LIKE a successful football team, a successful league gradually replaces experience with new blood.

Last year, chairman Bill Smale called it a day, and now it's my turn.

When I took the decision 18 months ago, I knew it was the right thing to do, both for the League and myself — and that is still so.

After 40 years of involvement I hope I have helped take the League successfully into the 21st century, but now it is time for others to carry it forward.In Alan Evans, David Parish and Rob Bates, the League has three experienced administrators who, together with the new officers, will take it to future success, backed up by what is a highly effective management committee and a large number of very efficient club secretaries.

In football, as elsewhere, North Devon is often looked down on by other parts of the county, but the North Devon Journal League is not only flourishing, it leads the way, both on and off the pitch.

It is not suffering the constant loss of clubs which others are.

The shortage of referees is less chronic in this area than elsewhere because the League has instituted a scheme to refund new referees their training fees once they have officiated at a certain number of League games.

And on the pitch, 2009 will of course always primarily be remembered as the year in which the Boca Seniors club won the Devon Premier Cup.

As for me, there are other interests I wish to pursue which previously have been put on hold because of the time I have given to football.

So I intend to ride quietly off into the sunset, fade from the scene and not be missed. It is time for me to be, as the saying goes, 'on my bike'.

Philip Shelton