Ottery chairman speaks about all things Washbrook Meadow

Ottery St Mary chairman Mikey Ringer has spoken of his great satisfaction with the way things are coming together, on and off the pitch at Washbrook Meadow.

Speaking before the Ottery first team played their first home league game of the new Scott Richards Solicitors Devon South & West campaign, the Otters chief said: “We made a great start at Kingsteignton and that performance and result are a real statement of intent.

“Of course, that was only game one of what will be along campaign, but there really is nothing better in football than getting that first matchday of a new season out of the way with a polished performance and eye-catching score line. Winning 5-1 on the home pitch of one of the top teams last season is a great way to kick things off.”

Pre-season has gone well for the Otters with both the new second team and the Development team showing real progress on a week-by-week basis.

The Ottery chairman says: “It’s no secret that we were a tad perplexed about the decision to place our second team in the second division.

“As if to underline just how our team might perform at that level was clearly shown when they beat a Honiton Town Reserves side 8-0 in a pre-season friendly and that same Honiton Town second string will play at a higher level in the Joma Devon & Exeter League than our second team.

“But, it is what it is and we can only send our teams out each week to do as well as they can against whatever opposition is put before them.”

Speaking about the teams as one, Mikey said: “From the first moment that I spoke with Billy [Ottery first team manager Billy Rouse] we were on the same page with regard to how we see things working football wise. He has brought into our 10-year plan and how we plan to get where we want to be within that plan.

“We are running a football club that is focussed on a squad and not separate teams. To that end the first and second team are very much ‘a squad’ of some 50 players and so we are going to be able to make allowances for injury, loss of form and such like, over a busy season that is likely to include much more midweek football than we might otherwise have had given the on-going Coronavirus pandemic.”

He continued: “The development side will be just as the name suggests, providing a grounding for the younger players to develop their game so as to be able to make the step up into that senior squad when the opportunity presents itself.”

The Ottery chairman does have one overriding desire with regard to the playing side at the club.

He explained saying: “For me, as chairman, what I so aspire to is to see youngsters now in the youth teams, work their way up through the age groups and ultimately to wear the first team kit.

“In the years ahead I am certain that that is what we shall see and I, for one, will be beaming with pride when it’s a regular occurrence - to have a home bred player come through the ranks and play in our first team is what this is all about.”