Disabled Exmouth footballers win promotion in nail biting season finale

Exmouth Tigers Disability five-a-side Football Club was formed from a handful of disabled men four seasons ago and the club is now celebrating promotion.

Playing as part of the Devon FA Ability Counts league the team started in the lowest league, League Two and last Sunday at the Final tournament finished top of Intermediate Two and gained promotion to Intermediate One.

The Ability Counts League was formed 10 years ago by the Devon FA and currently has more than 500 players aged 16+, who have a wide range of disabilities.

The teams train as individual clubs every week then come together once a month from September to May at various grounds across Devon to play in tournaments against other teams of similar abilities in their respective leagues.

The teams also take part in cup competitions and have the opportunity to enter the FA peoples cup.

Currently the Tigers train at Exmouth Rugby Club on a Saturday morning and now have 15 men and six ladies who all have a range of disabilities, they also all attend Exmouth Gateway Club, a social club for adults with learning disabilities.

The men, under the management of Paul Baldwin and captaincy of Tom O'Callaghan, have gone from strength to strength this season, spending most of the season chasing the eventual league runners up until they had a breakthrough in the April tournament to find themselves top of the league.

Both the Tigers and Club Plymouth were keen to win the league so the final tournament of the season on Sunday, May 17, at Cullompton Rangers FC was set to be a nail biting end to the season.

The Tigers rose to the challenge, kept their cool and went out and won all three of their games expanding their points and goal difference to come away with the Intermediate Two League Title.

This followed a cup competition in March where the team lost in the final on penalties to the team at the top of the league above to become runners-up in the Intermediate Cup.

The Tigers have had a great season, gaining some new players and hopefully next season the club will be able to form a second men's side to ensure that all players get maximum game time and are able to play with players of a similar ability to themselves.

Tigers club manager and coach Paul Baldwin said the squad of Tom O'Callaghan, Daniel Edworthy, Tony Hafner, Phillip Peters, David Butler, Brian Richardson, Matt Rackstraw, Jack Hollands, Barrie Sharman, Liam Borrowdale, Bradley Carpenter, Ashley Pritchard, Brendan Mulcahy, Luke Evans and Jamie Dunn should all be very proud of their performance this season.

"It has been their best so far and has really seen them develop their skills, playing a better standard of football and working as a team," said Paul.

He also went on to thank Exmouth Rugby Club for allowing the team to train there and also all those who have helped and supported both teams this season, in particular assistant manager/coach Steve Letheren, ladies manager Emma Baldwin, assistant manager Carolyn Letheren and the other volunteers of Exmouth Gateway Club who all give up their spare time for both training and matches.

The Exmouth Tigers ladies team were formed this season and currently has a squad of just six players, the ladies are still learning the skills and tactics of five-a-side football but have developed as a team and as individuals as the season progressed.

Being newbies to both the game of football and the league they found themselves losing most of their games this season but their enjoyment, determination, enthusiasm, and perseverance finally paid off at the final tournament where they won their first ever game.

Plus to finish off their season the Tigresses were awarded the Team Respect Trophy for the ladies league.

Winning this was a great boost to the ladies team and showed that the game is definitely not just about winning but how you play as a team.

Club manager Paul said: "The ladies squad of Charlotte Keegan, Jodene Knott, Rae Savage, Angela Edworthy, Bex Bell and Roxy Hopkins have done so well in their first season of football, and should be very proud of themselves as we are for what they have achieved.

"Well done to all at Exmouth Tigers for a fabulous season of football, here's to next season!"

The club would like to thank training-top sponsors Circle of Care Devon Ltd, and ladies kit sponsors Sam and Matt Knighton of the Maltsters Arms, Woodbury.

The Tigers are always looking for sponsorship for kit and equipment for their players as most of them are unable to fund this themselves, if you would be willing to help then please contact Paul Baldwin on 07866270213.

Similarly the club is always looking for extra players, in particular ladies, the only requirements are that you are aged 16+ and have a disability, or if you would be interested in assisting with coaching please contact Paul Baldwin on 07866270213.

If you would like to find out more click the red button below to visit the Exmouth Gateway Club's website.