Fan Zone 21/06/2025

TUST
13 minutes ago
3 min read

FAN ZONE

By Nick Brodrick, TUST's Chair and TUFC board member.

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THE GLOVES ARE OFF NO PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES ON BOXING DAY

IT’S ALL CHANGE AT OUR TWO DEVON RIVALS

FAREWELL TO COUNTRY & WESTERN STAR AND TORQUAY FOOTBALLER

Wall-to-wall sunshine, temperatures reaching 30 degrees and more while tomorrow is the longest day, the summer solstice. Add in the cricket as the First Test against India has started with Wimbledon just around the corner.

But what football fans look forward to at this time of year, apart from new players joining their club, is the release of the football fixtures. For us the National League seems to lag behind other leagues as we have to wait until next month.

For example, the Premier League fixtures were released on Wednesday allowing fans to plan ahead for those away fixtures as well as seeing if your side is at home over the festive period, New Year and Easter.

But hang on, this year there are no scheduled matches for Premier League teams on Boxing Day. Admittedly, there’s a full list on Saturday December 27th but football at all levels has seemingly forever been played on Boxing Day.

Older readers will no doubt fondly recall when there was always a full fixture list on Christmas Day, in fact, the very last Christmas Day match was effectively played in 1958 although there was a Lancashire derby between Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers on Christmas Day in 1965.

A major reason for stopping is that from 1959 there were no longer buses and trains operating on Christmas Day.

Festive fixtures tended to be local derbies in the 1950s with sides playing each other home and away one on Christmas Day with the return the next day.

Football used to be organised for the benefit of supporters, now, mainly due to TV, matches can be any day of the week with Saturday 3pm kick-offs becoming a rarity.

With FA Cup replays scrapped from the first round proper and the introduction of the current Club World Cup modern football seems not to include fans.

What’s your view on how football is run? Send your opinion to: fanszone.tu@gmail.com.

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There have been big changes at our two Devon rivals. At Plymouth following the appointment of Tom Cleverley as manager he quickly recruited ex-Gull Damon Lathrope as his Assistant Head Coach; both had worked together at Watford.

There was also news this week in the national press that former Welsh international Gareth Bale was to front a US-based private equity group for a takeover at Home Park. Meanwhile ex-United loanee Adam Randell is about to move to Bristol City.

Meanwhile, at Exeter Nick Hawker has stepped down, after eight years, as chairman of the Supporters’ Trust. Nick has overseen a huge number of changes amongst which have been a team sitting in League1, a £3m training facility and purchase of the training ground.

He has also been a great friend to TUST through our joint involvement in the South-West Supporters’ Trusts’ Group as well as being a regular voice for advice. He and other Exeter officials were instrumental in helping the Bryn Consortium in the early days.

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Congratulations to the first two winners in the 1899 Lotto. In May Dave Benson won £1,434 while this month’s winner of £1,839 is Dennis Kallmer. July’s draw has more exciting prizes, in addition to the top cash amount the new home and away shirts are two other prizes.

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Sad news that one of my early favourite players, and for many others too, Dick Edwards died this week. He was one of the standout players and off the pitch he was an accomplished country and western singer; I still have one of his LPs.

Of the current crop of United players, keeper James Hamon signed a new one- year contract. Ever present last season and winner of the Ian Twitchin Trophy he’s looking to help the team go one better this season.

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The National League welcomed the official backing of the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) for Its 3UP Campaign, following a vote at its AGM last weekend at which two TUST board members were present.

Having reported last week that the three NL divisions have a new sponsor, Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, the league have Errea as their benchwear partner. All 72 clubs will benefit from benchwear and training kits.

This week the Welcome sign, featuring the league’s previous sponsors Vanarama, over the Family and Bristows turnstiles was taken down in preparation for a new sign.

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