OKEHAMPTON Argyle Football Club has a new president — West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett has recently accepted the position at the 71-year-old club.

Mr Burnett succeeds previous president, Okehampton businessman George Maddaford, who held the post for several years before moving out of the area.

Mr Burnett, who for many years was a senior partner in a legal practice in Okehampton, said: 'I am delighted and honoured to accept the position.

'I have been in touch with the club over a number of years, particularly last year in relation to rates.

'I'm a great supporter of all sports and the club does sterling work giving sporting opportunities, particularly to the young people.'

Mr Burnett said he would be watching his first game as president of Okehampton Argyle early in this New Year.

The club runs eleven teams in total, using the football pitch in Simmons Park. The first team is presently around the middle of the Devon and Exeter Premier League — there is also a second and third team, ladies' squad and a thriving youth section.

John Domaille, club chairman for ten years, said: 'We are very honoured and grateful that the MP should give us his time — we are most impressed.'

He said the club had plans to try and obtain its own pitch in the future, fulfilling the need for adequate facilities for the growing band of youngsters playing football in Okehampton.

'At the moment we can't avail ourselves of Lottery money and that sort of thing. If we had our own pitch it would help us pull down this type of money,' said Mr Domaille.

He added that he was hopeful the planning authority would see the need for such a community facility, particularly in view of the extra houses planned for Okehampton in the next ten years.

'We are a club that basically plays Okehampton boys, we don't pull in people from outside.

'We play the best football that Okehampton can and it would be helpful to have our own ground,' said Mr Domaille.

Okehampton Argyle's next first team home game is this Saturday against Exeter St Thomas, kick off at 2.30pm. The first team is sponsored by the

Okehampton Times.