We caught up with Ottery St Mary Football Club chairman Mikey Ringer and first up asked him for his thoughts on all thing’s life and his beloved Otters.

He said: “It’s certainly been a year so far of ups and downs across the world and on a local basis with regard to how we are all coping with the Coronavirus pandemic.

“Life has, I know, been so tough for many, and it’s clearly getting tougher in so many areas.

“Charities have suffered, sports have suffered, industry have suffered, individuals have suffered, but we all have to do our bit to ensure the future is bright.

“On a more local level, and certainly here at Washbrook Meadow, away from the obvious issues via-a-vis Covid-19, it’s been a year of change of how we look at things, as well as beginning what we hope will be bright new dawns and the start of new eras.

“Yes, things are taking a lot longer to get done, with lots of restrictions in place, this is apparent in how we as a club have experienced in switching over our total club look to a new bespoke playing kit and off-field apparel.

“We took the decision last year to completely overhaul our identity and formed a partnership with Moving Forward Sports (MFS), who are based in the Midlands.”

He continued: “However, with factories going into lockdown and still under restricted production, it has not gone as quickly as we would have liked.

“But what I can say is that the guys up at MFS have been fantastic and pulled out all the stops they can, to get things moving, as we all know funding isn’t as easy to come by either, but again local people and businesses have been great with their support, and, with this in mind we are just seeing the six-month backlog of product about to hit the pitch, and we are so excited to get the new look in place and the guys and girls playing as one club in this new era.

“It will take a little time to fully roll out and this season will be the transition season like it is in many ways.”

Turning his attention to purely football matters, the Ottery chairman says: “I am not going to talk about ‘on the pitch’ results so far, as they are speaking for themselves.

“However, what I would like to comment on it that I personally, cannot thank the players, the coaches, the mangers and also the supporters enough for the way in which they have all conducted themselves in these difficult times, and the way they have given us their all to build a club that will be here for a very long time to come.

“I truly would like to shake the hand of every single person I have just covered, but I fancy I’d be shaking a lot of hands and for a lot of time!

“We all can get frustrated in the time it takes to get things done and we may all get frustrated with the restrictions on us, but we all pull together to think further than – the-here- and-now’, and that is what makes a community.

“And so, to all our players, our supporters and indeed to all our social patrons I’d say, you may not see the full results now, but you will in time as we climb not only on the pitch but off it as well.”