LINK
As the recession seems to pass the big clubs by with their millions of pounds of debt and sugar daddy owners, spare a thought for the fans of Blue Square Bet South side Truro City.
Having been founded in 1889, the club survived extinction in the 11th hour after the intervention of a local nightclub owner and a taxi-firm owner who stumped up the required £50,000 bond needed to ensure Truro can see out their fixtures this season.
So how did all this happen?
Truro City relied heavily on the financial backing of an individual, Kevin Heaney. When Heaney was declared bankrupt in the summer, the club could not cope with running costs and travel arrangements to away games. This has led to a rumoured debt of £700,000, which no club at that level can sustain without any problems. Under the guidance of sugar daddy Heaney, the cornish club gained 5 promotions in 6 years and chasing the dream of the Football League proved to be the undoing of the club.
It is not the first time this has happened in Non-League football, Canvey Island were forced to resign from the Conference National in 2006 after Jeff King ended his funding as the club could not continue ‘with gates around 4-500′ He had taken his side from the Essex Senior League up to the Conference National and enjoyed incredible success in the FA Trophy and a memorable FA Cup run in which they dumped Wigan Athletic out at the JJB Stadium. The club was forced to rebuild from the Ryman Division 1 North, a fate which Truro looked destined to follow.
Why should teams like Truro City, Farlsey Celtic, Darlington, and Northwich Victoria be pushed towards extinction when clubs such as Manchester United can harbour millions upon millions of pounds of debt without being sanctioned, when the hardworking clubs of the community with a core of close knit supporters are left heart broken when their club owes a pittance in comparison to their professional counterparts.
How can this be ended?
Partnerships could be introduced between non league teams and football league clubs to assist the long term futures of the clubs that mean so much to so many people. When Rotherham United were in administration neighbours Sheffield United provided assistance by loaning several players including Stephen Quinn whilst providing funds to help pay wages. Surely, a similar thing can be done by big clubs with small teams in trouble. In the case of Truro City the closest clubs would be Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City, both have experienced financial trouble in the past.
The winding up of a club does not just affect the fans, players also face a huge problem. For players in the non-league football provides a huge slice of their weekly income and to lose work as a semi-professional player could prove costly. This shows the need of stability with any club as people’s livelihoods are at stake and careers could be shattered due to the mismanagement of any club.
This can be seen at Portsmouth, who made huge redundancies to staff members working at the ticket office and the canteen, affecting the lives of the real people on the street. not just the players and board members.
The FA and the Football League need to ensure each and every club have a suitable set up and have a low risk of becoming reliant on rich owners. Clubs at every level need to be self sufficient and settle for the level they are best suited.
It is always good to dream, but in cases like this, the dream can sometimes turn into a nightmare!
29 October 2012
Staff & Players Update - 29/10/2012 - by Jake Ash
Hopefully, we won’t be needing
to post on here too often from now on guys, as for the first time in a long time
things seem to be moving forward in a positive manner and we can begin to
concentrate on the football again. But we all felt it was worth updating
everyone as to where we are as a group, and to publicly put our support behind
Mr Masters and Mr Perryman in their bid to purchase the football club.
Everyone at the ground would have felt the buzz around the place on Saturday. As many of the regulars no doubt did, we couldn’t believe how much work had been put in to making the place a bit tidier. I know they won’t appreciate me for saying this, but this was due not only to the incredible generosity of people giving their time but also to Messer’s Masters & Perryman for putting their hands in their pockets, again, to make it a better experience for EVERYONE coming to Treyew Road. Anyone around the City will have noticed the A2B taxi’s carrying the TCFC name, and the adverts in the paper calling for fans to come along – simple marketing that has for so long been ignored. Therefore, I think everyone felt positive about the future before the game, and following our meeting with the prospective new owners, we feel this to be even more so the case.
We have made it very clear to the administrators that we fully support Mr Masters & Mr Perryman’s bid to take over the club. They have outlined to us their passion, their ideas and their desire to make this club a really positive part of the community. They have told us their commitment in trying to keep this squad together and their intent to inherit our contracts and fulfil them and also a desire to remunerate, to some degree, previously unpaid wages. But perhaps most importantly, we felt as a group they have the best intentions for this football club, and that they have highlighted ‘stability’ is key to the future. This is something we, and everyone else associated with the club over the recent past, have perhaps not been able to rely on. The gentlemen have made no lurid promises to us; indeed, they seem very lucid in their vision for the club, and how they intend to take it forward in a very open and honest manner. We are sure that, like with all football clubs, there might be some bumps along the road but we feel confident that if Mr Masters & Mr Perryman are allowed to take the club on, that as a collective group – fans, players, staff and with their management – we can overcome them.
What has also been made clear is that they hope to conclude the deal as quickly as possible, and then it is very much all eyes on the pitch, as opposed to off it. This is only my understanding, but we are led to believe the transfer embargo would be lifted once the CVA is in place. Thus, I suspect should the sale complete then the CVA will be the immediate priority and in turn the embargo lifted. I know everyone, none more so than us, were frustrated about the slightly shambolic situation of not being able to bring on a substitute on Saturday and foregoing our man advantage. I know Lee was really hurting on Saturday, and we both spoke yesterday about how we can stop it from hopefully happening again. His absence from the meeting was merely due to a pre-arranged engagement and I know he too is fully behind Mr Masters & Mr Perryman.
Finally, from all the players and staff, we urge you supporters (and we know you are anyway!) to continue to get behind and support these two gentlemen in everything they do to take this club forward. However frustrating the past two games have been (as so many have been this season!), we have all come off knowing that we have given everything and that we are doing it for a worthwhile cause. The two games may have been fruitless in terms of points, but they are already two more games than we all ever expected to be able to be part of. And for that we have Mr Masters & Mr Perryman to thank. As a group, we all believe there will be many more to come under their stewardship if they purchase the club and hopefully those games will see us picking up some points that everyone’s efforts deserve.
Thanks again for all your support.
Regards,
All the boys.
Everyone at the ground would have felt the buzz around the place on Saturday. As many of the regulars no doubt did, we couldn’t believe how much work had been put in to making the place a bit tidier. I know they won’t appreciate me for saying this, but this was due not only to the incredible generosity of people giving their time but also to Messer’s Masters & Perryman for putting their hands in their pockets, again, to make it a better experience for EVERYONE coming to Treyew Road. Anyone around the City will have noticed the A2B taxi’s carrying the TCFC name, and the adverts in the paper calling for fans to come along – simple marketing that has for so long been ignored. Therefore, I think everyone felt positive about the future before the game, and following our meeting with the prospective new owners, we feel this to be even more so the case.
We have made it very clear to the administrators that we fully support Mr Masters & Mr Perryman’s bid to take over the club. They have outlined to us their passion, their ideas and their desire to make this club a really positive part of the community. They have told us their commitment in trying to keep this squad together and their intent to inherit our contracts and fulfil them and also a desire to remunerate, to some degree, previously unpaid wages. But perhaps most importantly, we felt as a group they have the best intentions for this football club, and that they have highlighted ‘stability’ is key to the future. This is something we, and everyone else associated with the club over the recent past, have perhaps not been able to rely on. The gentlemen have made no lurid promises to us; indeed, they seem very lucid in their vision for the club, and how they intend to take it forward in a very open and honest manner. We are sure that, like with all football clubs, there might be some bumps along the road but we feel confident that if Mr Masters & Mr Perryman are allowed to take the club on, that as a collective group – fans, players, staff and with their management – we can overcome them.
What has also been made clear is that they hope to conclude the deal as quickly as possible, and then it is very much all eyes on the pitch, as opposed to off it. This is only my understanding, but we are led to believe the transfer embargo would be lifted once the CVA is in place. Thus, I suspect should the sale complete then the CVA will be the immediate priority and in turn the embargo lifted. I know everyone, none more so than us, were frustrated about the slightly shambolic situation of not being able to bring on a substitute on Saturday and foregoing our man advantage. I know Lee was really hurting on Saturday, and we both spoke yesterday about how we can stop it from hopefully happening again. His absence from the meeting was merely due to a pre-arranged engagement and I know he too is fully behind Mr Masters & Mr Perryman.
Finally, from all the players and staff, we urge you supporters (and we know you are anyway!) to continue to get behind and support these two gentlemen in everything they do to take this club forward. However frustrating the past two games have been (as so many have been this season!), we have all come off knowing that we have given everything and that we are doing it for a worthwhile cause. The two games may have been fruitless in terms of points, but they are already two more games than we all ever expected to be able to be part of. And for that we have Mr Masters & Mr Perryman to thank. As a group, we all believe there will be many more to come under their stewardship if they purchase the club and hopefully those games will see us picking up some points that everyone’s efforts deserve.
Thanks again for all your support.
Regards,
All the boys.
Lee Hodges to stay on as manager
By Rhod Mitchell
Truro City boss Lee Hodges has ended speculation about his future by confirming today that he is to stay on as the club's manager.
The former Plymouth Argyle and Torquay Utd star looked at the end of his tether after Saturday's 2-1 home Blue Square Bet South defeat by Sutton Utd. With the club in administration and under a transfer embargo, Hodges was only able to name a squad of 12 and finished the game with just ten players after losing goal
scorer Andy Watkins with a hamstring problem, having already used their only sub.
scorer Andy Watkins with a hamstring problem, having already used their only sub.
But today Hodges said he he was staying on at the club who were only rescued from liquidation by new backers last week.
And he was full of praise for the three local businessmen - Philip and Justin Masters and Phil Perryman - who are trying to turn the club around.
and Phil Perryman - who are trying to turn the club around.
There was a season's best crowd of 613 on Saturday, the second highest in the league and a lot of work has already been done to make the club a more welcoming place to visit.
Hodges said: "They are doing a brilliant job and the place was buzzing on Saturday. But my job is to try and get a winning team on the pitch and at the moment we are operating under an unfair advantage. It is so frustrating.
on the pitch and at the moment we are operating under an unfair advantage. It is so frustrating.
"The players could not have given any more on Saturday."
could not have given any more on Saturday."
Now Hodges has the unenviable job of getting together a team to play at Farnborough tomorrow night with Watkins (who is wanted by (Bath City) almost certainly out and a seemingly Dorchester-bound Dan Green saying he has to work. Kieffer Moore has still not been in contact with the club.
Meanwhile, City skipper Jake Ash has issued a statement giving the squad's full support for the club's new backers.
He said: "Everyone at the ground would have felt the buzz around the place on Saturday. As many of the regulars no doubt did, we couldn't believe how much work had been put in to making the place a bit tidier.
"I know they won't appreciate me for saying this, but this was due not only to the incredible generosity of people giving their time but also to Messers Masters & Perryman for putting their hands in their pockets, again, to make it a better experience for everyone coming to Treyew Road.
"We have made it very clear to the administrators that we fully support Mr Masters & Mr Perryman's bid to take over the club.
" They have outlined to us their passion, their ideas and their desire to make this club a really positive part of the community.
"They have told us their commitment in trying to keep this squad together and their intent to inherit our contracts and fulfil them and also a desire to remunerate, to some degree, previously unpaid wages.
"But perhaps most importantly, we felt as a group they have the best intentions for this football club, and that they have highlighted 'stability' is key to the future.
"We are sure that, like with all football clubs, there might be some bumps along the road but we feel confident that if Mr Masters & Mr Perryman are allowed to take the club on, that as a collective group – fans, players, staff and with their management – we can overcome them."
, there might be some bumps along the road but we feel confident that if Mr Masters & Mr Perryman are allowed to take the club on, that as a collective group – fans, players, staff and with their management – we can overcome them."
"The gentlemen have made no lurid promises to us indeed, they seem very lucid in their vision for the club, and how they intend to take it forward in a very open and honest manner.
"We are sure that, like with all football clubs, there might be some bumps along the road but we feel confident that if Mr Masters & Mr Perryman are allowed to take the club on, that as a collective group – fans, players, staff and with their management – we can overcome them.
"What has also been made clear is that they hope to conclude the deal as quickly as possible, and then it is very much all eyes on the pitch, as opposed to off it. This is only my understanding, but we are led to believe the transfer embargo would be lifted once the CVA is in place.
"Thus, I suspect should the sale complete then the CVA will be the immediate priority and in turn the embargo lifted. I know everyone, none more so than us, were frustrated about the slightly shambolic situation of not being able to bring on a substitute on Saturday and foregoing our man advantage."
Truro have been drawn away to Farnborough in the third round of the FA Trophy on Saturday week, November 10.
Treyew Road bar open tonight
Mark Ashley has asked to let everyone know that the Club bar will be open tonight from 5.30pm > The big game tonight is of course Sheffield United vs Portsmouth...
28 October 2012
Reflections by Mike Truscott
A club reborn -
'Super Saturday' reflections
with Mike Truscott
Well, what a day yesterday was, wasn't it! Talk about a club re-born. Okay, there's still a whole mountain range to clear, but anything is better than nothing - which is all there seemed to be just nine days ago.
What a transformation - what a mood swing - with, of course, a further sensational "twist in the tale" at the end of the day, but it wouldn't have been Truro City without that, would it!
The atmosphere - the new mood of optimism and enthusiasm - was so great, on arrival at Treyew Road for the Sutton match, that you could almost reach out and touch it.
Stewards all over the place, happily organising, controlling and marshalling . . . programme sellers greeting you on the other side of the turnstiles . . . a clubhouse that was positively heaving . . . tea hut buzzing . . . and friendly faces cheerily going round the ground selling those new Golden Goal tickets.
Tracey Finemore, the little lady with the big heart who, almost singlehandedly, has kept the club alive on the admin side these last two months or so, was calmly going about her match-day business in her Portakabin office, with her little boy chirping away in the corner.
Media folk aplenty were awaiting her team sheets and latest player news, while outside the queues at the entrance were stretching back big-time.
The crowd figure, when it came, drew appreciative waves from Hodgey and Newts - SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN - the day's second highest in the League and our biggest of the season. Well done, everyone.
And then, of course, it all began to turn just a teeny weeny bit sour. Never mind the actual result. The last thing we needed, with the continuing transfer embargo, was a fresh injury crisis. So - of course - that's precisely what we got.
God alone knows how Hodgey must have felt as he saw his players seemingly drop like nine-pins. He was already out of action himself plus digesting the news that Yetsi is out almost certainly until the New Year.
Kieffer Moore had suffered a head injury at Staines, and now here were Andy Watkins and Marcus Martin also withdrawing with fresh injuries, and City consequently ending the match with just ten men.
Then Hodgey dropped that bombshell last night with his quotes in Rhod Mitchell's online report, to the effect that he was contemplating quitting.
Fair enough, every man has his breaking point and no-one would think any the worse of him if he did quit.
I've been there, at least twice in my own career, when you're right on the edge, when the pressure from all directions simply gets too much and it's all you can do to stop yourself screaming "get me out of here."
So let's all hope and pray that these were ultimately heat-of-the-moment thoughts that can be reversed in the colder light of day, so to speak.
The alternative - I'm not exaggerating, am I? - is unthinkable, given that £50,000 leap of faith from the club's prospective new owners, plus all the Herculean efforts made by so many individuals these last two months to keep the club alive.
In the meantime, as Captain Marvel subsequently pledged in his interview with BBC Radio Cornwall's Jack Murley -
http://audioboo.fm/boos/1028784-truro-city-captain-jake-ash-speaks-to-bbc-radio-cornwall
City will take the field at Farnborough on Tuesday night with ten men if necessary.
Whatever . . . you can't take away the golden memories of yesterday's Super Saturday - when the match-day experience at Treyew Road was full of smiles once more (well, until late in the game!).
And that - we all hope and pray - is just for starters. Yes, there's loads of if's in the mix, and relegation, it has to be said, is now far more likely than not.
But, trying to take a detached view, would that be such a bad thing? I suggest not. In my opinion, the difference in the standard of football between the two leagues is not that great.
Complete the deal for new ownership of the club . . . say goodbye to administration . . . start all over again, in all directions . . . reinforce the playing squad . . . accept the situation as it is and build for next season . . . resume winning again as a habit . . . and then I suggest the good times really will be just round the corner once more. (And if we DO stay up, that's a mega bonus.)
The collective will IS there, in spirit and numbers. This CAN be the start of another magical era. Keep pushing with that big shove - and then, just maybe, we really can start to build on these promising new beginnings and make this "better place" permanent.
So . . . keep coming, keep shouting, keep bringing an extra friend with you, and do all you can to support everyone - incredibly loyal players, staff, prospective new owners, the lot - who are all doing so much, in the face of such mountainous odds, to KEEP TRURO CITY ALIVE.
Then October 27, 2012 - everything that we so fondly recall from yesterday - can be just the start, the first of a great many "Super Saturdays" to come!
Mike Truscott
Jake Ash talks to Radio Cornwall after the players meeting on Saturday 27th Oct
Information gleaned from the Jake Ash interview with Radio Cornwall yesterday:
LINK HERE
Following the Sutton game, the players met with new club owners Pete Masters and Phil Perryman.
In what Jake described as a very positive meeting, a percentage of owed wages from August, September and part of October will be paid. All wages from now will be honoured and both Masters and Perryman have shown "real understanding" in the players situation {regarding non payment of wages from the last couple months}.
Jake stressed that as a group of players, they are very impressed by the new club owners, particularly their openness and honesty. The players were also happy that the percentage wages agreement has been made, dependent of course that the deal to buy the club goes through.
Jake is very hopeful that a deal (on the Club) can be made very soon by the new owners, ie in the next couple of weeks. Jake also mentioned that the players have been informed and kept in the loop much more than previously.
The complete interview can be heard by visiting the link above.
LINK HERE
Following the Sutton game, the players met with new club owners Pete Masters and Phil Perryman.
In what Jake described as a very positive meeting, a percentage of owed wages from August, September and part of October will be paid. All wages from now will be honoured and both Masters and Perryman have shown "real understanding" in the players situation {regarding non payment of wages from the last couple months}.
Jake stressed that as a group of players, they are very impressed by the new club owners, particularly their openness and honesty. The players were also happy that the percentage wages agreement has been made, dependent of course that the deal to buy the club goes through.
Jake is very hopeful that a deal (on the Club) can be made very soon by the new owners, ie in the next couple of weeks. Jake also mentioned that the players have been informed and kept in the loop much more than previously.
The complete interview can be heard by visiting the link above.
Truro City FC Admission prices, as from October 2012
Please note a revised admission tariff, to take effect from the Sutton game. Children 16 or under now pay £2.
Truro City FC images from the Sutton Utd game
All images by Steve Rogers
Truro City 1 Sutton Utd 2
 |
| Cody Cooke lays off a pass |
 |
| Joe Broad |
 |
| Andy Watkins |
 |
| Bobby Hopkinson |
 |
| Les Afful |
 |
| Marcus Martin |
 |
| Andy Watkins |
 |
| Jake Ash climbs high |
 |
| Marcus strike in the second half |
 |
| Watkins pulled down just outside the box |
 |
| Watkins chases down a sloppy kick from the Sutton keeper |
 |
| Marcus climbs - had a brilliant game |
 |
| Dejected players leaving the pitch |
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| Jake and Brian Thompson |
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| Tim Sandercombe with JP |
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| Ben Williams with Dave Rowarth |
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| Dan Green - linked with Dorchester |
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| The saddest image of the lot... |
Late goal sinks Truro City as manager Hodges contemplates future
Truro City 1 Sutton Utd 2
By Rhod Mitchell LINK
with just four minutes to go.
Fans turned out in force to back the club, following an appeal by the three local businessmen who stepped in to save the club from the brink of extinction last week, to vote with their feet and come through the turnstiles.
Fans turned out in force to back the club, following an appeal by the three local businessmen who stepped in to save the club from the brink of extinction last week, to vote with their feet and come through the turnstiles.
 |
| Unfamiliar turnstile queues yesterday |
the home side were unable to reward them with a win.
And the defeat for a City squad, still crippled by a transfer embargo and which only had 12 fit players. left despondent manager Lee Hodges contemplating his future.
. left despondent manager Lee Hodges contemplating his future. |
| Lee leaving the pitch after the Sutton game |
"I don't even know if I can get a side together for Tuesday's game at Farnborough. I am going to have a long week of soul searching to see what happens next.
"It is so frustrating. You cannot fault the players for their efforts. I am absolutely gutted for them."
City were without long term injury victim Stewart Yetton and fellow striker Kieffer Moore appears to have "gone missing" after the midweek game at Staines.
And with Andy Watkins going off with a hamstring problem and Dan Green set to move to Dorchester it will be a real battle to get a squad together for the Farnbrough game.
 |
| Dan Green leaving the pitch - strongly rumoured to be linked to Dorchester |
The game started so well for City, with a great finish from a difficult angle by Watkins, from Joe Broad's quickly taken free-kick, putting them ahead in the fourth minute.
But the visitors soon equalised through Simon Downer and also missed a penalty, with Gareth Gwillim hitting the post from the spot just before half time.
The second half was fairly even and when Sutton had skipper Jamie Stuart red carded 13 minutes from time for hauling back Watkins, who would have been clear on goal, the odds tilted in the home side's favour.
, the odds tilted in the home side's favour.
But City, who had already brought on their only substitute Danny Carne for an injured Marcus Martin, soon lost Watkins to injury to make it 10 v 10.
 |
| Watkins nearly capitalises on a sloppy 'keeper clearance. Andy is also rumoured to be linked to Bath City. |
And worse was to follow in the 86th minute when a fine low finish from Stefan Payne condemned Truro to defeat, leaving then 14 points from safety at the foot of the table.
City: Sandercombe; Hall, Ash, Williams, Green, Broad, Cooke, Martin (Carne 65), Hopkinson, Watkins, Afful.
Goals: Watkins 4 (1-0), Downber (16) 1-1; Payne (86) 1-2.
: Watkins 4 (1-0), Downber (16) 1-1; Payne (86) 1-2.27 October 2012
City prepare for Sutton United clash
BBC Link
Hodges himself is out with a hamstring injury while injured striker Stewart Yetton will be out until next month.
The club are still the subject of a transfer embargo as new bidders aim to taken the club out of administration.
"I think our form is going to be very key to us this season," Hodges said.
"Last season it caused us a lot of problems and we didn't pick up as many points as we would like at home, but this season it'll be vital that we get good points for home matches."
City are still 12 points adrift at the bottom of the league after having 10 points docked when they entered administration in August.
"I'm being as positive as possible and we'll try and get a few points on the board and start closing the gap," Hodges told BBC Radio Cornwall.
Truro City
boss Lee Hodges faces a player shortage as his threadbare squad tries to cope
with injuries to key players ahead of the visit of Sutton United in Blue Square
Bet South.
Hodges himself is out with a hamstring injury while injured striker Stewart Yetton will be out until next month.
The club are still the subject of a transfer embargo as new bidders aim to taken the club out of administration.
"I think our form is going to be very key to us this season," Hodges said.
"Last season it caused us a lot of problems and we didn't pick up as many points as we would like at home, but this season it'll be vital that we get good points for home matches."
City are still 12 points adrift at the bottom of the league after having 10 points docked when they entered administration in August.
"I'm being as positive as possible and we'll try and get a few points on the board and start closing the gap," Hodges told BBC Radio Cornwall.
26 October 2012
Non-league football still has White Tigers in its tail
Source: Link here > MALCOLM WYATT
As Mark Twain, once wrote, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” And there were elements of that in the reporting of troubled Truro City’s final demise late last week.
It’s all been happening at Treyew Road of late, the end already announced when, just after 5pm last Friday (October 19), it emerged that nightclub owners and a taxi boss had stumped up £50,000 to keep the club playing, at least until the end of the season.
On Tuesday night they were back in Blue Square Bet South action, when Staines Town’s Louie Theophanous’ 15th-minute strike sealed a win for the Surrey hosts against their Cornish visitors, leaving the White Tigers 12 points adrift at the bottom of the table after having 10 points docked when they entered administration in August.
Pete and Jason Masters, from the city’s L2 nightclub, and Philip Perryman, owner of A2B Taxis of Truro, decided on Friday afternoon to put up the bond demanded by the Football Conference as a condition of Truro staying in the league.
Yet City boss Lee Hodges continued to face player shortages as his threadbare squad tries to cope with injuries to key players ahead of Saturday’s league visit of Sutton United (October 27).
Hodges himself was out with a hamstring injury while injured striker Stewart Yetton is out until next month. Yet Yetton (so to speak) remained chipper, tweeting that Friday morning, ‘Getting paid this morning feels like a novelty! Roll on the new era of Truro City!’
That quote sums it all up, the club still subject to a transfer embargo as their new backers look to take the club out of administration, but there’s an air of positivity at Cornwall’s premier football club, and it’s clear that – perhaps against popular perception -there’s a real appetite for the Beautiful Game across the Tamar.
There may be rocky times ahead at Truro, but hopefully the crowds will return to Treyew Road, in just the latest example of a club on hard times determined to stay afloat.
It was only a week before Truro’s deadline traumas that Non-League Day was hailed a huge success, a gap in the top divisions’ fixture list leading to bumper crowds all around our local club scene.
But for all the bumper gates on the day – the international break seeing the top divisions without scheduled matches – stories like those at Truro and former Conference high-fliers Kettering Town suggest we can’t be complacent, the latter Northants outfit currently drowning in a sea of CVAs, unpaid bills and knock-on postponements.
For every wonderful tale of achievement in non-league football and grass roots sport in general, there is a cautionary tale elsewhere to pay heed to.
Anyone who has followed the story of Lancashire coastal outfit Fleetwood Town in recent times will know just what can be achieved. It wasn’t so long ago that the Cod Army were looking to escape the nets cast into the lower reaches of the old UniBond League. And just look at them now, the days when Highbury Stadium (to the uninitiated, yes, Highbury Stadium) was crumbling around them and the town was just seen as the end of the Blackpool tram line now long behind them.
You could say the same about fellow Lancashire hotpot/beds of football like Accrington Stanley and Morecambe, and so many clubs from my adopted county have had their day in the sun before, clubs like Bamber Bridge rising from parks football to the summit of the NPL, as did fellow Red Rose minnows Colne Dynamoes a few seasons before.
But the latter’s internal combustion after a 1990 title win and the Conference’s resultant refusal to accept them still serves as a warning of what can go wrong.
However, there is still belief at Truro City, even if the fate of the Cornish outfit following a mesmeric rise to the second tier of the pyramid remains in the balance.
And if nothing else, let City’s plight be a salutary lesson to all local club officials and volunteers that success can’t be taken for granted, and you really do need to cut your cloth accordingly to survive.
Written by Malcolm Wyatt.
As Mark Twain, once wrote, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” And there were elements of that in the reporting of troubled Truro City’s final demise late last week.
It’s all been happening at Treyew Road of late, the end already announced when, just after 5pm last Friday (October 19), it emerged that nightclub owners and a taxi boss had stumped up £50,000 to keep the club playing, at least until the end of the season.
On Tuesday night they were back in Blue Square Bet South action, when Staines Town’s Louie Theophanous’ 15th-minute strike sealed a win for the Surrey hosts against their Cornish visitors, leaving the White Tigers 12 points adrift at the bottom of the table after having 10 points docked when they entered administration in August.
Pete and Jason Masters, from the city’s L2 nightclub, and Philip Perryman, owner of A2B Taxis of Truro, decided on Friday afternoon to put up the bond demanded by the Football Conference as a condition of Truro staying in the league.
Yet City boss Lee Hodges continued to face player shortages as his threadbare squad tries to cope with injuries to key players ahead of Saturday’s league visit of Sutton United (October 27).
Hodges himself was out with a hamstring injury while injured striker Stewart Yetton is out until next month. Yet Yetton (so to speak) remained chipper, tweeting that Friday morning, ‘Getting paid this morning feels like a novelty! Roll on the new era of Truro City!’
That quote sums it all up, the club still subject to a transfer embargo as their new backers look to take the club out of administration, but there’s an air of positivity at Cornwall’s premier football club, and it’s clear that – perhaps against popular perception -there’s a real appetite for the Beautiful Game across the Tamar.
It was only a week before Truro’s deadline traumas that Non-League Day was hailed a huge success, a gap in the top divisions’ fixture list leading to bumper crowds all around our local club scene.
But for all the bumper gates on the day – the international break seeing the top divisions without scheduled matches – stories like those at Truro and former Conference high-fliers Kettering Town suggest we can’t be complacent, the latter Northants outfit currently drowning in a sea of CVAs, unpaid bills and knock-on postponements.
For every wonderful tale of achievement in non-league football and grass roots sport in general, there is a cautionary tale elsewhere to pay heed to.
Anyone who has followed the story of Lancashire coastal outfit Fleetwood Town in recent times will know just what can be achieved. It wasn’t so long ago that the Cod Army were looking to escape the nets cast into the lower reaches of the old UniBond League. And just look at them now, the days when Highbury Stadium (to the uninitiated, yes, Highbury Stadium) was crumbling around them and the town was just seen as the end of the Blackpool tram line now long behind them.
You could say the same about fellow Lancashire hotpot/beds of football like Accrington Stanley and Morecambe, and so many clubs from my adopted county have had their day in the sun before, clubs like Bamber Bridge rising from parks football to the summit of the NPL, as did fellow Red Rose minnows Colne Dynamoes a few seasons before.
But the latter’s internal combustion after a 1990 title win and the Conference’s resultant refusal to accept them still serves as a warning of what can go wrong.
However, there is still belief at Truro City, even if the fate of the Cornish outfit following a mesmeric rise to the second tier of the pyramid remains in the balance.
And if nothing else, let City’s plight be a salutary lesson to all local club officials and volunteers that success can’t be taken for granted, and you really do need to cut your cloth accordingly to survive.
Written by Malcolm Wyatt.
City Alerts - Sutton Utd.
TEAM NEWS for tomorrow's home league match against SUTTON UNITED, 3pm.
STEWART YETTON out with knee injury sustained while playing for Plymouth Parkway in Carlsberg South Western League last Friday. No fresh news this morning, but Yetsi has indicated out for several weeks. LEE HODGES out for probably two or three weeks - hamstring injury sustained in 1-0 defeat at Sutton United on Tuesday.
DAN GREEN returns from suspension.
Lee on TRANSFER EMBARGO: "Not a quick fix. Possibly lifted by around Christmas."
On PROSPECTIVE NEW OWNERS Pete and Jason Masters, of L2 night club, and Philip Berryman, of A2B Taxis: "They're doing absolutely brilliantly - doing a really great job trying to get the club moving again in the right direction, and they really deserve the support of everyone. I just hope we get the numbers in for tomorrow's match and have a big and noisy crowd behind the boys, which makes such a difference."
On CHANCES OF AVOIDING RELEGATION: "It's a big, big ask. If we're just four or five points behind everyone by Christmas, and if the emargo is lifted and I can reinforce the squad, then we've got a realistic fighting chance - especially with the crowd behind us as our 12th man."
NEXT FIXTURES (both League). Tues, Oct 30, Farnborough away, 7.45 pm; Sat, Nov 03, AFC Hornchurch home, 3 pm.
HEARTFELT THANKS to all those of you who put kind words my way after the rather different City Alert that I issued on Sunday evening. I was still three-quarters zonked at that stage, after all the sleep-depriving drama and trauma of the previous few days, and on calmer reflection I did wonder whether I had done the right thing. I half-expected some emails along the lines of "Oi mate, we look to City Alerts for NEWS, not the eccentric ramblings of a half-asleep old git." Mercifully, no such email came my way. (There's still time.)
STEWART YETTON out with knee injury sustained while playing for Plymouth Parkway in Carlsberg South Western League last Friday. No fresh news this morning, but Yetsi has indicated out for several weeks. LEE HODGES out for probably two or three weeks - hamstring injury sustained in 1-0 defeat at Sutton United on Tuesday.
DAN GREEN returns from suspension.
Lee on TRANSFER EMBARGO: "Not a quick fix. Possibly lifted by around Christmas."
On PROSPECTIVE NEW OWNERS Pete and Jason Masters, of L2 night club, and Philip Berryman, of A2B Taxis: "They're doing absolutely brilliantly - doing a really great job trying to get the club moving again in the right direction, and they really deserve the support of everyone. I just hope we get the numbers in for tomorrow's match and have a big and noisy crowd behind the boys, which makes such a difference."
On CHANCES OF AVOIDING RELEGATION: "It's a big, big ask. If we're just four or five points behind everyone by Christmas, and if the emargo is lifted and I can reinforce the squad, then we've got a realistic fighting chance - especially with the crowd behind us as our 12th man."
NEXT FIXTURES (both League). Tues, Oct 30, Farnborough away, 7.45 pm; Sat, Nov 03, AFC Hornchurch home, 3 pm.
HEARTFELT THANKS to all those of you who put kind words my way after the rather different City Alert that I issued on Sunday evening. I was still three-quarters zonked at that stage, after all the sleep-depriving drama and trauma of the previous few days, and on calmer reflection I did wonder whether I had done the right thing. I half-expected some emails along the lines of "Oi mate, we look to City Alerts for NEWS, not the eccentric ramblings of a half-asleep old git." Mercifully, no such email came my way. (There's still time.)
Transfer embargo set to continue
Source BBC Sport LINK
City have been under embargo for much of the year due to financial troubles.
The club avoided expulsion form the Football Conference after businessmen Pete Masters and Phil Perryman put in a bid to buy the club.
"It's not a short-term thing, it might drag on for a few more weeks while we're still sorting everything out," Hodges told BBC Radio Cornwall.
"Two or three of the players are still querying on everything and asking how can we move forward as a group.
“We're getting paid this weekend, we're all fine with it, we're all happy with the way everything's being sorted out”
Hodges still has a threadbare squad and was only able to name two substitutes in Tuesday's loss at Staines Town.
Truro are still in administration, but Masters and Perryman are hopeful of concluding a deal to buy the club and take in out of administration by the year.
"We're all being very positive and pushing in the right direction for that feel good factor," added Hodges.
"We're getting paid this weekend, we're all fine with it, we're all happy with the way everything's being sorted out.
"Pete and Phil are working very hard behind the scenes trying to get everything right.
"There's a lot of fans at the club trying to help out and doing as much as they can, it's great and there's a really good feel good factor at the moment."
Truro City
boss Lee Hodges says the club's transfer embargo will not be lifted any time
soon.
City have been under embargo for much of the year due to financial troubles.
The club avoided expulsion form the Football Conference after businessmen Pete Masters and Phil Perryman put in a bid to buy the club.
"It's not a short-term thing, it might drag on for a few more weeks while we're still sorting everything out," Hodges told BBC Radio Cornwall.
"Two or three of the players are still querying on everything and asking how can we move forward as a group.
“We're getting paid this weekend, we're all fine with it, we're all happy with the way everything's being sorted out”
Lee
Hodges Truro City manager:
"My aim's to try to still keep them on board and stay,
and eventually, be allowed to add to them."
Hodges still has a threadbare squad and was only able to name two substitutes in Tuesday's loss at Staines Town.
Truro are still in administration, but Masters and Perryman are hopeful of concluding a deal to buy the club and take in out of administration by the year.
"We're all being very positive and pushing in the right direction for that feel good factor," added Hodges.
"We're getting paid this weekend, we're all fine with it, we're all happy with the way everything's being sorted out.
"Pete and Phil are working very hard behind the scenes trying to get everything right.
"There's a lot of fans at the club trying to help out and doing as much as they can, it's great and there's a really good feel good factor at the moment."
Truro City saved as businessmen stump up £50k
Source: West Briton
A NEW dawn has broken for struggling Truro City Football Club after it was almost forced out of business.
The 123-year-old club came within a hair's breadth of being thrown out of the league before three local businessmen stepped in.
Its demise was already being reported when, just after 5pm on Friday, it emerged that nightclub owners and a taxi boss had stumped up £50,000 to keep it playing at least until the end of the season.
Pete and Jason Masters from the city's L2 nightclub and Philip Perryman, owner of A2B Taxis of Truro, decided on Friday afternoon to put up the bond demanded by the Football Conference as a condition of Truro staying in the league.
Mr Perryman said: "We didn't want to see Truro City go down.
"We have a long way to go to get it right and go forward.
"We heard the other party had pulled out and we jumped in and took over."
The businessmen held a meeting with fans at Treyew Road on Monday evening.
Truro City went into administration after former chairman Kevin Heaney was declared bankrupt.
Negotiations are now taking place to establish a full sale of the club to the new trio, who promise a break with the past.
In a message to fans the businessmen invoked a quotation from late Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly, who said: "At a football club there's a holy trinity – the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques."
The administrators had believed they were on the verge of signing a deal with another businessman, thought to have been Tony Murtagh from Truro's The Money Group, but this fell through at the last minute.
The West Briton discovered that a company called Truro City Football Club 2012 had been registered at Companies House on October 17, with Mr Murtagh as a director.
Mr Murtagh was not available to comment.
Rhod Mitchell.
The administrators thanked everybody involved in saving the club but warned of tough times ahead.
Kate Breese, from administrators Walsh Taylor, said: "We were on the deathbed and we've come round but there's a lot to do until the club is safe."
She asked for support at home games so gate receipts would keep the club running until a sale was completed.
A NEW dawn has broken for struggling Truro City Football Club after it was almost forced out of business.
The 123-year-old club came within a hair's breadth of being thrown out of the league before three local businessmen stepped in.
Its demise was already being reported when, just after 5pm on Friday, it emerged that nightclub owners and a taxi boss had stumped up £50,000 to keep it playing at least until the end of the season.
Pete and Jason Masters from the city's L2 nightclub and Philip Perryman, owner of A2B Taxis of Truro, decided on Friday afternoon to put up the bond demanded by the Football Conference as a condition of Truro staying in the league.
Mr Perryman said: "We didn't want to see Truro City go down.
"We have a long way to go to get it right and go forward.
"We heard the other party had pulled out and we jumped in and took over."
The businessmen held a meeting with fans at Treyew Road on Monday evening.
Truro City went into administration after former chairman Kevin Heaney was declared bankrupt.
Negotiations are now taking place to establish a full sale of the club to the new trio, who promise a break with the past.
In a message to fans the businessmen invoked a quotation from late Liverpool Football Club manager Bill Shankly, who said: "At a football club there's a holy trinity – the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques."
The administrators had believed they were on the verge of signing a deal with another businessman, thought to have been Tony Murtagh from Truro's The Money Group, but this fell through at the last minute.
The West Briton discovered that a company called Truro City Football Club 2012 had been registered at Companies House on October 17, with Mr Murtagh as a director.
Mr Murtagh was not available to comment.
Rhod Mitchell.
The administrators thanked everybody involved in saving the club but warned of tough times ahead.
Kate Breese, from administrators Walsh Taylor, said: "We were on the deathbed and we've come round but there's a lot to do until the club is safe."
She asked for support at home games so gate receipts would keep the club running until a sale was completed.
24 October 2012
Brilliant set of images from Staines game
A brilliant set of 200+ images by Andy the Photographer, of the Staines v Truro game here > Staines Town FC images
Comments from Staines Fans:
DANSWAN:
I must say I really commend your fans, If the fixture was reversed there would probably have been about 3 Staines fans turning up at your place on a tuesday night, So well done to all you guys that came last night. As I said on our own forum yesterday the score was never going to be big, last night your players all put in 110% and there really is a fighting spirit that I am sure will help you throughout the season.
It was a bit of a scrappy game and our only decent chance was put in the net, Shows the huge difference in our team this year under Gayle we are playing rubbish but still picking up points.
Anyhow, Good luck for the rest of the season you really do deserve some !!
FOLLOW THE SWANS:
Congratulations to you all for battling against all the odds and showing just
what non-league football is all about. Passionate manager, team and fans ...
Good Luck for the rest of the season and see you at Treyhew Road in February.
Would have loved to have shook the hand of Lee Hodges his attitude is second to
none.
********************
I've just got back to Truro today. The Staines fans were very welcoming, both in the Wheatsheaf pub and in the ground. The dozen or so of us were treated like long lost family members - quite incredible and nothing less than we have observed from most clubs during our short stay in the Conference.
Steve Rogers.
The Italian Job - Jacopo Ghirardon
When i booked my holiday in August, i wouldn't have never imagined what's happening to Truro City at the moment, with all the uncertainty, the administration and so on. Because of this mess, just 20 hours before leaving to Cornwall , I came to know the match I wanted to attend was called off, and the club itself was (is) nearly to liquidation. A huge disappointment for me, as my local team in Italy had the same problems last summer and was forced to fold.
Then, as you know, I decided to make Truro City , a team that already I used to follow , my new "local" team, as I love Cornwall and its cultural heritage. For me, supporting a team means not only follow the results on the internet, but coming there when I can and especially show my support. Last season I came to Truro for the home match against Tonbridge, and I loved so much the atmosphere on that match that I decided to came to an away match on my own.
You all know everything about my trip to Dover , and all the "fame" I had after that great trip. But I don't care too much about interviews or popularity, for me it's just a way to show my love and passion for the club, meeting people that have adopt me as part of their family and, why not, having a holiday in places I've never visited before. On Friday, just before leaving (after a short interview on BBC Cornwall), came the news that the Conference gave Truro more time, and the reserves matches was on. That really made my day, at least Truro City was still alive and I would have seen a Truro City team playing, even if I thought it was not the same of the first team. The trip was ok, but too long! After a 2 hours flight from Treviso to Bristol ,
Robin came to the airport and took me in Truro , another trip of 3 hours. They should create a flight from Venice to Newquay, or at least Exeter , just for me! Saturday, anyway, was a day I will never forget. After a nice walk in the city centre, which I had never visited properly before, I had the chance to enter into the ground, visiting the dress rooms and so on.
It was absolutely great for me, I took some pictures there and I seated on the bench too! After that (I was with Rob, who has done fantastic efforts to made my holiday unforgettable, many thanks to him!), we was waiting for the other lads outside the ground, destination: Porthleven. I’m honest, I’ve never heard before of this place since 2 or 3 months ago when I started following the reserves efforts. Then I looked at some pictures and I saw how beautiful is this place.
After a short trip via car, we arrived at the famous Gala Parc, where there were already some City’s supporters into the ground. As always, I had a great welcoming, something I always love. I’ve already make some efforts in watching City in the past, but now I was watching a Reserves team, playing in step 7 (something that doesn’t exist in Italy too, as the lowest league is Step 6), against a small local team in a ground with a small covered stand and some benches in the other part of the ground.
Well, I really enjoy every single minute of the day. From the beers paid by some supporters (good choice, Colin, but I don’t remember the name of that beer!) to a tasty hot pasty just before the game, including the great away following from City’s fan, a great pride shown in one of the most complicated moments of our history! The game was pretty good, with a cracking performance by the Reserves, which were 0-3 up after 30 minutes with two fantastic goal too! The atmosphere at half time in the little but pretty clubhouse were tremendous, and after a pic with the legend-superman and captain Jake Ash, well, it was time for another beer!
Beer and football, the best way to spend a great Saturday (or Sunday) afternoon. At the end, Porthleven scored a late penalty and the final result was 1-3 for City, a great performance prized with a massive standing ovation by all the supporters, at least 70... one of the most cheered was our manager Lee Hodges, who played for reserves, always a pleasure to have a chat with him, top lad and really top manager.
A great day, with a promise: we have to meet again, against a London team based, on February/March, when I would like to come back to see the White Tigers (the first team this time!) playing. At the moment of writing, they are still working on a deal, hopefully it can be reached in time.
Truro City is a fantastic club, supported by top people, with fantastic players and staff. Their efforts to try to help the club in its fight is something I’ve never seen before. Every football lover, not only supporters of Truro, must take a look on that and learn what football is about, not about glory or business, but only about the love of the game, the pride and passion that any single football player should have but moder football, especially in higher leagues, have nearly killed. That’s the reason why I love this club, that’s the reason why I love English Non League football.
Eventually, my holiday reached another top on Sunday, when I came to discover some places and landscapes of the Sunny Cornwall (I can’t complain about the weather). St.Micheal’s Mount and Portreath are really fantastic places for landscapes, I’ve several trips around the world but I’ve never seen places like that. This was also the first chance to discover Cornwall , as in my first trip I was based in Torquay with my father, and it really worth it. That’s the report of my “away trip to Truro ”. A trip I will never forget. Hopefully there will be a next away trip, if all goes well it will be Bromley! Best wished, and thank you so much to all involved at this fantastic club and especially you supporters. Proud to support this club.
Jacopo Ghirardon, the Italian Fan of Truro
22 October 2012
Football Conference statement on TCFC - Mon 22nd Oct
The Football Conference issues this statement, further to and in respect of the brief statement issued on Friday, 19th October with regards to Truro City FC.
The competition rules and regulations, together with the articles of the limited company, have been framed over preceeding years in such a way, to safeguard the integrity of the competition and to protect the best interest of all its member clubs.
The Board, constituted by those member clubs, has in recent years been faced with difficult decisions, especially with regards to financial difficulties many clubs seem to endure. Using their own individual and collective experiences the Board has to make judgements in the best interest of all concerned and in so doing, recognises the importance of fans of such clubs, especially those where the future existence of their club is placed in jeopardy.
Truro City FC has rightly caused genuine concern to the Board, but we are delighted that the major efforts undertaken by all parties to keep the club alive, appear to offer long-term hope. So despite reports to the contrary in some media outlets that the club had been expelled, that was never published by the Football Conference, albeit it is clear to all, the club was very close to such action being taken.
Throughout protracted legal issues, which remain private and confidential for good reason, the Football Conference, with first class assistance from their Legal Advisor, only sought one solution. That was the continuation of the club as a member of the competition, albeit the future of the club remained in doubt right up to the final timeline which the administrator, their legal team and the club was given to work to.
The Board is satisfied that the conditions imposed, including the deposit of a financial bond, were met within the timeline, albeit at the cost of postponing a further scheduled fixture at Eastleigh FC.
It is hoped that the "last minute" investors will be successful in their efforts with the club, its staff, management and players and that they will be able to sustain and promote a club worthy of membership and be a credit to their community and football in Cornwall.
In conclusion, the Football Conference wishes it to be known and understood by all, that the Board are mandated, in compliance with its regulations, to consider and deal appropriately with any breaches which may have arisen during recent events at Truro City FC. The Board will therefore consider such at its next scheduled meeting.
21 October 2012
City Alerts - sort of ! by Mike Truscott
"Evening, All" (as Dixon of Dock Green used to say - and I wonder how many of you remember him?)
Well, this is not exactly a "normal" City Alert, but then again, the past few days have hardly been normal, have they! This Alert was initially conceived just as a passing-on of today's greatly extended Truro City column in the Sunday Independent, for those of you who don't get to see that newspaper. But when you earn your living from writing, and when you've been on the emotional roller-coaster that we've all been riding of late, then tiz difficult not to indulge in a few reflections and sentiments.
For starters, I'm sure you would all agree that everything that has happened since Thursday definitely comes under the heading of "you couldn't make it up." Not once but twice, in the space of eight short days, we have found ourselves first mourning the loss of something truly special, and then celebrating its return from the "dead." For the second week running, I spent the greater part of a Friday monitoring a bewildering whirlpool of events and then carefully crafting a 1,000-word-plus "obituary" on Truro City - my column for the Indy - only to have to start all over again after the late, late news, out of the blue, of a reprieve.
My Indy column (today's is attached) is normally put to bed by around the middle of the week. For the past two weeks, sports editor John Collings has stressed that it could go right to the wire if necessary - even into Saturday morning. That's how it was for the weekend of October 13-14, with the first "obituary" being replaced by a completely new column written up on the Saturday morning.
Second time round, it was all too much. There was no way I was going to last through the night until yesterday morning. I woke with a jolt at just after 2 am - suddenly wide awake, with the new column whizzing round in my head, desperate to break out and land on my computer screen. There was nothing for it. Up I got and started writing that column. First, I checked various sites for the umpteenth time - and was relieved, via TigerTalk, to learn that I was by no means the only one enduring a sleepless night.
I couldn't resist chucking in my own two pennerth: "Morning, all. I can't sleep, either. Having spent many hours yesterday monitoring events and writing up a 1,000-word-plus 'obituary' on the club, I'm now having to start all over again with a completely new column for this Sunday's Independent!! But I've never been happier to lose a night's sleep."
Ninety minutes and 1,400 new words later, around 4 am, the column had been re-written and emailed to the Indy. My original piece concluded with a fabulous tweet from Robin Netherton (which I reinserted higher up in the Mark 2 version). Among all the tweets and threads that I was monitoring on Friday afternoon, that one more than any other caught my eye. It just said it all.
Trouble was, I hadn't been entirely sure of Robin's term of reference (ex-chairman of the former Supporters Club, for 26 years). I thought I had his phone number, but didn't. So I emailed him - this is all back on Friday afternoon now - and began phoning round a few other people who might know the answer. They included Steve Clark, the man who works in newspapers up the line. We had a good chat. He would be drowning his sorrows, he said, adding that he would probably start to feel maudlin around the fifth pint and also fearing the mother and father of an empty feeling come 3 pm on Saturdays from now on.
Meanwhile, Robin was replying by email and I was asking him further questions, again by email. Eventually, the phone rang and it was Robin - his voice, another real live human - which struck me as a delightful novelty, such a rarity in this day and age of communication by email and text etc.
So Robin and I talked to each other, helping me put that "obituary" to bed. I had spent the greater part of Friday monitoring that crazy flurry of events and then doing my stuff for the Indy. Janet, my Lancastrian wife and business partner, regularly mumbled: "'ow much MONEY 'ave we earned today?" And I would snap: "NOTHING! This is my HOBBY, remember? It's a nice break from writing up thousands of words of biography every day and it's good for me in my advancing years, RIGHT?"
Well, I'm not so sure it's good for me to be back at my computer, revving up maxi brain power, in the middle of the night, but that was one case of sleep deprivation that I was absolutely delighted to endure!
Thankfully, John Collings did Truro City proud, as ever, with this time the best part of a page devoted to the column. It included a photo of Hodgey with the caption MIRACLE MAN. True enough. In fact, reflecting on everything he's achieved, and coped with, in the face of such mountainous odds, I found myself thinking back to Michael Owen's wonder goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup. Remember that one? Owen was a kid just bursting onto the international scene, and the TV commentator brilliantly remarked: "What WILL he be like when he grows up?" Of Hodgey, I am sure you would all agree with the thought: "What WOULD he be like with a FULL squad and a 'NORMAL' club?!!"
So . . . memo to anyone who knows how to do these things - print a blow-up of that pic of him and caption in today's Indy, without delay, stick it onto a poster and wave it in front of him when he next trots out on to the pitch. Our MIRACLE MAN. Because now - WOW! - it's game back on again, starting with the visit to Staines this Tuesday. No doubt our travelling fans will do their stuff there in fine style. Then it's our next home match, against Sutton United this Saturday, 3 pm. And what an occasion I trust that will be.
First, I'd like to think that our saviours, the guys who stumped up that £50,000 bond, will be present, and that they will be persuaded - dragged, screaming if necessary - to go out into the centre of the pitch and give us all a wave so that we in turn can show them our eternal gratitude by giving them the applause they so richly deserve.
Then I hope we can maybe go even better and - casting off our legendary Cornish reticence and shyness (?) - really raise the roof with the biggest cheer Treyew Road has ever heard as we greet THE SIGHT WE THOUGHT WE'D NEVER SEE AGAIN, with our boys taking to the field once more. There's really nothing I can usefully add to all the words that have already been said and written about these lads' incredible loyalty and patience over the past few horrendously uncertain and money-free months. So let's leave them in absolutely no doubt that we really do regard them, in more ways than one, as THE GREATEST!
And Postscript MEMO to Billy Williams:-- what did I say at the Bath City game? I TOLD you it wouldn't be the last match, didn't I!!!
MIKE TRUSCOTT, CITY ALERTS
Well, this is not exactly a "normal" City Alert, but then again, the past few days have hardly been normal, have they! This Alert was initially conceived just as a passing-on of today's greatly extended Truro City column in the Sunday Independent, for those of you who don't get to see that newspaper. But when you earn your living from writing, and when you've been on the emotional roller-coaster that we've all been riding of late, then tiz difficult not to indulge in a few reflections and sentiments.
For starters, I'm sure you would all agree that everything that has happened since Thursday definitely comes under the heading of "you couldn't make it up." Not once but twice, in the space of eight short days, we have found ourselves first mourning the loss of something truly special, and then celebrating its return from the "dead." For the second week running, I spent the greater part of a Friday monitoring a bewildering whirlpool of events and then carefully crafting a 1,000-word-plus "obituary" on Truro City - my column for the Indy - only to have to start all over again after the late, late news, out of the blue, of a reprieve.
My Indy column (today's is attached) is normally put to bed by around the middle of the week. For the past two weeks, sports editor John Collings has stressed that it could go right to the wire if necessary - even into Saturday morning. That's how it was for the weekend of October 13-14, with the first "obituary" being replaced by a completely new column written up on the Saturday morning.
Second time round, it was all too much. There was no way I was going to last through the night until yesterday morning. I woke with a jolt at just after 2 am - suddenly wide awake, with the new column whizzing round in my head, desperate to break out and land on my computer screen. There was nothing for it. Up I got and started writing that column. First, I checked various sites for the umpteenth time - and was relieved, via TigerTalk, to learn that I was by no means the only one enduring a sleepless night.
I couldn't resist chucking in my own two pennerth: "Morning, all. I can't sleep, either. Having spent many hours yesterday monitoring events and writing up a 1,000-word-plus 'obituary' on the club, I'm now having to start all over again with a completely new column for this Sunday's Independent!! But I've never been happier to lose a night's sleep."
Ninety minutes and 1,400 new words later, around 4 am, the column had been re-written and emailed to the Indy. My original piece concluded with a fabulous tweet from Robin Netherton (which I reinserted higher up in the Mark 2 version). Among all the tweets and threads that I was monitoring on Friday afternoon, that one more than any other caught my eye. It just said it all.
Trouble was, I hadn't been entirely sure of Robin's term of reference (ex-chairman of the former Supporters Club, for 26 years). I thought I had his phone number, but didn't. So I emailed him - this is all back on Friday afternoon now - and began phoning round a few other people who might know the answer. They included Steve Clark, the man who works in newspapers up the line. We had a good chat. He would be drowning his sorrows, he said, adding that he would probably start to feel maudlin around the fifth pint and also fearing the mother and father of an empty feeling come 3 pm on Saturdays from now on.
Meanwhile, Robin was replying by email and I was asking him further questions, again by email. Eventually, the phone rang and it was Robin - his voice, another real live human - which struck me as a delightful novelty, such a rarity in this day and age of communication by email and text etc.
So Robin and I talked to each other, helping me put that "obituary" to bed. I had spent the greater part of Friday monitoring that crazy flurry of events and then doing my stuff for the Indy. Janet, my Lancastrian wife and business partner, regularly mumbled: "'ow much MONEY 'ave we earned today?" And I would snap: "NOTHING! This is my HOBBY, remember? It's a nice break from writing up thousands of words of biography every day and it's good for me in my advancing years, RIGHT?"
Well, I'm not so sure it's good for me to be back at my computer, revving up maxi brain power, in the middle of the night, but that was one case of sleep deprivation that I was absolutely delighted to endure!
Thankfully, John Collings did Truro City proud, as ever, with this time the best part of a page devoted to the column. It included a photo of Hodgey with the caption MIRACLE MAN. True enough. In fact, reflecting on everything he's achieved, and coped with, in the face of such mountainous odds, I found myself thinking back to Michael Owen's wonder goal against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup. Remember that one? Owen was a kid just bursting onto the international scene, and the TV commentator brilliantly remarked: "What WILL he be like when he grows up?" Of Hodgey, I am sure you would all agree with the thought: "What WOULD he be like with a FULL squad and a 'NORMAL' club?!!"
So . . . memo to anyone who knows how to do these things - print a blow-up of that pic of him and caption in today's Indy, without delay, stick it onto a poster and wave it in front of him when he next trots out on to the pitch. Our MIRACLE MAN. Because now - WOW! - it's game back on again, starting with the visit to Staines this Tuesday. No doubt our travelling fans will do their stuff there in fine style. Then it's our next home match, against Sutton United this Saturday, 3 pm. And what an occasion I trust that will be.
First, I'd like to think that our saviours, the guys who stumped up that £50,000 bond, will be present, and that they will be persuaded - dragged, screaming if necessary - to go out into the centre of the pitch and give us all a wave so that we in turn can show them our eternal gratitude by giving them the applause they so richly deserve.
Then I hope we can maybe go even better and - casting off our legendary Cornish reticence and shyness (?) - really raise the roof with the biggest cheer Treyew Road has ever heard as we greet THE SIGHT WE THOUGHT WE'D NEVER SEE AGAIN, with our boys taking to the field once more. There's really nothing I can usefully add to all the words that have already been said and written about these lads' incredible loyalty and patience over the past few horrendously uncertain and money-free months. So let's leave them in absolutely no doubt that we really do regard them, in more ways than one, as THE GREATEST!
And Postscript MEMO to Billy Williams:-- what did I say at the Bath City game? I TOLD you it wouldn't be the last match, didn't I!!!
MIKE TRUSCOTT, CITY ALERTS
20 October 2012
Fans Open Meet
This coming Monday, 22nd October 2012, there is an Open Fans Meeting at Treyew Road starting at 7.30.
Elections will be held to vote in committe members onto the fans trust.
Pete Masters and Philip Perryman ( our saviours) will be there to outline their plans and hold a Q & A session for us fans.
Please try and get there. All fans, old and new, players, old and new, it's your chance to get involved. Don't let it pass. A lot of hard work has been conducted by a lot of fans. Don't waste it and get involved. Its OUR club.
See you all there.
Elections will be held to vote in committe members onto the fans trust.
Pete Masters and Philip Perryman ( our saviours) will be there to outline their plans and hold a Q & A session for us fans.
Please try and get there. All fans, old and new, players, old and new, it's your chance to get involved. Don't let it pass. A lot of hard work has been conducted by a lot of fans. Don't waste it and get involved. Its OUR club.
See you all there.
Message from Mansell Wallace
Please read the following statement which was posted on Tiger Talk forum from one of the true gentlemen of football and a truely great friend of everyone at Truro City. It just goes to show what an everlasting bond we have with all at Chelmsford City FC.
''I am the Chairman of Chelmsford City FC and have never logged on a message board before.
I cannot let this evening go without letting you know that we at Chelmsford City are so pleased over the events that have unfolded this evening.
I spoke to Steve Clark earlier thinking that all was ok only to discover it was not. Now we know that a plan has been accepted and people have stepped up to the plate you can now go forward and enjoy the rest of the season.
We at Chelmsford were also in this position some years ago so all our fans have empathy with you. I think that a bond has been established between our 2 clubs during these days of uncertainty that will be there forever and re-inforces my belief that we are all part of the non league family and apart from 1 other Club I still hold that belief.
Many many congratulations from all at Chelmsford and we look forward to our visit in January.''
From Mansell Wallace.
What a gent and friend.
''I am the Chairman of Chelmsford City FC and have never logged on a message board before.
I cannot let this evening go without letting you know that we at Chelmsford City are so pleased over the events that have unfolded this evening.
I spoke to Steve Clark earlier thinking that all was ok only to discover it was not. Now we know that a plan has been accepted and people have stepped up to the plate you can now go forward and enjoy the rest of the season.
We at Chelmsford were also in this position some years ago so all our fans have empathy with you. I think that a bond has been established between our 2 clubs during these days of uncertainty that will be there forever and re-inforces my belief that we are all part of the non league family and apart from 1 other Club I still hold that belief.
Many many congratulations from all at Chelmsford and we look forward to our visit in January.''
From Mansell Wallace.
What a gent and friend.
19 October 2012
Truro City saved - high drama as businessmen step in
The club was told it would be expelled from the Football Conference if it did not supply a bond of £50,000 by midday today.
of £50,000 by midday today.
As the deadline passed news spread that the deadline had not been met and a previous rescue package had fallen through.
spread that the deadline had not been met and a previous rescue package had fallen through.
But now a nightclub owner and a taxi-firm boss have paid off the bond and the club can continue to play in the Blue Square Bet South for the rest of the season.
Pete and Jason Masters from the city's L2 nightclub and Philip Perryman, owner of A2B Taxis of Truro, only decided this afternoon to step in and stump up the £50,000.
Mr Perryman told the West Briton: "We didn't want to see Truro City go down. We have a long way to go to get it right and go forward.
"We thought the club was sold when the news came through that it had fallen through. We have done all of this in the last couple of hours."
Fans have experienced a rollercoaster of emotions as the club has repeatedly been on the brink of disaster.
Administrators were brought in to save Truro City after former chairman Kevin Heaney was declared bankrupt.
The Football Conference demanded the £50,000 bond as insurance against other team's travelling expenses in case Truro City did not survive the season and game results were declared void.
The Football Conference board was meeting this afternoon and was expected by many to expel Truro City but the last minute intervention of the Truro businessmen came just in time.
James Moore, the solicitor advising the administrators said: "A bond has been lodged with the Football Conference and they are going to allow the club to trade for the rest of the season.
for the rest of the season.
"Within two hours after the deadline we received a call from Peter (Masters) saying he wished to help.
"We have now got breathing space to work with the new bidder and complete a sale without time constraints."
The West Briton revealed yesterday that leading Truro businessman Tony Murtagh could have been behind the previous rescue package which fell through.
A company called Truro City Football Club 2012 was registered at Companies House on Wednesday with Mr Murtagh as a director.
Mr Murtagh set up the Truro-based Money Group which specialises in re-mortgages.He was unavailable for comment.