Ian Pethick

Lee Hobbs has generally got the big calls right on players at the right time, replaced them with better quality and moved the team forward. To effectively rebuild half the side over the summer, whilst keeping them competitive (and even trying to improve on last season) will possibly be the biggest challenge yet of his tenure at Parkway.

For the same reasons that people move jobs I guess. Usually because they are fed up with their current position, want to do something different and challenge themselves or just want to earn more money.

The Parkway board had made it clear in supporters club meetings that the improvement of the pitch and facilities at Bolitho will be the priority. You only have to look around non league football to see what the outcome of unsustainable spending is (Salisbury and Truro are a couple of good examples). Parkway have over the last few years, been able to take the players they wanted from the likes of Tiverton and Tavistock as a result of their greater spending power and stated ambition. Those days are probably now over (at this level anyway), the harsh reality is that there is now a heavy SW bias to the NLS with several clubs within a 2 hour drive from Plymouth, Exeter or Torbay (famously, 1 of them is in Plymouth at the moment) and I would even add the possibility of Mousehole being at step 3 in the next few years and competing for players. It will be interesting to see how some of the supporters who have been attracted to Parkway over the last few seasons react. They are, after all, used to a constant upward trajectory and a period where the club plateaus (or even goes backwards slightly) may be difficult for them to accept. Already seen some comments on social media in the aftermath of "Black Monday" which support this. Personally, the departures of Booth and Seymour were always likely as they are step 2 quality players who were not from the city (believe Seymour is headed back to the Watford area to live) looking to have a good season and showcase themselves (this may well have been understood by the club), Palfrey has been a great servant and integral part of this era and deserves to go onto his next challenge with the supporters blessing (not really clear though if leaving was his decision or the club's). Dan Rooney is the most disappointing, a local lad who talked about coming home, and attracting a player of his calibre was a statement signing. The board had talked in past years about the "Parkway Project" being about Plymouth players feeling able to stay in the city to achieve their non league career goals. No idea of his destination, but would be a blow if he doesn't think Parkway is the place to fulfill his ambitions. Understand that the club are working very hard at bringing new players in, so we will just have to wait and see who they are and what they will contribute. Does feel like another period of transition though, and supporters will have to be patient and realistic while this beds down.

So, with the departures of three key players in Billy Palfrey, Austen Booth and Ben Seymour all confirmed today, it's going to be another busy summer at Parkway. By my reckoning, that's a new goalkeeper, right back, centre back, midfielder and striker (probably more than one actually) needed just to fill the immediate gaps in the squad. Would imagine we'll start to have new arrivals announced in the next week or so, but it feels like it's gone from adding a bit of extra quality and depth, to another rebuild.

Bit before my time, so never saw that great Falmouth side play. 8 league titles in 8 seasons, and the first WL title won by going the season unbeaten (especially as that league was the equivalent of today's step 3) is probably an achievement that will never be matched. So yes, hard to argue that Richard Gray wasn't the greatest ever manager of Cornish club. Is he still with us? If so, an interview with Richard Gray would make for a superb edition of Cornwall Soccer Memories.

Heard from a good source that Palfrey is joining Truro, Booth off to Taunton and Ben Seymour is moving to Harrow Borough (has family in the area).

Parkway have announced that Austen Booth has left the club. Taunton or Truro bound?

Heard from a decent source at the weekend that Macca Brown is in the frame for the Saltash job.

Torquay have confirmed that they will staying full time. With Gary Johnson also sticking around, I would have them down as title/promotion contenders. Weymouth are also recruiting very heavily after flirting with relegation this past season, 8 new signings announced this week. Way too early to go too prediction heavy, but would think that Truro would be happy to finish in the top half and guarantee step 2 football for the first season at Langarth (crossed fingers) Taunton went up as champions the season before, and seemed happy with finishing comfortably clear of the drop zone. Interestingly, their chairman (Kevin Sturmey) has appealed for more support from the town and believes they need to get their average home attendances up from the current 700 to the 1200 mark if they are to be competitive in this league. Wonder if City are looking at initiatives to get more through the gate at Bolitho?

Amidst a steady trickle of Tavistock players commiting to the club, George Newton was announced as a new signing yesterday. A forward who played for Truro City's successful reserve and under 18's last season, he seems like a very Stuart Henderson addition.

Gus Honeybun for me. Anyone remember that bloke who read the local headlines after the News At Ten, and sounded like he may have had a couple of "liveners" beforehand ?

You can undoubtedly get bullied in the Southern League, and I sure that Jake Ash will be aware of this. Mousehole do have a lot of smaller, very technical layers and will have to "earn the right" to play. Parkway's charge to the title in the 2021/22 was built on the superior strength and fitness of the team.

Always hard to compare different eras and their relevant strengths. Brian Hodge and Trevor Mewton were though, for me,the best in my time of watching the local game. Won multiple trophies across different clubs, Hodge was a winner across both SW and Western Leagues. All opinions though, no right or wrong answers.

Always made me chuckle last year when clubs were rescheduling kick offs to 2.15pm in order to save a few quid on running the floodlights, while a few of these were paying out large sums in "expenses" to players.

Unlikely I would think. Sadly, both Brian Hodge and Trevor Mewton are no longer with us.

Your name isn't "Lewis Daniel" is it?

There does seem to be hints of misogyny and sexism in the comments about the Saltash chair (not just recently, but over the past season).

Does get a bit tedious people talking endlessly about the "travel commitments ". As pointed out before, 10 of the 20 teams in the Western League next season are Devon & Cornwall based.

Craske has probably been an unlucky victim of Argyle being promoted to the championship, can they afford to carry a player who probably isn't yet championship calibre? Still a very good player, but a full season of playing regularly (whether at L2, NL or NLS) is needed for his development.

They don't seem overjoyed to be back in the bosom of the Western League.🙄

Austen Booth would fit the "ball playing centre back in a 3-5-2" bill very nicely, and would certainly be an upgrade on Ed Palmer in that position (also heard that Taunton are keen on Booth). But Truro nicking him from Parkway should be a potential eviction from Bolitho matter. 😁

Wonder if they'll look more towards the Plymouth and general Devon area for recruiting players.

Would love to see Finlay Craske back at Parkway (heard a rumour that Lee Hobbs enquired after him when his loan at Yeovil ended), but would think that Truro would be his most likely destination. Given how the NLS season is 46 games, would think that Paul Wotton will be working to increase depth and numbers within the squad. Step 2 football will also make them an attractive option for Argyle (and other clubs) when they're looking to park youngsters. City have worked the loan system pretty well over the last few seasons.

Parkway (the season before), Tavistock and Exmouth slotted right in. Tough league for certain, but Mousehole look to have the fundamentals in place to do OK.

Sad to see Elmore go, but don't think Marjons will be missed.