My Pyramid Base

As I explained once before I found that the Western League First Division has been given the level 10 status which is the same as the South West Peninsula League Premier Division. My team of last season, Elmore Eagles, elected to move to the Peninsula League to avoid so many trips to Bristol.

As I selected a proper top 10 for my main pyramid including Barnstaple in the Western League First Division my pyramid base starts at the top with the South West Peninsula League Premier Division and my beloved Elmore Eagles.

1 - Elmore Eagles First Team - South West Peninsula League Premier Division
2 - Exwick Villa First Team - South West Peninsula League Division One East
3 - Tiverton Town Second Team - Devon & Exeter League Premier Division
4 - Elmore Eagles Second Team - Devon & Exeter League Division One
5 - Exwick Villa Second Team - Devon & Exeter League Division Two
6 - Tedburn St Mary First Team - Devon & Exeter League Division Three
7 - Lord's XI - Devon & Exeter League Division Four
8 - Countess Wear Dynamoes - Devon & Exeter League Division Five
9 - Exwick Village - Devon & Exeter League Division Six
10 - Tedburn St Mary Second Team - Devon & Exeter League Division Seven
11 - Elmore Eagles Third Team - Devon & Exeter League Division Eight

I want to get to see all these teams at some point but the internet coverage is poor down at this level so I may have to amend my choices if it proves too difficult to work out where and when they play.

I did make the decision to try and minimise the number of clubs I watch, so where there is a second or third team from one club at least I only have to check out a single website.

Elmore Eagles star at the bottom and at the top of this part of my pyramid.

My Pyramid Score

MY SCORE = 69

Well if I was still in the sixth form I could have chosen that score but it just came out.

1 = Arsenal
2 = Bideford
3 = Barnstaple
3 = Weston-super-Mare
4 = Exeter
5 = Buckland Athletic
6 = Tiverton Town
8 = Brentford
16 = Tamworth
21 = Yeovil

Only two of my picks are failing badly. They are the ones that need my support early on.

Barnstaple Town

A good start to the season by this North Devon outfit.

My total score is helped by the position of my 10th pick.

Buckland Athletic

I have passed up a couple of chances to watch this team already.

They are comfortably placed in the league and I will check up on them in a few weeks.

Tiverton Town

This lot are just off the pace in the Southern League South & West Division.

They are only half an hour up the road for me so I can leave them until later in the season.

Bideford

My Southern League Premier Division pick have started the season very well.

I am pleased with their position in the league and I must pop up the road and watch them soon.

Weston-super-Mare

Weston-super-Mare are the side that I know least about.

They are not at the top (of the pyramid) and they are not at the bottom.

Tamworth

A draw away from home on Friday night has seen the position of Tamworth improve.

Exeter

A good away win for my home city has placed us in a good position.

Brentford

My League One pick had an exciting finish to their match on Saturday.

They were pulled back to 3-3 in injury time but then got a penalty to win the match 4-3.

Yeovil

My Championship pick have had a poor start to the season and rest just outside the relegation zone.

This is the first time they have competed at this level so it will take some getting used to.

Arsenal

My Premiership pick are now top of the league.

Dwight Gayle

Here is one lad that my project is about. He played one season for Stansted in the Essex Senior League before ..... well let's steal the story from the Crystal Palace website. They are taking on the mighty Manchester United today.

Pacey striker Gayle signed a four-year contract with the Eagles in July 2013, after moving for an undisclosed fee from Peterborough United. 

The Walthamstow-born man enjoyed meteoric rise in football, after hitting 57 goals in one season with Essex Senior League club Stanstead.

He quickly moved on to League Two side Dagenham and Redbridge as a trainee in July 2011, turning professional a year later after scoring 29 times during a loan spell at Conference North outfit Bishop’s Stortford.

After returning to Dagenham and netting seven times in 18 appearances, the Posh moved to sign Gayle on loan in November 2012. He made an instant impact in the Championship, scoring his first goal in the 4-1 defeat at Blackpool the following month. 

That was one of Gayle’s five goals in six games during a successful loan spell – form that prompted Peterborough to shell out an initial £500,000 for his services in January 2013. Gayle finished the 2012/13 season with 13 goals for Darren Ferguson’s men, including an impressive hat-trick against Blackburn Rovers in March.

Now get yourself out there and watch the lower leagues looking for the next new star. Make a note of the name and follow their career as they progress.

Weekend Results

This weekend my teams performed thus:

Lvl	League	My Team	Opposition	?	Result	F	A	Pts	Attendance	Competition
1	Premiership	Arsenal	Tottenham Hotspur	H	WON	1	0	3	60,071	League
2	Championship	Yeovil	Reading	H	LOST	0	1	0	7,306	League
3	League One	Brentford	Carlisle	H	DRAW	0	0	1	6,035	League
4	League Two	Exeter	York	H	WON	2	1	3	3,448	League
5	Conference Premier	Tamworth	Cambridge United	A	LOST	0	3	0	2,527	League
6	Conference South	Weston-Super-Mare	Chelmsford City	A	WON	2	1	3	581	League
7	Southern League Premier	Bideford	Bashley	A	WON	1	0	3	150	League
8	Southern South & West	Tiverton Town	Larkhall Athletic	A	LOST	0	1	0	430	F.A.Cup
9	Western League Premier	Buckland Athletic	Winterbourne United	H	WON	3	2	3	84	League
10	Western League Division 1	Barnstaple Town	Bradford	H	DRAW	2	2	1	248	League
	TOTALS					11	11	17	80,880

More wins than defeats so I think it is a good week.