Bideford vs Barnstaple Town
Southern League Division One South
Thursday 26th December 2019
3:00pm kick off
Sports Ground, Bideford

It’s that time of year again and Boxing Day is almost upon us which means its time for the North Devon derby, once we get the small matter of Christmas out of the way of course. It’s fair to say both Bideford and Barnstaple Town are both really struggling this season in Division One South. Barum are six points adrift at the foot of the table and suffered 13 consecutive league defeats before finally ending their dreadful run with a 3-1 home win over Larkhall. Town will be hoping to build on improved recent performances in order to pull themselves closer to the teams above them at the bottom of the division. Bideford’s season hasn’t gone much better with a whole host of changes to the squad not helping their cause. The Robins only have one win in their last 11 games and are currently down in 17th position, six points ahead of Barnstaple having played three games less. Both sides are in desperate need of three points and with conditions expected to be difficult due to the weather, this derby really could go either way.

Form Guide

Barnstaple Town’s last six (LLLLWL) Pos 20th W3 D0 L16 Pts 9
21/12/19 Barnstaple Town 0 Evesham United 2 (League)
17/12/19 Barnstaple Town 3 Larkhall Athletic 1 (League)
14/12/19 Cirencester Town 2 Barnstaple Town 1 (League)
07/12/19 Barnstaple Town 1 Melksham Town 3 (League)
30/11/19 Highworth Town 2 Barnstaple Town 1 (League)
16/11/19 Sholing 3 Barnstaple Town 1 (League)

Bideford’s last six (LWDLDL) Pos 17th W4 D3 L8 Pts 15
17/12/19 Bideford 1 Melksham Town 3 (League)
14/12/19 Bideford 0 Highworth Town 0 (League)
07/12/19 Basingstoke Town 3 Bideford 2 (League)
03/12/19 Bideford 2 Evesham United 2 (League)
30/11/19 Bideford 3 Cirencester Town 0 (League)
09/11/19 Mangotsfield United 4 Bideford 2 (League)

A Brief History of Barnstaple Town FC
North Devon League founder members Pilton Yeo Vale were founded in 1904 and became Barnstaple Town in 1905. Barnstaple spent the first half of the century playing local league football in the North Devon League and the Devon & Exeter League until joining Western League Division Two for the 1948/49 season. In 1949/50 Barnstaple were Division Two champions and were promoted to Division One. Barum became Western League champions in 1952/53 and once again in 1979/80 (now the Premier Division). They were relegated back to the second tier (Division One) in 1990/91 but bounced back as Division One champions in 1993/94. Barnstaple were relegated back to Division One in 2012/13 but once again returned to the Premier after winning their third Division One title in 2014/15. Barum carried that momentum in to 2015/16 finishing as runners-up in the Premier Division and accepting promotion to the Southern League for the first time after champions Odd Down turned down the opportunity. In their first season in Division One South & West Barum finished 17th. In 2017/18 they ended up in 21st position and avoided relegation due to a league restructure while in 2018/19 they finished 19th and were reprieved from relegation as Street resigned from the Southern League. Barnstaple Town are two time Western League champions, three time Western Division One champions and also Western Division Two title winners. They have won the Devon St Luke's Bowl on one occasion and have also reached the first round proper of the FA Cup four times.

Barnstaple Town FC
Mill Road
Barnstaple
Devon
EX31 1JQ
Tel: 01271 343469
Web: http://www.barnstapletownfc.com
Twitter: @Official_BTFC

Most recent meetings:
26/12/18 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 4 (Southern Div One South)
27/08/18 Bideford 1 Barnstaple Town 0 (Southern Div One South)
26/12/17 Bideford 1 Barnstaple Town 1 (Southern Div One West)
28/08/17 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 2 (Southern Div One West)
26/12/16 Barnstaple Town 0 Bideford 1 (Southern Div One S&W)
08/11/16 Bideford 1 Barnstaple Town 4 (Southern League Cup R2)
29/08/16 Bideford 2 Barnstaple Town 1 (Southern Div One S&W)
18/11/14 Barnstaple Town 0 Bideford 1 (Devon St Luke's Bowl QF)
02/04/10 Barnstaple Town 3 Bideford 2 (Western League Premier)
26/12/09 Bideford 4 Barnstaple Town 3 (Western League Premier)
10/04/09 Bideford 1 Barnstaple Town 1 (Western League Premier)
26/12/08 Barnstaple Town 1 Bideford 3 (Western League Premier)