed up onto our pitch, causing serious flooding.

The effects of having only two home games since 27 October have been nothing short of devastating. The lack of revenue over the last three and a half months has been incredibly painful for the club. While we will eventually play these fixtures, games that have been moved from a Saturday to a Tuesday typically generate only around 40% of the revenue of a Saturday fixture. One example of how difficult it has been is that our home game against Hanwell in January generated less income than our travel expenses for November, December, and January combined. That is just one bill, before all of the other costs associated with running a football club.

Both our Women’s and Boys’ Under-18 sides had excellent runs in the FA Cup, which we are all very proud of. To see these sides progress further than expected was a credit to the players, management, and volunteers of each team. However, the Under-18s’ success actually cost the club thousands of pounds, with no prize money to cover this.

As a club, we are fortunate to have a Chairman and Board who contribute financially, along with some fantastic sponsors, volunteers, and supporters. However, the level of support required this season has become unviable due to the lack of home matches and the increasing costs of running the club. To that end, the club has made the decision to reduce the playing budget in an effort to support the long-term viability of the club.

We are not alone; a number of clubs are going through similar challenges. However, we decided that it was right to be transparent with supporters, volunteers, and commercial partners.

As confirmed at the end of last year, our Chairman, Ian Moorcroft, is stepping down at the end of the season, and the club welcomes expressions of interest from anybody who feels they can contribute at board level, or from any group wishing to take the club forward next season. Expressions of interest can be made to Club Secretary Viv Curtis at secretary@tivertontownfc.uk.

Finally, please support the team and the club as best you can. We have a number of home games to fit into the calendar, and if you can attend them, we would be grateful. Bring a friend, stay after the game, and get involved with some of the events we have planned. If you have a function, use the club; if you have time, offer to volunteer. If you are able to donate to the clubs finances, step forward. This club needs you.