Ian Pethick

City's average NLS attendance in their last full season at Treyew (2018/19) was 441. So I would say that getting 800 upwards on a regular basis would be a real achievement, and give the club something to build on. Getting promoted out of, or even consolidating within, the National League would take serious external investment, and I'm not sure that Truro would want to go down that road again. An incredible job has been done in getting a step 2 ready ground up and running from the barely started building site that was there 12 months ago, and also getting a serious step 2 manager in to oversee a successful (so far) squad overhaul after the reports of them only having 9 players back in June. I do wonder though as to where the new owners see the club in 5 years time, and how they plan to get there. Read stories on various forums claiming that Chesterfield's current owners put £2m of their own money into getting them promoted back into the Football League, and that several players were on multi year contracts worth £5k plus a week. That's the type of air that City would be breathing at that level. In my view, a bit of drama free, mid table safety, would be quite pleasant this season.

Not sure how long the Jack Crago loan arrangement is for ,but did hear that it's 1 month. If so, he could be back at Bolitho in a couple of weeks (from his comments on the CS podcast, it does sound like Matt Cusack wants to extend this). I would say though that Crago wasn't exactly prolific last season. I stand to be corrected if I'm wrong, but I don't think he scored in the final 20 league games of the 2023/24 campaign. Wonder if the plan from Chris McPhee was to get him playing (and scoring) somewhere to help him regain his form and confidence in front of goal. Not a bad idea as his most productive season did previously come under Cusack when he was the head coach at Parkway. If he isn't returning, it does seem strange to take a player through pre season that isn't part of your plans and let him go without signing a replacement. The lack of a recognised step 3 quality striker is something that troubled Lee Hobbs since Ben Seymour left after the 2022/23 season, despite many options being tried. Looks like more of the same for Chris McPhee. What's happening down at Mousehole? Good start to the league season before yesterday, but some usual players missing and a lot of unfamiliar names. I know that the excellent Pablo Wools-Blanco has moved on, but the standard of the media output does seem to have dipped. The club has in the past been very good at keeping people up to date with injuries, suspensions , departures and new signings.

Looking at the average attendances for the clubs that contended at the top of the NLS last season, regular gates of 1500 are what you need to compete in this league financially. It looks like John Askey and Alex Black have been very astute in their signings, but I would think the wage bill will be up on last season. It will have cost money to relocate the new players (and manager) down to West Cornwall. There was even talk from Salisbury recently that Truro are effectively full time (as others are in this league). As others have mentioned, will be interesting to see how the gates hold up as we go deeper into the season, and the weather changes. I'm wondering as well whether we'll see a slight dip this Saturday for the 3rd home game in quick succession, it might be beyond the pockets of the casual floating support (especially with a full program of SWPL and St Pirans matches with far lower prices to get in). I wonder what level of paying customers the club based their budgets on, and whether they are up on this currently. Regarding where they have come from, hope that 1,000 supporters (whether new or returning) could be found in Truro, a city with a population of just under 19k. This would be something that the marketing people should be all over, and spreading the word locally. Something I would say though, and it will be very controversial on here, is to watch the Falmouth figures. Will be interesting to see if they dip with City being back on the scene locally. The boom in their attendances, while undoubtedly due to their revival and string of recent successes under Andrew Westgarth, also coincided with the local rivals being out of the picture. I'm ducking for cover as I hit the "submit reply" box...

Birth, death, taxes and Owen Howe getting sent off. Life's great certainties.

Need to keep Tyler Harvey fit, firing and, most importantly, available.Has to be a concern that a ban of Austen Booth proportions is coming his way. Very early days, but everybody at Truro must be very happy with how it has started under John Askey. Must be very confident for Monday against Worthing.

Watched Chris McPhee's post match interview, and it sounded like the side fell apart after conceding through an early individual mistake. Quite a few raw youngsters in the side, but also a lot of experience. Luke McCormick, Shane White, Mikey Williams, Ryan Brett,Rio Garside and subs, Callum Hall and Matt Wright have a lot of games at this level and higher. They should have been able to pull the team together after a setback. The manner of the defeat must be very concerning for the Bolitho faithful. Big reaction needed at Tivvy on Monday.

Elburton Villa going up to Western League high flyers Street and winning must be one of the Vase stories of the day.

Does seem hypocritical when football, and football broadcasting, is absolutely awash with money from big gambling. You only have to listen to Talksport or watch ITV4 and Sky Sports for any length of time to find yourself bombarded with ads (usually featuring former players). These all tell us that chucking money away is central to the "big match experience." I find it pretty depressing, especially as I know betting addicts that have had their lives ruined. Silly boys though, they must know the rules by now. If the rumours are true, we'll see how Truro handles this. They didn't even acknowledge the suspensions handed down to their players a few years ago.

As usual, Neil Price hits the nail on the head regarding the football scene in Cornwall. Had to rewind and listen again to the part where he said that that he's heard about some players getting "£200 or even £300" per game to play step 6 football. If there is any substance in that, then I find it staggering (and almost reckless).

Pretty sure they would have been fully tested and signed off after installation (seem to remember seeing pictures of them working). Just plain unlucky I guess, the only saving grace is that it didn't happen after a team had made a long journey for a midweek NLS fixture.

As the good lady wife is working away this week, I made the journey up the Overground line from Liverpool Street, and watched Slough totally dismantle Enfield 6-1 at the Queen Elizabeth 2 Stadium. Lovely old art deco pavilion, but another football pitch in the middle of an athletics track. Despite a decent crowd of over 800 (and the scoreline), a pretty soulless experience (as at Chelmsford and Hornchurch). Not seen Truro this season, but would think they would fancy 3pts against this lot on Saturday.

Mostly younger Plymouth players. A lot of them were with a very strong Parkway under 18's a couple of seasons ago, which was managed by current Dobwalls assistant Adam Castlehouse. Dylan Jones and Tylor Love-Holmes, who are now playing step at step 3 and step 2 for Parkway and Truro respectively, were in this side.

Played 4, won 4 for Dobwalls now (and only 1 goal conceded). Most people were tipping them for top 5 this season, does that undervalue them?

Far too early to be looking at league tables (the great Bob Paisley once said that they mean nothing until 10 games have been played), but things have started OK under John Askey. The 3 home league matches on the bounce (including 2 in 3 days this weekend) is a good chance to build on the decent away form. Hopefully there'll be good numbers at Langarth to see them. Feels like a gradual transition on the playing side is happening as well with several stalwarts of recent years in Conor Riley-Lowe, Andrew Neal and Ben Adlesbury not featuring in the starting line up at the moment.

Kappa produced a lot of those classic Italian shirts from that golden era of Serie A in the 90's. Oh bugger, someone who knows what they're talking about. 😀

Good point, Paul Wotton always seemed to regard the FA Cup and Trophy as distractions (understandable given the scant resources he had) . The owners would no doubt quite like a glamorous FA Cup tie at Langarth to further enthuse supporters. Maidstone last season showed what is possible.

Austin paired up front with the prolific Tony Lee looks like some forward duo. From what I gather, Totton are effectively full time professionals, with ex Southampton striker James Beattie brought in as their director of football . Anybody who finishes above them will win the league.

Do you think that there might be one or two departures? I know that ideally you need to carry a squad of 18-20 to cope with the rigours of an NLS season, but wonder if some players will be looking elsewhere if they don't make the matchday 16 (are Truro in a position as well where they want to pay for the ones that aren't featuring at all).

The Southern League always have a full fixture list on Easter Monday, and the Western League treat it as a spare day in the event it's needed to clear fixture backlogs. Still think the best thing for the Cornish FA to do, and something that would truly boost the competition, would be to move the final to a Saturday in May when all the leagues have finished and title, promotion and relegation issues have been settled. Make it the grand finale of the Cornish season.

Rappo would have claimed it.😁 Once a Liskeard boy...😁

Listened to it as well. James Watt-Barciela got the goal in the first half, a summer signing I know little about beyond him playing for (I think) Ottery St Mary in the SWPL last season. Hopefully a sign that Chris McPhee can uncover and develop hidden gems. Superb away point from a stretched squad missing Ryan Brett, Callum Hall and the Garside brothers, gets Parkway off the mark against a side that many think will be play off contenders.

Was always built on sand. No support and a terrible ground, the only thing that made them dominant for a spell was one man's drive, commitment, contacts and, dare I say it, money. You could see it heading this way even when Darren Gilbert was still there. Clubs like Buckland, Parkway, Tavi, Exmouth, Falmouth and Mousehole (who were once direct rivals in the SWPL, and in some cases, well below them) always looked like they had a plan and strategy for where they wanted to go. Bodmin never seemed to.

Over to you now Liskeard, 3 points away to Penzance would be a big lift for them today. Felt like people were handing the title to Newquay 2 days ago.

Luke McCormick in goal for Parkway last night. Zak Baker recalled from loan by Argyle yesterday, obviously required by them as cover with the sale of Michael Cooper to Sheff Utd being imminent. Hopefully, Baker will return when a replacement is secured in the last few weeks of the window. Is a reminder though of the risks behind bringing in a loan goalkeeper from a league club. Sounded like an impressive second half showing to follow the impressive first half display on Saturday. Seems like the new manager and new look side aren't too far away from getting points on the board, just a bit of consistency needed.

Is there any work going on to engage the locals a bit more? No matter how you look at it, an attendance of 88 in a town of just about 12,000 is really poor. I expect there'll be more than that in a Helston pub on Saturday lunchtime watching Ipswich v Liverpool.