CHARISMATIC football coach and referee Allen Lewis has taken a step back from the helm of Tavistock Specials FC, the football club which has changed the lives of scores of youngsters with a disability.

Tavistock town councillor Allen, who described himself as someone who did everything at the club, including coaching and refereeing, promised he would still be around to help the club if it needed a hand.

But he said: ‘My concern is that I’m getting older and we need people who can keep the club moving forward to take over. We need people who can deal with the FA and a lot of other things and it’s important that they know how to do it.

‘We’ve got a lot of good people at the club who have come forward and I’m still going to be around to give advice if it’s needed.

‘But this club has been going for 14 years, which is a long time, and I think 14 years is a good shift and it’s time to take a step back and let some other people have a go.

‘My son Mark decided to take a step back in the middle of last year, as he’s been involved with it for 12 years, which is a long time.’

Allen, who is being joined in the background by club colleague Billy Venning, said he was proud of what the club had achieved in its attempts to give youngsters with disabilities a chance to play football – and, just as importantly, help to give them a better life.

He said: ‘You can’t count how many players have gone through the club. We’ve still got two members here who joined 14 years ago, which is quite incredible.

‘The best thing is we’ve had youngsters here who have had real issues, but according to their carers, they’ve bloomed since joining us.

‘They’ve now got a social life – they go out together, have parties, go to football matches and mix socially, which is fantastic for them.

‘We’ve got well over 200 members since we started with a whole range of disabilities and I don’t know how many coaches have passed through the club and got their coaching qualifications.

‘I shan’t be sorry to step down, because although it’s the end of an era, I see it as the beginning of a new one as well, with people coming in who have new ideas, which is what you need in a club.’

He added: ‘I suppose you could say I did everything at the club. I referee as well and the other referees would be sitting drinking coffee while I was putting up goal nets. I won’t be under the pressure of having to organise everyone.

‘We’ve had brilliant sponsors, because Tavistock Tyres have stuck with us since we started the club, but I don’t want to just thanks the sponsors. I want to thank everybody who has helped us over the years, because it’s a real community club with a lovely history.’