Sidmouth Town are just eight days away from starting life in the South West Peninsular League Premier Division.

The Vikings gained promotion to the new league when the former Division One East ceased to exist.

Sidmouth face a difficult start to their season as four of their five opening fixtures are away from home.

The first game is against Cornish side Torpoint Atheltic on Saturday, August 10.

Torpoint finished seventh in last season's South West Peninsula League Premier Division with a record of 17 wins, six draws and 13 defeats. They scored 78 goals in the campaign and conceded 62.

Following that, Sidmouth compete in their only home game of August when Axminster Town come to Manstone Lane.

Axminster Town, known as the Tigers, are also new to the divison having played in the same league as Sidmouth last season.

The Axminster game is also the first midweek fixture of the season as it takes place on Wednesday, August 14.

Just three days later and the Vikings are on the road again.

This time they are making the 57-mile trip to Torrington.

The Torrington team have made a siginifcant jump up the football pyramid as they move from Step 8 in the National League System to now Step 6, having previosuly played in the North Devon League.

Unfortunatley for Sidmouth, the Torrington game comes just two days before their next away trip to Crediton United on Monday, August 19.

Crediton are also moving to a new division having competed in the same league as Sidmouth and Axminster last campaign.

August ends with a final game away at Brixham on Saturday August 24.

This will be a 80-mile round trip for the team and brings an end to their four away games out of five.

Thankfully for the Vikings, once August is out of the way they can enjoy some home comforts as all four of their September fixtures are at Manstone Lane starting with the visit of Newton Spurs on Wednesday, September 4.

? The Devon and Exeter League fixtures have also been released and the Sidmouth Town Reserves launch their Premier Division campaign with an August 17 Manstone Lane meeting with Bampton.

The Vikings second string are also in home action the following Wednesday evening (August 21) when they host Whipton & Pinhoe and they complete a busy first week of league action with an August 24 trip to Okehampton Argyle.

The Town third team, who will ply their trade next season in Division Four of the Devon & Exeter League, begin their campaign on August 24 away at Spreyton and then, a week later(August 31) they host Cheriton Fitzpaine.

The Town third team will play in Division Seven this coming season and they have an August 24 start at Exeter-based Priory before another Exeter trip to meet City Raiders on August 31.