OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCES FOR CHALLENGE CUP 2009 ANNOUNCED BY TOURNAMENT EXECUTIVE:
Immediately following a meeting of the TOURNAMENT EXECUTIVE held on TUESDAY 31ST MARCH 2009, the following statement has been released to the Regional Press and all Official Club websites.
“The Tournament Executive met today to review and consider the Tournament Invitation Acceptances received from League and Non-league Clubs by 12 noon yesterday, the official closing date for such invitations to be formally accepted.
Before announcing the Clubs who will compete for the SOUTHWEST CHALLENGE CUP 2009, the Executive would like to express their thanks and appreciation to those host clubs who will be featured in the forthcoming Tournament; additionally they would like to thank the Clubs who have expressed interest in the Tournament and who, for a range of diverse considerations, have been unsuccessful in making the final list of Clubs entered in this years’ completion. We have been amazed at the response, the quality of the response and the genuine interest in what began last year as a very small but dedicated Tournament, for those involved with football in North Devon.
To those who doubted the intent or the ability of a very small but determined group of people, we can but point to the quality of the final complement of teams who wish to compete for the ERREA SOUTHWEST CHALLENGE CUP:
The 12 TEAMS entered and contracted for the Challenge Cup are as follows:
Bideford AFC – Premier Division/Western League
Barnstaple Town – Premier Division/Western League
Burton Albion – Blue Square Premier
Bath City – Blue Square South
Barnet FC – League 2
Luton Town – League 2
Yeovil Town – League 1
Eastleigh – Blue Square South
Exeter City – League 2
Ilfracombe FC – Premier Division/Western League
Wild Card Entry – Belgian Club – Royal Racing FC Montegnee Liege
Wycombe Wanders – League 2
TOURNAMENT SECRETARY HEATHER SCHOFIELD commented:
At last we can go public on the teams selected for the 2009 Tournament; the last 24 hours have been the most demanding and fraught 24 hours of my life. Knowing the teams we are hosting to this event I do not know how I have been able to contain myself; it reads like a who’s who of football at our level of football and to think that they actually want to come to North Devon. Those most closely connected with this Tournament will tell you that this is payback for all the hard-work and endeavour that went into last year; now perhaps we will get the supporters out of their chairs and not only get them along to the games but also to actively support the FIVE NORTH DEVON HOST CLUBS without whose help and support this Tournament would simply not happen.