Newton Utd football club was formed in 1973 but in those days they were known as Reeves FC. Graham Reeves were a local builders merchants who most of the players worked for or had connections with. There was no division 7 in those days and the team entered South Devon league division 6.

The man that formed the team was John Wales and in those days he was secretary , treasurer, manager, player and anything else that needed doing. The home pitch was at Bakers Park but was not where it is now as it ran down hill towards the entrance to the woods, it was nicknamed Death Hill.
Even in those days the team was renowed for liking a laugh and a few drinks and as the Wolborough Inn was the nearest pub to the pitch it became the teams drinking den.

It soon became apparent that the team was not good enough and outside players would have to be brought in if the club was to progress.
By the end of the second season the only employees left of Reeves' in the team were John Wales, Barry Johnson and Martin Willcocks. A youngster called Pete Melhuish had joined towards the end of the previous season and was now joined by two more young players John Drinkwater and Steve Down who had both been playing for Kingsteignton British Legion.

A ball winner with some experience was needed to protect these youngsters and Aston Parker (who would kick his own Gran!!) was brought in to do the job, we later found out that he was as blind as a bat and wore contact lenses which was unusual in those days and they often fell out during a game. At the end of the second season the team was much improved and finshed half way up the league.

At the start of the 75/76 season a couple more younger players were introduced to the squad, Dave Eddy, a left winger with a powerful shot and Dave Hughes a midfielder/striker with a lot of promise and skill.
The team got off to a bad start taking only five points from there first five games, one of the defeats was against one of the teams who were to become our main rivals for the next few seasons Hele Spurs, the previous season they had beaten us 3-0 in the Ivor Andrews cup semi-final and they beat us again at the start of this season 2-1.
It was around this time that Jim Robertson ( who had been one of the original players ) decided to help John Wells run the side, and play whenever required, in the previous seasons we never really had a manager, but now John picked the team and a youngster called Nigel Holmes ran the line for us, and treated the injured players and pretty much anything else that needed doing.
Nowadays Nigel is still doing his bit in bigger surroundings at Buckland Athletic, The team started to play a lot better and by the spring they had climbed to third place , Hele Spurs were well ahead of the rest in the league, and Kellaton were ahead of us in second, we needed to beat Hele at home, a superb goal from Dave Hughes saw us beat them 2-1.
We kept on winning and in the final week of the season we needed to beat Newton Rangers on a Wednesday evening to take us to just one point behind second placed Kellaton, who we had to play in the final game of the season, Rangers to their credit played their reserve team and we beat them 14-0, so it all came down to the last game.

We kept on winning and in the final week of the season we needed to beat Newton Rangers on a Wednesday evening to take us to just one point behind second placed Kellaton, who we had to play in the final game of the season, Rangers to their credit played their reserve team and we beat them 14-0, so it all came down to the last game.
By now we had switched drinking dens to the Ship Inn, some silly disagreement about closing a certain door in the pub lounge, and with all the players and those connected to the club being heavy smokers polluting the air of the pub this led to the move.
John ( oggey ) Wales as usual had everything worked out to perfection, a coach arrived outside the ship to take us to the East Prawle, where Kellaton played, what a great journey, john didn�t think about going down the narrow lanes in a huge coach that was only half filled.
When we got there we were all half asleep, the ground was awful perched on top of a cliff and covered in sheep droppings, two old caravans were used as makeshift dressing rooms and after the game some of the supporters would boil kettles of hot water and pour them into old fashioned tin baths for the players to have some sort of wash, these tin baths were in a field between the two caravans.
All the village seemed to have come and watched, and we looked very tired and sluggish and trailed one nil before Barry Johnson�s equaliser, this sparked us into life and we ran out four one winners in the end.
So we finished league runners-up and most of us had won our first trophy, but before long (as nowadays) the bigger clubs came sniffing around any players with a bit of promise.

The squad for that season was Martin Willcocks, Clive Holmes (capt), Chris Ruderham, Steve Down, John Drinkwater, Aston Parker, John Wales, Pete Meluish, Barry Johnson, Dave Hughes, Dave Eddy, Jim Robertson, Nigel Holmes and Rick Hossack, just fourteen names including the manager and linesman for the entire season, (it wouldn�t happen these days).
We had a new kit by now which was all royal blue with a red and yellow diagonal band on the shirt, it looked very smart but was very thick and uncomfortable. The trophies that we were awarded for finishing runners-up were laughable compared to today�s, a piece of plastic with a metal shield in the middle, but it didn�t matter to us. We also received a cup and we were a team on the up and couldn�t wait for next season to come.
When the new season started Pete Meluish decided to sign for Newton Dynamos, and our first few matches were a disaster, but over the season we pulled ourselves together to finish in a respectable top half position of the table.

Season 77-78 started and as usual we got off to a poor start. Barry Johnson, Pete Melhuish & Dave Hughes had all moved to Newton Abbot Dynamos. Clive Holmes kept picking up injuries and the squad was extremely stretched. The one new signing was Ian Carpenter. After a few games Aston Parker brought along a midfielder called Dave Easton who was a superb player who could link everything together in midfield.
At the time Dave was also secretary of Torquay Utd and one week brought along Willie Brown, Torquay�s leading scorer to train us. For those who think being a professional footballer is easy DREAM ON!! One of Willies training games was to jog the width of the pitch and then sprint back but then it became one jog two sprints, then one jog three sprints and so on until we got to 1+ 5. We then had to work our way back down again. One good thing with Willie was after his training session it was down to the Ship Inn.
Jimmy Dunne the Torquay Utd midfield/defender then took over training. It must have been the fittest we have ever been. Jimmy played at a high level with Fulham and also played for the Republic of Ireland.
Bobby Daines was signed to play up front in place of Barry Johnson and although not the strongest of strikers he had the knack of being in the right place at the right time. John Guest a defender/midfielder was signed from rivals Hele Spurs and the team had a much more solid look.
At the end of the season we finished in the top six and after a good cup run we found ourselves in the Greenaway Cup Final against Newton Spurs Reserves. Spurs were one of the top clubs around and with the game being played at Kingsteigntons Broadway Road ground a big crowd was guaranteed

So the shape is set for the Greenaway Cup Final at Kingsteigntons Broadway Road between Reeves F.C. (nowadays Newton Utd) and Newton Spurs who were division five winners and favourites to win.

Although Kingsteignton at the time were one of the biggest clubs in South Devon Football they had no changing rooms. Both teams were told to go to the Dewdrop Inn and change in the cellar before driving to the game, it would never happen nowadays.

When we got to the Dewdrop a lot of our players were very nervous but Dave Easton (who knew a bit about football with his experience at Torquay Utd) said he thought we should all have a drink before getting changed, so we did. After the first pint he suggested that we have a short so we had another. Roger Madge (who was probably Spurs best player) saw us and left the rest of the Spurs team and came in and started drinking with us. After those couple of drinks it was time to get changed and drive to the ground led by manager Jim Robinson who because we were playing in yellow and white decided to wear a huge yellow flower in his button hole. I swear all the above is true even if it sounds unbelievable.

As it was two Newton teams in the final there was a big crowd for a division five cup final. Spurs had beat us 3-1 a couple of weeks earlier in the league but we went on the attack from the start and John �Oggy� Wales gave us the lead early on.
Spurs equalised when Alan Garrett�s shot was deflected passed keeper Martin Willcocks. Just before half time Dave Eddy cut inside the Spurs fullback and smashed a shot into the top corner to make it 2-1.

Spurs pushed for the equaliser in the second half but Ian Carpenter was superb at the back for us and it was one of those days when everyone played well and after 90 minutes the score was 2-1 to Reeves (Newton Utd).

After the presentation of the cup it was back to the Dewdrop for a couple more drinks then into the Ship for a lot more, then Oggys surprise was back to his house at closing time where he had every drink you could think of lined up on his lounge table. I still think this was probably my favourite cup final.

The team that day was:

Martin Willcocks, John Guest, Ian Carpenter, John Drinkwater, Chris Ruderham, Dave Easton, Aston Parker, Steve Down, Oggy Wales, Bobby Daines, Dave Eddy. Sub: Nigel Holmes Res: Clive Holmes Manager: Jim Robinson

Division four seemed to be an easier league than five but then around that time Staverton were the team to fear. We were quite evenly matched for most of the season but when near the end of the season we had to play them on a Sunday a lot of unknown players turned out for them. Apparently they came from two of the best teams in Plymouth and one of our players went into the changing rooms and saw them being paid �15 each (in those days if you earned �25 for a weeks work you were well off). We lost 4 - 1 and Staverton went on to win the championship.

We needed to win our last two games and after getting three points on Saturday we had to beat Moretonhampstead Res away on the Sunday. We never played well that day but had a lot of character in the team and scored two second half goals to win and get runners up spot.
Now we had swapped drinking dens again to the Union Inn so it was back there as soon as possible to celebrate. In those days pubs didn�t open until 7pm on a Sunday evening but the landlord allowed us in early. One of the players John Guest was almost tee-total and unlike most of the rest of us led a quite life. He said he would stay out for an hour or so and have a few orange juices but unknown to him there was quite a lot of vodka going in these orange juices and by official opening time he was legless and had to be drove home to be confronted by an angry looking wife. I think John left to join Liverton shortly afterwards, I cant think why?

So its up to division three where the competition was a lot harder and a lot more serious but we could look after ourselves and more players were interested in joining or rejoining us in a higher grade of football.

It was decided in 1980 that with the first team now in Div 3 we should have a reserve team. Oggy Wales sorted all the necessary paperwork out and paid the fees but our place was in doubt because towards the end of the previous season we had a game abandoned against Paignton United (something�s never change) The referee that day was a man called Dave Sore who either liked or disliked you, there were no in betweens with him. On this day he sent off Rob Down and Richard Doyle and abandoned the game, we were in serious trouble with the FA but Mr Sore came to the rescue when he wrote in his report that �Newton United are animals.� The FA did not like him branding people as animals and he was told to apologise and we were let off with losing the points and a fine. By the time we got to the South Devon League AGM the appeal had been heard and we got into Div 6.
It was at the end of the 79/80 season that the bear that is presented at every presentation night became part of Newton United. It all started when one of the players got married. It was a bit of a posh do with a marquee on the lawn of this huge house, most of the players attended and the thought of some of us mixing with the more well off could be a recipe for disaster. There seemed to be a shortage of beer/lager but lots of expensive wine but hardly the type of thing we were used to drinking and after a few of these one of our players kicked an ornamental stone bear into the fish pond. A couple of weeks later a parcel arrived at the Union Inn and an accompanying letter from the brides mother, it said that as one of the players took such a fancy to her bear which she had later found at the bottom of the fish pond would we like to award it to the most sporting player each year. We decided it would be better to award it to the one who gave us the most laughs or did the stupidest thing each season and that is how the bear became our club badge.

Season 80/81 got under way with a lot of new players coming to the club. Several experienced players were added to the team including centre back Didge Derrick (ex Milber, Newton Spurs and Totnes Birdwatchers), midfielder Tony Callard (ex Milber Utd) and fullback Brian Perkins (ex Newton Spurs). Youngsters Pete Byrne & Pete Purchase joined and ex Newton Spurs keeper Glen Dodd became reserve team keeper.
Both teams did reasonably well and finished in the top half of their divisions. The reserves also had a good run in the Ivor Andrews Cup before losing in the semi finals to Upton Ath Res. Near the end of the season 14 year old Alan Derrick started playing for the reserves and looked like he was going to go all the way to the top, within weeks he was in the first team and scoring.

The next season began with Jim Breslan in charge of the first team and Didge Derrick in charge of the reserves. The training was very hard and included a cross country run up slippery slope to Ogwell Downs, run through the village and back to the bottom of the hill where Bradley Vale now stands, then it was one on one sprints up the hill to the T.V. mast at Broadlands. Following this it was back to the park for exercises, ball skills and finally a game. It was absolute torture but it didn�t stop people joining us like Chris Lear, Malcolm Bunclarke, Mike �Worzel� Groves, Mike Pobolocki and some youngsters, Dave Grant, Pat College and Steve Breslan.

The season started well for both teams and the first team found themselves top of the league before a home defeat led to a rumpus with the referee and a change of manager with Didge Derrick being promoted to the first team.

After Didge Derrick took over the first team they went on impressive run which ended with us being promoted from Div 3, and reaching the semi finals of the Devon Intermediate Cup. We lost in the semi finals 1-2 to a team called Ambrosia who came from the Plymouth area. Promotion was clinched with a 1-0 win away to lowly Dartmouth in a mid week fixture.

Alan Derrick by now was in the first team although he was still only 14 at the start of the season. He scored an incredible 26 goals from the midfield and I’m sure if he had been spotted by a pro club then he would have gone on to make a living from the game. He was without doubt one of the best ever players to play for us and would be in an all time best 11 of Newton Utd.

There were some very good players in the team and by now Barry Johnson and Pete Melhuish had returned and Ian Carpenter had switched from being a defender to goalkeeper. The reserves also had a good team with several former first teamers in the side including Richard Doyle, Derek Smith and Steve Down. They also had a youngster called Jacko Leaman and Dave Cullum was another newcomer. The first team had Robbie Byrne up front and he scored a record 46 goals in that season, with the first team getting promotion it meant they were going to play in Div 2 for the first time after being formed just 9 years previously. Although we had done very well in the league our cup record was not so good with just 2 cup final appearances and it would be 1998 before we were in the next one. We had a great team spirit at the time and everyone would go to the pub after training and after the match and we would spend a lot of the time playing a game called Buzz which was guaranteed to get you legless.

With the First team now mid table in Div 2 and the Reserves in the top half everything seemed fine but the beginning of years of trouble was about to begin. A new team Newton Town had been formed and joined the South Devon League and decided to make the Union Inn their base and it started to cause a lot of bad feeling. In those days we had a lot of big drinkers and a lot of them would still be in the pub 3 hours after a game and the club was beginning to get a bit of a name for the drinking games after the match. It didn’t help that Newton Town at the time had this good boys image whilst we were getting into more and more trouble both on and off the pitch. At the end of the season Newton Town got promoted whilst our reserves finished 4th and that caused a bit more bad feeling.

The following season we managed to sign probably town’s best player Mark Butler who went straight into the 1st team at centre back. We then signed his best mate Barry Moss who had been unable to get a regular game at Town but became a better player with us. He was a strange bloke a Bank Manager during the week but on Saturday he would turn up in a t shirt, leather jacket and have a dog chain around his neck. He was always known as Mr Moss and not Barry even if you called for the ball on the pitch. After the match we used to play a drinking game called Buzz and Mr Moss was a far better Buzz player than footballer.

We seemed to have a big following in those days but a lot of those people were more interested in the pub games then the football and one by one the better players left the club but no one noticed.
What had started as a bit of fun was taking over the club and I remember the then secretary Ian Carpenter handing a player a booking form from the Devon FA to sign which he ripped up in front of him. Exit one secretary and the troubles are getting worse .Who is running things answer no one but the pitch bills are still being paid and the refs are paid on the day so lets carry on with the Buzz!

We still had two good sides and a good spirit despite the fact that several of the long serving players were starting to move on or retire and the fun and games in the pub after could not be better.
Newton Town were still drinking alongside us at The Union and were still disliked and when one of our more established players started going out with the daughter of the landlord of The White Hart, it wasn’t long before he came back with a good offer to move pubs.
It didn’t take much thinking about (no one seemed to be in charge) so it was off to the White Hart and years of decline.
The promise of new kit, money and food were all true and everything seemed fine but we could do things in this pub that you would never getaway with elsewhere. The games in the pub after the game got more and more wild as the football results got worse.

Some new faces were on the scene by now, Players like Phil Aggett, Alan Hewings, Phil Bosley, Brickie Small, Gary Loader, Neill Roberts and many more. Didge Derrick was still the manager but after a few months he resigned and he was followed by several short term appointments. Willie Potter had joined us from Ipplepen to play in goal and in one game he saved 3 penalties only for the ref to order them all to be retaken ! After the match the ref took a lot of stick and we ended up getting a heavy fine.

One evening after a match on returning to the White Hart one of the younger members had a lot to say for himself, he was stripped naked and thrown out the pub and the doors locked, the problem was it was still daylight and people were still shopping . An hour later 2 policemen came into the pub looking for a naked man but none of us had seen him had we?! The police were not impressed and told the landlord he kept a unruly house.

It was around the time that we moved to the White Hart that we made a really big name signing, someone said to me that Robert Moore was coming to training and was going to sign. Bobby Moore is going to sign for Newton United can’t be true can it? Training night comes and this ginger haired, red faced, over weight bloke is introduced “this is Robert Moore better known as Bozo!” as you’ve guessed he was not the greatest of footballers but was probably one of the funniest blokes I ever met.

The results on the field were getting worse and worse but more and more people were watching us and getting involved for all the wrong reasons, they wanted to join in the games after the match at the White Hart.
Bozo was the star of these games and his party trick was to drop his jeans and pants, have a newspaper stuck up his rear end and set on fire-he would then have to knock a pint back before he caught on fire. Eventually the landlord got fed up with the smell of burning in the bar and told us from now on Bozo could only do his party trick in the beer garden.
This would later prove to be lucky for Bozo as after one game someone decided to rip the newspaper in half and before long he was screaming as it started to singe his body hair, only one thing to do turn the hose pipe on him.
You never knew who was going to turn up on match day and if you were in the White Hart before the match there was a good chance we would be short and you would get a game. We picked up a couple of good players in there like Neill “ Flymo” Taylor and Russell “Billy” Blee and of course a lot more bad players.

It’s now the early 1980’s and we now have probably the worst team since our first season, we also have a reserve team so we need even more players. It really was a mess and many of the old team left with only people like Pete Melhuish, Richard Doyle, Derek Smith, Rob Down and Steve Down left from the 1970’s.

John Doyle joined the club and became linesman and did a great job. John loved the games after the match but thankfully he knew there were still the admin side to be done and took over as fixture sec for several years before leaving due to work commitments.
Years later John would return to football helping out at Newton Spurs. John probably didn’t get the credit he was due but without his hard work we may well of folded in those difficult times.

Around this time Rob Down snapped his Achilles tendon in a game at Bakers Park and was forced to retire after captaining the first team for several seasons. Youngsters Neill “Flymo” Taylor and Russell “Billy“ Blee were doing well and had forced their way into the first team.
A 14 year old Sean Breslan became the youngest player to play for us when he came on as sub for the reserves at Chagford after Chris Harry had a row with referee Lazlo Belso and decided to walk off before he was sent off!

Lazlo Belso was one of the best refs around and deserved more respect then he was shown that day and could have stopped Sean coming on as Chris had walked off without his permission.
You never knew who would turn up on a Saturday but you always had a couple of people hanging around who would make up the numbers. In those days you could sign players on before the match if you asked the ref to sign the form. Someone who would always make the numbers up would be Bozo but unfortunately he was a bit on the large side in those days and was slower then a Turtle stamping through peanut butter! He was far better at the bar games back at The White Hart.
At the time a few of us had made the Saracens our local and we managed to get a few of the locals there interested in the club.