Fresha Devon and Exeter League results and press officer Collin Goodwin, who is researching and plotting the history of East Devon football,was left astonished this week when he unearthed some personal gems from within his own family.

Collin was in conversation with his uncle Len Tozer, who possesses a copy of the Bude football club history. Len played for and still lives in Bude, who were members of the East Devon Football League for four years in the late 1920s and early 30s.

Collin hoped that the publication would reveal a few missing league tables. Sadly it did not, but what Len did reveal was that he holds an East Devon Football League handbook from the 1912 1913 season.

That itself was a ‘golden’ find and the reason Len possesses the book is that his dad, John Tozer, Collin’s grandfather, was the club secretary for Lympstone Football Club for that season, and maybe until World War One, a fact that Collin never knew.

The handbook fills a big hole in Collins search for East Devon Football vintage handbooks, and he is still hoping that out there somewhere are others. Anyone who can assist his quest can contact him on 07748 183370 or email to collin.goodwin@btinternet.com.

The Lympstone story does not stop there either. Their most famous player, Stan Challice, who went on to play professional soccer for Exeter City and Leyton Orient, was the son of Collin’s great aunt Maud, John Tozer’s sister.

Maud was also a passionate supporter, kit washer and matriarch for Lympstone and sources state that woe betide anyone who said a word against her team.