Willand Rovers - The History
Rovers from humble origins to today!
Football has been played in Willand for well over 100 years and the first match reports exist from November 1907, when Willand Association Football Club was under the chairmanship of Dr Henry Tracey of the Gables and played their home games at the Pavilion Ground, being the field opposite the Halfway House.
The football club was still going strong by the years of the Second World War, when it was known as Willand Wanderers FC. However a spell in the financial doldrums the left Wanderers going out of business and out of the ashes rose Willand Rovers.
There were two members from the football club on the committee of Willand United Services Club formed in 1942 to organize wartime social events.
During the 2nd World War and for a period of time after wards, the club played home games in Henry Eveleigh's field which is the land that, these days, is oppsite the chip shop in Station Road, Willand.
It was in the early 1950's that the club made the switch to its present home, Silver Street, now known as the Stan Robinson Stadium in deference to its main sponsor, Stan Robinson Transport. In 1972 Willand started the season there against near neighbours Tiverton Town in the Premier Division of the Devon and Exeter League. Interestingly enough, the K. O. was scheduled for 3.15. (To allow the crowds time to enter?) This season saw the first programme produced for match days with 40% of the proceeds on sales going to a prize draw. It also saw the introduction of a refreshment caravan. Whilst it is not clear what was sold from the caravan, the programme advertisers included current programme advertisers, Willand Service Station and Cafe and Spearing's Coaches, current stand sponsors, Lloyd Maunder and the long departed Railway Inn at the original Tiverton Junction station.
For this opening match of 1972-3, the two teams included any number of well known local football names including, for Willand Rovers, Kenny Freeman and current club chairman, Mike Mitchell whilst Tiverton Town included Colin Campion, a relative of Dave Campion who was to go on and become Secretary of the club in early 21st century, along with Nick Seatherton, whose relative, Mark, was one of the stars of the Rovers Devon County League side in the 90’s.
LEGEND SAYS……………………..
Legend has it that the current grandstand was built with timber from the then village hall, which also had to make way for the motorway. Despite the stand, disaster followed in the early 1990’s when the Devon and Exeter League ruled that the club did not have adequate facilities to continue to play in the Premier Division and demoted the club to its senior leagues and the reserves went to play in the North Devon League.
Looking at the club and its facilities now, one has to admire the quick and positive way the club fought back from this moment of adversity. As a measure of the progress the club made at that time, inspired by current President and former player and club manager, Peter Ward, “The Rovers” not only got back into the Premier Division of The Devon and Exeter League, it then became one of the founder members of the new Devon County League when it was set up in time for the start of the 1992-3 season.
Rovers hosted their first ever County league match, and Bert Millichip, then the Chairman of the Football Association, was in attendance to witness history being made for the village side.
The manager at that time was Mike Howe, a well known local former player with both Tiverton Town and Elmore and further proof that “The Rovers“ were on their way.
THE CLIVE JONES REIGN…………………..
Under current manager Clive Jones, the club’s rise continued with the County League being won in 1998-9 and again in 2000-1 followed by promotion to the Western League Division One and in season 2004-5, promotion as champions to the Premier Division of the same league.
Success like this on the pitch can only come with hard work and dedication going hand in hand off the pitch and the club have been blessed with a series of loyal and unpaid servants such as the already mentioned Peter Ward, Dave Campion and Mike Mitchell plus such people as Andy Jarrett, who served for 22 years as Secretary. There are many, in the past and in the present, who have, and do, work tirelessly for the club. The clubhouse, post and rail pitch surround and floodlights have all been put in place by the club members.
PAST PLAYERS………………………
The club have also had a number of fine players wearing the shirt of “The Rovers“ - which incidentally started as white, later changed to orange and is now back to the accepted club colour of white - including three Wembley winners, Kevin Smith, Steve Hynds and Phil Everett, all of whom appeared there for Tiverton Town in the F. A. Vase. Phil is actually a double Vase winner, former Non League Footballer of the Year and recently appeared for the F. A. against Jersey.
The fourth Wembley connection for the club is former Exeter City and Tiverton Town legend, Hedley Steele, who played in Tiverton Town’s first, and losing, F. A. Vase final team, and was in the Willand side that won the County league in 1998-9. Hedley is without doubt a Mid Devon Footballing legend who these days is involved and associated with Exeter City looking after one of their youth teams. On most match days Hedley can be seen attending the home Rovers games where he is able to watch his son, David, was a member of the Western League championship winning team in 2004-5. Other local notables to have graced “The Rovers” colours in more recent years include Steve Rowland's, Martin Tregedeon, Mark Seatherton, who undoubtedly is one of the areas greatest ever goal scorers, Jason Reeves, Gavin Hudd, Nick Howe, Darren Cork, Steve Venner, Phil Staddon and long serving current goalkeeper, Brian Cann.
ROVERS CLIMBING THE FOOTBAL PYRAMID………………
Willands standing in non-league football climbed to new heights in the last few seasons as they lifted the Les Phillips Cup in 2006/07 beating Welton Rovers in the final, after finishing runners-up to Corshan Town the previous year. Their then highest ever league position also followed in 2007/08 with a fantastic third place spot and that was bettered in a magical 2009/10 season that saw Rovers finish second only to Champions Bideford whilst they also reached the Fifth Round of the FA vase and the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.
AND AS FOR THE FUTURE……………….
So Willand Rovers stand proudly at the highest point the club has reached in its short history. The next sixty years will bring a different set of challenges, not least the decision as to whether the Stan Robinson Stadium can be upgraded to meet the requirements of the next step of the football pyramid, namely the famous and historic Southern League. Costs are rising in football and the club are responding by introducing commercial initiatives, a club lottery scheme in conjunction with Blackpool FC and the very first Rovers website set up and run by the secretary Dave Campion.
Youth football was introduced in the early 2000’s and in the 2010/11 season the Club has an Under-16 side who ply their trade in the Juventus League Under-16 Division One, an Under-15 side (Sundays), competing in the Taunton Youth Leagu, two Under-12 sides, one a Saturday side who play in the Exeter Youth League Under-12 Division two and the other a Sunday side who play in Division Two of the Taunton Youth League and there is also a Gilrs Under-15 side.
In July 2010 Gary McCauley, who had served the club for so mnay years, agreed to become the new assisatnt to boss Clive Jones.
Off the pitch the thriving club-house continues to help provide vital funding and the club also has a range of branded merchandise and local business, despite the hard times of the early 21st century recession continue to support, none more so that local haulage firm - Stan Robinson Transport who have increased their involvement with the club as “The Rovers”, seek to maintain the impetus of the last few years. The story goes on as the dream still unfolds - Watch this space!
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