Written by Sam Russell
With just over a week until competitive football returns for Hartpury FC, we continue our Southern League Div One South fact file.
This week, we take a look at our longest away trip of the season plus, some additional trips to Devon and Cornwall.
So, let's get right into it.
BIDEFORD AFC
STADIUM: The Sports Ground
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 125-miles
NICKNAME: The Robins
FOUNDED: 1883
MANAGER: Sean Joyce
25/26 FINISH: 16th
SEASON BUILD
Bideford’s 2025/26 season was built more on resilience than consistency.
The North Devon side spent much of the campaign in the lower half of the table, but they did enough to keep clear of serious relegation trouble.
Sean Joyce’s team mixed experience with work-rate, and while results away from The Sports Ground were often hard to come by, they were generally competitive enough to stay safe.
There were still positive spells throughout the season.
Bideford picked up important points against sides around them and showed they could be awkward opponents when they settled into games.
With a long-serving manager and a strong club identity, they’ll be hoping to turn that foundation into a more ambitious push next time around.
RECENT MEETINGS
The first meeting came at The Sports Ground, where Hartpury won 2-1 thanks to a Louis Manning strike and an own goal either side of the break
The return fixture at the 4ED Stadium ended 1-0 to the away side, with a last gasp winning sealing the game.
Both games were close, which underlined how competitive Bideford can be even when results do not always go their way.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bideford’s home, The Sports Ground, has been used for football for well over a century and is one of the larger grounds in Southern League Division One South.
EXMOUTH TOWN
STADIUM: Southern Road
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 120-miles
NICKNAME: The Town
FOUNDED: 1933
MANAGER: Kevin Hill
25/26 FINISH: 8th
SEASON BUILD
Exmouth Town enjoyed another strong campaign and finished 8th in Southern League Division One South.
They spent much of the season competing in the top half of the table and showed plenty of consistency across the year.
It was a season that underlined their progress, with Exmouth proving they can be a serious challenge for any side in the division.
There were also a number of big results along the way, helping to make it another encouraging year for the Devon club.
RECENT MEETINGS
Exmouth won the first meeting 2-1 at Hartpury, with William Knowles and Graham Steer on target for the visitors.
Hartpury responded with a 1-0 win at Exmouth, with Nathan Jenkins scoring the decisive goal for the Acorns.
Both games were decided by a single goal, underlining how evenly matched the two sides were across the season.
PREMIER OPPOSITION
Exmouth Town’s record home attendance came in July 1987, when 2,395 fans watched a friendly against Liverpool at Southern Road.
FALMOUTH TOWN
STADIUM: Bickland Park
DISTANCE TO TRAVEL: 217-miles
NICKNAME: The Town
FOUNDED: 1949
MANAGER: John Fabby
25/26 FINISH: 14th
SEASON BUILD
Falmouth Town had a mixed campaign in 2025/26, finishing 14th in Southern League Division One South.
It was a season of ups and downs, with the club showing they could pick up big results but also struggling for consistency across the year.
Their attacking quality and defensive frailties are highlighted in their 6-0 thrashing over Thatcham Town, as well as a thrilling 5-6 defeat to Winchester City.
Falmouth were promoted into this division from the Western League Premier at the end of 2023/24, so this represented another season of establishing themselves at Step 4.
RECENT MEETINGS
Falmouth enjoyed an excellent season against Hartpury, completing a league double.
The first meeting came away at Hartpury, where Falmouth won 3-2, whilst the return fixture at the 4ED was even more one-sided, with Falmouth winning 3-0 to seal both games in the season series.
CLUB HISTORY
Falmouth Town's Bickland Park has a proud place in the club's story, having been home since 1957.
The club once went 52 South Western League games unbeaten at Bickland Park between 1985 and 1988, a remarkable run that still stands as a club record.
We look forward to crossing paths with all these new clubs and wish them the best of luck next season!
