Barum claimed the Western League Premier Division trophy for the first time in 46 years after winning their last game of the season on Saturday at Oldland Abbotonians (match report below), arriving at the top of the table by one point for the first time this season - but at exactly the right moment.
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They then had to wait a nervous three days to see whether Torpoint would overtake them at the last hurdle by winning their midweek Home fixture against lower-placed Wellington - but the Somerset visitors upset expectations with a relaxed 4-1 victory.

Barum now gain automatic promotion to the Southern League Division One South at Step 4 of the non-league system, where they have the opportunity to test themselves at a higher standard of football as well as benefitting from ‘local derby’ games against Bideford and Tiverton Town.

The club has already experienced Southern League football, spending six seasons at that level from 2016 after gaining promotion from the WLP as runners-up, but following a series of lowly finishing positions they returned via relegation in 2022.

Their previous championship winning season in the WLP came in 1980, when they finished a single point ahead of Bournemouth Reserves and Weston-Super-Mare, with just five defeats.

Coincidentally, Ben Potter’s side has ended the current season with a one-point lead at the top and five defeats.

In the three previous WLP years since relegation from the Southern League, Barum finished in 3rd, 5th and 4th place. After play-offs were introduced in 2024, they lost consecutive Away semi-finals against teams who were subsequently promoted: 3-0 at Brixham last April and 3-1 at Falmouth Town the year before.

This season therefore marks a significant step forward in the progress of the club.