LEAGUE and club officials looked back on a ‘difficult past three years’ at last week’s annual meeting of the Devon Football League.

The gathering, which was held at Buckland Athletic’s Homers Heath, also saw the constitution for the 2022/23 season passed.

Teignbridge no longer has a team playing in the North & East division after Liverton United’s request to shift sideways to the South & West division was accepted.

Following the departure of first team manager John Fleet, the Halford Ground side’s search for a new boss continues.

There they will join fellow district sides Buckland Athletic Reserves, Ipplepen Athletic and Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves.

Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police drop down into the division following their relegation from the Peninsula Premier East.

D&C Autos come up from the Plymouth & District League, while fellow Ocean City outfit The Windmill are promoted from the South Devon League.

PAFC FITC Development drop out after being in the South & West division last year. Brixham Reserves, who were set to be promoted from the SDFL, were a late withdrawal.

‘It’s been a very difficult last three years,’ said DFL secretary David Richardson last week. ‘Last year was the most difficult by far.

‘For 20 years I got up on a Saturday raring to go and play football. Nowadays it seems harder and harder to get youngsters playing.

‘You can see for yourselves that the fines last season were extortionate, mostly due to unfulfilled fixtures.

‘I don’t know what the answer is – nobody does – but we just have to keep going.’