It was only in the summer of 2020 that now 66-year-old decided to share some of the burden of management with his cousin Scott Rogers.

When Martyn started managing Tiverton in 1991, Scott was still at school.

Eight years later, the then 19-year-old Scott scored the winning goal at Wembley as Tiverton claimed back-to-back FA Vase successes.

Martyn Rogers is known as `Mr Tiverton Town` and quite rightly so.

Originally with Bristol City, the full back then spent five years with Bath City before returning to the full-time ranks with Exeter City in 1979.

He went on to make 131 appearances for the Grecians before joining Conference side Weymouth in 1986.

He played over 150 times for the Terras – many as a team-mate of brother Peter – before signing for Tiverton as player-manager, taking over from John Owen in the summer of 1991.

The following season the club were runners-up in the Western League to an invincible Clevedon Town and reached the FA Vase Final at Wembley on the back of some staggering results against higher opposition.

Forest Green Rovers were hit for six while Barton Rovers and Buckingham Town both went for four in what was by far Tivvy’s best season to date.

The day out at Wembley lost a little of its silver lining as Town were defeated 1-0 by Bridlington Town, but by now everything was in place and the remarkable rise of a club that was in danger of extinction ten years prior was about to be completed.

The Western League championship finally arrived at Ladysmead in 1994 and stayed in Tiverton the following year. By this time Tivvy had made three appearances in the First Round of the FA Cup, playing host to Leyton Orient and having the cheek to take an early lead on the most recent occasion.

But it was the FA Vase that was most coveted, and Rogers carefully assembled a squad with the belief and talent to succeed, and the dream was finally realised when Tow Law Town were defeated by a single Peter Varley goal at Wembley in May 1998.

Not satisfied with just one trip up the 39 steps to lift the cup Tiverton went and did it again the following year, this time getting the better of a highly fancied Bedlington Terriers side thanks to Scott Rogers` late, late strike.

The only thing left was to take on the challenge of the Southern League, and after an impressive initial season Tiverton won promotion to the Premier Division at only the second attempt.

The step up in class did little to temper the Yellows appetite for success and the next two seasons saw them finish respectably in sixth and then fourth, only being denied a shot at the Conference after failing to win any of the last five games of the 2002/03 campaign.

But the latter half of the following season saw Tiverton slump from second to 15th and miss out on a place in the newly structured regional sections of the Conference.

The next five years saw Tivvy back in mid-table, and a particularly frustrating 2006/07 had them fighting at the wrong end of the table for much of the season, often hampered by postponed games, injuries and suspensions. The only high point was winning Southern League Cup with a fine 3-2 aggregate victory over Hemel Hempstead Town, but even that failed to disguise the fact that there needed to be a period of rebuilding if Tiverton are to take the next step up the ladder.

The culmination of half a decade of struggle came in the 2009/10 season when the club finished in the relegation zone.

Tivvy were lucky to escape the drop due to off-field matters concerning other clubs across the non-League system, and in May 2010 Rogers stepped down as manager, bringing to an end a marvellous 19-season managerial tenure.

However, in January 2011, Rogers returned to management when he returned to manage struggling Weymouth and successfully guided the Terras away from the Southern Premier Division relegation zone by just two points, despite having a ten-point deduction.

But he left Weymouth in May 2011 after failing to agree on a budget for the following season.

In August 2012, Rogers joined then-Southern Division One South & West side Taunton Town as assistant-manager after two years out of the game.

And then he returned for his second spell in charge of Tiverton in 2014.

Rogers told his club`s website: “Things have changed for me off the pitch in my personal life and it’s now time I devoted far more time to my wife and family. It goes without saying that I have loved every minute at the club since taking over as manager thirty years ago. I think I’m leaving the club in a really healthy position on and off the pitch and wish Scott all the luck in the world, it’s his time to shine.”

Chairman Ian Moorcroft added: “Although I was shocked when Dodge told me I fully understand his reasons, you have to put your family first. I am 100% behind Scott and I am sure he will carry on the good work. I would like to thank Dodge for the legacy he has left us, virtually thirty years of success, three FA Vase Finals and the club playing at a decent level. We have a football club to be proud of with three new bars, it’s now a real asset to the town thanks to his drive and enthusiasm and it’s up to us to carry it on.”

Scott Rogers said: “Things got a bit emotional when Dodge told me but I believe he’s doing the right thing for him and the family, I know how important they are to him. I’m really looking forward to the challenge, I’m really up for it. I think we’ve made some great signings and can’t wait to get started. I believe it’s a fantastic opportunity for me and I’m going to grab it with both hands. We now have a great team on and off the pitch with facilities to match. Let’s all stick together and hopefully with our fantastic support we can enjoy even more success”.