“Truro City FC will receive £600,000 from Lidl so the club can temporarily relocate to continue training and playing while the new stadium is completed.”
05 September 2021
A Day To Forget
It all started well enough with a train trip to Plymouth chatting with mates that were heading for Argyle. We had breakfast in The Tamar pub at Crownhill (nice pub, well run, very friendly)and a few drinks to wash it down.
A 10 minute walk to Bolitho Park and we are there in time to put the TISA flag up behind the goal that Truro were to attack (I use the word lightly in this case). I should say at this point that we had all agreed that, as we had come under some criticism for negative chanting at the previous home game, that we would on this occasion not sing anything foul or obscene.
A disallowed goal for Truro apart, there was nothing of note that happened in the first half in which we split our time between singing and chatting to the opposing keeper who seemed like a nice chap. As usual, the only singing in support of Truro was that sung by us, which was not a surprise as I literally only saw one other Truro City fan if you discount the usual ‘Volunteer Force’ who I’ll come onto later.
Half time drinks in a really nice clubhouse with an excellent seating and viewing area outside, followed by raising of the TISA flag in the corner of the clubhouse end. This is where things start to decline. One of our group asked the blue jacketed ‘Official Truro City Photographer’ if they would take a photograph of our flag, to which the reply was “no the club wouldn’t like it” when pressed (no pun intended) on this the photographer said he could take a photograph but it wouldn’t appear online. So now it was official, the ‘Cancel Culture’ was now very definitely being applied to TISA.
The photographer seemed to be being directed by the club’s young ‘Media Officer’ Cameron Weldon. Now at this point I admit to giving Cameron a bit of stick about him blocking the TISA twitter account from seeing any Truro City tweets and although I used no foul language I did have to explain to him the when I called him a “tool of the club” I meant that he was part of the ‘club machinery’ as opposed to him just being a tool. Strangely as ‘Media Officer’ he claimed no responsibility for blocking us nor the authority to unblock us to which I questioned his empowerment but none the less he said he would have a word with the actual powers that be.
We continued to sing throughout a dire second half trying to motivate the players who contrived to nearly lose the game late on but for a fine save by James Hamon.
The game ended and we ensured that we continued singing, “we love you Truro we do” as the players traipsed off via the exit right next to where we were in the corner with our flag. What followed was what I can only describe as a “Dunstable-esque” blanking of us by all but what I would count as 3 of the squad. Deba to his credit was the only person who gave us enthusiastic applause, well apart from the opposing keeper who seemed to have quite taken to us.
Incensed by the photography incident I’m now further annoyed by what looked like a deliberate act of ignorance on the part of the players. A group of the non-playing squad were assembled in the viewing area outside the clubhouse and one of those was the skipper, Jamie Richards. I approached him and asked him whether I was “missing something here” and whether the players have been instructed to blank us and if not, why would they choose to do so when we were giving them the only vocal support anywhere in the ground. He said that there was nothing going on and that the lads were just disappointed at the bad result but that he’d ”have a word”.
A couple of our group where having a drink and a chat with the opposing team manager (another nice chap) while another of us was making what turned out to be futile attempts to procure the services of a taxi. Another disadvantage of Truro City playing in Plymouth on the same weekends that Argyle are at home.
It was at about this time that Deba heard of our plight and offered us a lift home on the minibus as there were “plenty of spare seats”. We took a few minutes to consider this offer in light of who our travelling companions were to be but none the less decided to accept the kind offer. We let Deba know and he reassured us it would be fine as long as we did not get to “lary”.
So we waited patiently by the minibus for our lift home only to be met by a forlorn Deba who was now apologetically informing us as we now could no longer be offered a lift home on the mini bus. When asked why he said that apparently someone had called one of the ‘Volunteer Force’ an “asslicker”. Now although there was no such thing said by our group on this day, we’ve all called them asslickers in the past although I’ve always preferred the term ‘sycophants’.
Clearly now having missed our train we are not best pleased with this outcome. What ensued was a passionate but well-mannered conversation between members of our group, Alex Black and Yetti who again apologised for his players lack of acknowledgment of our support. He agreed that we had been well behaved and given good support. But none-the-less we had to find our own way home. which we did via a walk back to the Tamar (pub not river) for a last drink and a finally successful calling of a cab to take us back to the train station whereby a half hour wait saw us share a compartment with a team from Foxhole who were quaffing a few beers after beating a team from Plymouth. We shared some good mannered banter for which they claimed another victory by stating that “at least they had their own ground” and boy ain’t that the truth.
So in summary on a day when everyone from either side who spoke to us on the issue agreed we had been well behaved and given good support, we, in return were not allowed to be photographed, blanked by most of the players and not allowed a lift home after we missed our train. Not the greatest of days.
I’m afraid the club is now nothing more than a shell which apart from the employees, exists only the rugby club parent and a group of self-serving volunteers who actively discourage any supporters as they seem to see it as some sort of dilution of their own ‘power’. I have to say I did enjoy having a laugh with Yetti as he was trying to give the party line while clearly not believing half of what he was saying. Didn’t enjoy so much the exchange with Mr Black who is quite the most arrogant and condescending man I’ve ever met, although Jack Richards wasn’t there today so he didn’t have much completion.