1) Premier League = ARSENAL
2) Football League Championship = BRENTFORD
The rest of the list will see some changes because of promotions and relegations. Southend United dropped into League Two so I need a new pick in league one. Are there any obvious choices? Firstly the three coming down from the Championship are Charlton Athletic, Wigan Athletic and Hull City. I have a friend and his family who are Charlton supporters so I might get some info there. Wigan Athletic have a rich history including the year when they won the F.A.Cup and got relegated. An interesting choice of priority as far as I am concerned. I went to university in Hull so there is some appeal there as well.
I quite like Portsmouth as it is the gateway to the Isle of Wight but the last two times I went via Southampton on the Red Funnel. Definitely not Gillingham due to crowd trouble in the 1970s when I was a Southend United supporter. Bristol Rovers are just up the road (M5) and the city is big enough to support a top flight club if they can find the right owners. Lincoln City were in with a shout until Danny Cowley went to Huddersfield. Accrington Stanley because of the milk advertisement. AFC Wimbledon because of the crazy gang.
The teams promoted from league two are Swindon Town (not that far away) but it is "the other side" of Bristol. Crewe Alexandra with the famous station junction. Northampton Town who thumped Exeter City in the playoff final. My selection, though, as they are just down the road from me, is Plymouth Argyle.
3) Football League One = PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
League Two now has my old favourite Southend United as well as my home town club Exeter City. Forest Green Rovers with the vegan ethic could have got a look in and still might if they leave this division. Salford City from the television program (where is Gareth Seddon and is his cheese shop still going?). Barrow and Harrogate coming up from the National League are both too far north for me.
I will stick with my home town club as it is the nearest and if I ever want to part with £20 to watch paint dry I will be there.
4) Football League Two = EXETER CITY
That concludes the football league but not the professional game as the national league is increasingly professional these days.
The National League offers me the greatest choice of teams so I need not mention those teams that are not going to get a look-in like Stevenage who came down from League Two. Yeovil Town would probably give me the best chance of promotion from this level. Torquay United are possible as the road links have now improved greatly and my last trip to the ground was easy. Eastleigh are still there but my one season following them was not easy as they have a poor online presence.
These would all be good choices but I am going for the weakest choice. Weymouth have just achieved promotion from the National League South and I am going to follow them in their newly elevated status.
5) National League = WEYMOUTH
That promotion has left a gap in the National League South which I need to fill. This is the level that I often find most difficult as many teams are a long way away so the obvious choice would be one that is nearer than most of the others. Consequently, and for no other reason than the geographical one I am going to choose to learn about Bath City.
6) National League South = BATH CITY
That ends the National leagues and my regional league at this point is the Southern League South. In the Premier Division I could choose the very best Cornish team Truro City, the Somerset Cider team of Taunton Town, the most isolated football team, Salisbury City, my old pick Weston-super-Mare, and many others but I am going to stick with my long standing selection, Tiverton Town. Who knows, this season I may actually get to Ladysmead to see them play. I just need to work out the parking.
7) Southern League Premier Division South = TIVERTON TOWN
The next choice is obvious and I am going to stick with possibly the luckiest team in the pyramid. Last season they were reprieved from relegation and this season they only avoided relegation because of the COVID crisis. Barnstaple Town cannot do as badly as they have done for the last two seasons. It is a lovely trip up on the Tarka Line if I want to go and watch them so we shall see if I make it this season.
8) Southern League Division One South = BARNSTAPLE TOWN
The team I have probably supported most partly because the town car park is a 5 minute walk from the ground is Exmouth Town. They also have a striker with the brilliant name of Ace High. I fully intend to get to watch this team in the F.A.Cup and probably in the Western League as well. Visiting this ground has provided the best value for money over the past three seasons.
9) Western League Premier Division = EXMOUTH TOWN
Now we come to changes as a result of my move a year ago. I now live just over a stone's throw from Bovey Tracey and they are competing in the South West Peninsula League so my allegiance has at long last changed from Elmore Eagles who were there at the start of this whole process.
10) South West Peninsula League Premier Division East = BOVEY TRACEY
I actually live in the village of Liverton and there is big news on the football front. Last season the team ran as a single side and I watched some very lacking in ability players take to the field. This season I have found out that there are two mens team and a ladies team as well. I should be able to head to the ground and find something going on most of the time. The online presence is still poor as I have to use both Facebook and Twitter to find out what is going on and sometimes there is just no information but a two minute drive is ideal if Arsenal are on television just before or just after.
11) Devon League = LIVERTON UNITED
That concludes the pyramid selections but I know that one of you likes the lower picks as well. That might not prove to be the case now that I have switched from the Devon and Exeter League to the South Devon League. Fewer divisions and fewer results to research.
12) South Devon League Premier Division = BUCKFASTLEIGH RANGERS
13) South Devon League Division One = ASHBURTON
14) South Devon League Division Two = ILSINGTON VILLA
15) South Devon League Division Three = LIVERTON UNITED RESERVES
There may be some more changes to my blog in the future but at least my selections are set for the new season 2020-21. Unless .....
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