What is the state of local football culture in Devon?

Sport is something that plays a central part in life around Devon. This is not surprising when you consider the awesome golf clubs the county has to offer or the number of professional teams it hosts. Although sports like horse racing, rugby and cricket are popular, football is also a sport that people in Devon like to get involved with.

This can be seen on a national scale, with the amount of interest the Premier League gets. Lots of people in the county like to follow the top EPL sides and tune in for the exciting games this competition delivers. In addition, people around Devon like to add more fun to EPL matches through sports betting. This not only brings you closer to the action but gives any Premier League game you catch a little extra interest.

What about the local football culture in Devon?

Although following major competitions in football is something people around Devon like to do, it is worth focusing on local football culture around the county. But what state is it in right now?

As with the passion fans have for the wider footballing culture, their love for their local sides means the culture around this part of the game in the county is also strong. In terms of professional teams outside of the EPL, this can be seen in the fierce local following that Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City still enjoy.

Both sides currently play in League One of the English Football League and regularly draw decent-sized crowds to their games. St James Park is the home of Exeter City, with a capacity of just over 8,000. On matchdays, this ground really rocks and highlights the vibrant nature of local footballing culture in Devon.

Plymouth play at Home Park, with a capacity of over 16,000, and this attracts an even bigger local crowd to games. This is another ground in the county that comes alive on matchdays and shows the rude health of the footballing scene in Devon.

Amateur and non-EFL clubs key

The importance of lower professional or amateur clubs for local Devon football culture is evidenced by how many there are and how popular they remain. Torquay United in the National League is a good example of side that sits outside of the top reaches of the pro game in the UK but still attracts a loyal following. It is also a good illustration of how sides like this can feel more accessible to fans and help bring new supporters into the sport.

Although Devon-based sides playing in the professional leagues are important to the county’s local footballing culture, clubs playing outside the pro game are just as crucial (such as Park Units in the North Devon County League, or those involved in the Bideford 6 a side league). It is these grassroots teams that are the real beating heart of football in Devon. This is because amateur football clubs not only help the sport retain its popularity with ordinary people but also give normal people a chance to play the game.

As a result, football is able to maintain its place at the heart of sporting culture in Devon and this enables people around the county to forge a close bond with it. It also makes football something that is integral to local communities and not just confined to sometimes distant professional leagues.

Community work key for local footballing culture in Devon

The local football scene in the county is also helped greatly by the strong connection that clubs in the area forge with fans. This can be seen all the way from the community outreach efforts pro teams such as Exeter City make, all the way down to the community activities that lower professional or amateur sides around Devon organise. By firmly establishing themselves within communities across the county, football clubs build a closer connection with residents and help keep the local sporting scene very much alive.

This bond also extends to teams around the county partnering with local businesses for sponsorship or kit deals. The Redrow Southwest and Okehampton Argyle kit deal is a good example of this and highlights how local teams in the county work with firms in the area in a mutually beneficial way.

Football remains a major part of Devon’s culture

While sport in general is popular around this part of the UK, football is arguably THE biggest game around for locals. While top leagues like the EPL always attract lots of attention, the local footballing scene in the county is just as vibrant. This sees football fans all over Devon making the effort to not only follow their local grassroots teams and pro sides in the county but also catch the latest news on them in the local media.