DUNCAN Stewart has retired after 50 years of playing, managing and officiating South Brent FC.

Duncan joined the club in March 1966 at the age of 14, playing full back for the first team when it was managed by Alfie Sabine.

Despite Duncan’s best efforts, South Brent FC were relegated from South Devon Division One at the end of the season.

Duncan joined the army in the summer of 1966, but still continued to play for the club when he was home on leave.

In 1973, he returned to South Brent, and became a regular player for the club and worked as the fixtures secretary.

At one point, South Brent FC had three teams, gaining its second team when Moorhaven folded in the mid-1970s and its third team when Avonwick folded in the mid-1980s.

Duncan played for all three teams and the reserves over the years, latterly in the third team until the late 1990s, when he began his managerial career.

‘You soon learn you can’t manage and play at the same time, or not very well,’ Duncan said.

Duncan managed the third team for three years, and then the first team for a further two years. For the past 20 years, Duncan has been managing the veterans team, for players over the age of 35.

Over the years, South Brent have won the second and third division cups, the league and cup double, and the Devon Intermediate Cup Final in 1976.

‘I’ve been up and down a few times,’ Duncan said.

In the late 1980s, Duncan was presented with an achievement award for playing on all the pitches in the South Devon league.

Recently, South Brent FC’s Saturday team have folded, after decades of playing competitive football.

Duncan said: ‘They’ve still got a Sunday team, and a couple of youth teams. But there’s been a football team in the village since at least the 1920s - there are plenty of photographs back between the wars.’

In recent years, Duncan has been officiating matches: ‘I’ve refereed, but I’m not an official referee! You know what it’s like - no ref, no game!’

To celebrate 50 years of Duncan’s dedication to South Brent FC, a special testimonial game was organise, South Brent Veterans versus South Brent All-Stars. And Duncan was presented with a commemorative trophy by Steve Snell and Mike Murphy, chair of the club.

‘They had a bit of a benefit for me a couple of weeks ago - but I haven’t played regularly for a couple of years now. We had a couple of beers afterwards to celebrate, more than a couple as it turned out!’

When asked how the club has changed over the years, Duncan said: ‘We’ve gone from one team, to three teams, down to no teams. We’ve played on six or seven different pitches in the village, I’ve played all over the shop!

‘But times are changing. There’s a lot more for kids to do now. When we were boys, Saturday was football, and that was it really.

‘But now there’s youth football, you’re not allowed to play men’s football until you’re 16, and there are lots of different rules and regulations.

‘Probably all for the best though.’

And as for the most memorable side of his time at the club: ‘You meet a lot of good people over the years, and that’s it really. A lot of good friends made.’