Ian Pethick

Not a new problem for Tavi. Can remember when Liskeard and Saltash were sweeping before all before them in Western League of the 1980's, they would rarely get gates of more than 150-200 (aside from when they played each other on Boxing Day and Good Friday). This told in the end, especially considering they were up against clubs from towns like Bideford, Barnstaple, Taunton, Weston Super Mare, Exmouth, Clevedon and the various Bristol clubs with significantly larger populations. The Argyle factor is a good point for Parkway, Bolitho attendances were right down when home fixtures clashed on a Saturday. I guess that it has to be a strategy of long term development for Tavi, just looking to grow support gradually. One thought though, I would expect there are people in the town unaware of the standard of football played at Langsford Park, or even that the club exists. Pretty sure this was the case with Plymouth Parkway and Bolitho Park several years ago in the pre 2013/14 treble winning era (remember mentioning it to a work colleague who lived in Plymouth, and had no idea until he turned up one week what was on offer). Good point on the DJM football, guess that takes up a few hundred potential supporters on a Saturday. Not sure about the senior and junior teams in the city though. Acknowledge that I have been off the scene for a few years, but the park and recreational leagues have fallen a long way from the days of 8 or 9 divisions across the P&D and Plymouth Combo.

The difference between Plymouth Parkway and Tavi is the potential supporter base. Tavistock has a population of 13,000, while Plymouth has a population of 262,000 (with around 40,000 living within 5 miles of Bolitho Park). Mark Russell argued back in 2017 that the city could accommodate a second football team playing as high as, possibly, National League South.

Lively debate going on elsewhere in the forum about admission prices charged for pre season friendlies, but it got me wondering about how many are played nowadays. Admittedly distant memories and recollections are unreliable, but I am certain that back in the 80's and 90's clubs usually played four or five of these but, based on what I see on various clubs social media and websites, it seems more like seven or eight now with them starting earlier. Few thoughts I had on these were; Do clubs play these instead of training sessions as players won't commit to anything other than playing matches? Are they an extra revenue stream with, not factoring in money taken at the gate, food and drink sales providing a bit of much needed cash? And, lastly, are players just generally fitter these days and don't need endless sessions running up and down sand dunes etc, etc with working on tactics and formations seen as more worthwhile The main questions are do clubs play too many of them and are people that bothered about attending them (outside of the high profile "glamour" fixtures)?

Has been part of Stuart Henderson's psychology over the past few seasons to play them down, talk about small budgets and not having the resources of other clubs (this has been mostly directed at Parkway, but also Helston and Mousehole most recently). Not my cup of tea, and it does downplay slightly what they have achieved, but if it works for them, fair enough.

That is a statement signing, Tavi certainly mean business. They now have Liam Prynn, Josh Grant, Dan Koita and Alex Battle competing for the forward positions.

Logically, yes. But emotionally, no. Would imagine that Falmouth Town fans would have plenty to say on the subject, lot of water under this particular bridge. Was the rumour about Helston being approached for a potential ground share substantiated?

Can't see any substance in this to be honest, but stranger things have happened with Truro City If it is true, then I guess the planning work would have to start very soon to be ready for July/August 2023.

Perhaps that's why he wears gloves. Bit of weeding while he's down there. 😁

Sounds like a good idea to me , but it's depending on the opposition of course. Getting a Football League club in costs money to arrange and stage. Weeks (if not months) of work goes in behind the scenes to stage a team like Argyle at Bolitho. and putting in place the infrastructure to cope with a crowd of 2,000 plus. On another note, do clubs pay "expenses" for pre season friendlies?

£10-£12 was the going rate for the Southern Prem clubs I went to last season. People coming through the gates will be the ultimate guide as to whether the pricing is right or wrong.

Wadebridge is a really nice ground (can't offer an opinion on Mount Wise, many years since I've been there) but it's nothing like step 3 compliant. Improvements/upgrades would be needed that could run into several hundreds of thousands of pounds to improve ground, facilities and pitch, not to mention the drawings, plans and local authority permissions needed. Parkway had all this in place for Bolitho already, just brought it forward a few years. Explains how they could get it all done in 6 months or so. Pretty sure that Priory Park was mentioned as a possible ground sharing option a few seasons ago, but it was abandoned when the cost and scale of work became apparent.

Heard that he's on trial with Plymouth Parkway at the moment.

Yes, appreciate that this is the case with something like Parkway v Argyle. It was advertised as a festival of football, and is indeed very good for the club's coffers and profile. Hopefully Torpoint reap some rewards when Lee Hobbs and team make the trip across the Tamar on Saturday. Some of the other friendlies, not so sure. There don't appear to be any league clubs sending teams down here for pre season workouts this summer. Guess that with pandemic travel restrictions lifted, they're all heading to Europe for their training camps and friendlies. Regarding the trialists, cannot understand why they aren't just named in the line up. It seems quite common knowledge who they were (the trial goalie was Jake Mead-Crebbin, who I believe played for Callington and Argyle's Devon League FITC side last season).

Something else that annoys me about PSF's is how many occasions players are just referrred to a "A Trialist". Parkway had 4 of these on Saturday and, from what I gather, the majority of Bideford's side versus Axminster last night was only known as "Mr Trialist." Not sure why they do this (are some of these players that are committed/signed elsewhere, and are just seeing if the grass is greener), but most informed people know who they are anyway. In my humble opinion, it reduces the match to the status of a trial game, and is it right to charge full price for this? Especially if it isn't high profile or higher league opposition.

That's what pre season friendlies are about though, having a good look at the players you have and making decisions on them. Especially for a new manager.

Assuming it's the same guy whose profile I found on LinkedIn, Darren Spong has an impressive CV. Ex pro with Portsmouth and Bournemouth, then a head coach within college "soccer" in the USA (which is a pretty high standard).

Was there much in the way of an F-Troop following at the game? PSF's are always a difficult one (I haven't watched one for years, like paying to watch a training session). If you win, you're trying to play it down but if you lose, it's lessons learned and vital minutes in the legs.

You're right, possibly a formalised version of the much derided dual registration system. I would hope that it works along the lines of the loan system between Premier and Football League clubs. Players primarily assigned to the parent club, but at the partner club for a pre announced and agreed duration (with provisions in place for recalling them if necessary). The supporters then get a degree of certainty and continuity, and not just the feeling of players being parachuted in occasionally with no bond developing between them and the club.

You're right in saying that clubs have to start thinking outside of the box. I'll be watching the tie up/merger between Liskeard and St Cleer with interest, could be a blueprint in terms of clubs sharing resources and facilities. Know that the two most recent Cornish clubs to be forced into withdrawal from the Peninsula League was about a lack of players, but the shortage of administrators and volunteers is also a continual source of concern. So if clubs can share functions such as secretary and treasury, that can work for both of them. Looking into Devon, Tavistock have announced the creation of a development side this season. Interestingly, they won't run a formal reserve side within a league, but will have players that they want to monitor signed on with them, training with the Southern League side and appearing in pre season matches, but they will be loaned out to other clubs each week. Don't know who these players will feature for, but it does seem like a formal nursery club deal. Similar sort of arrangement to that between Helston and Penzance I would think, but on a more permanent footing than just those first team players that won't be required on a Saturday.

Out of interest, how much of the criteria did either Shane Krac or Danny Lewis fulfill? Let's be honest ,the two big factors behind managerial appointments at Combo, East Cornwall, St Pirans, Peninsula and Western League level are; Do they have enough player contacts to get a squad together? Do they bring money with them (either through sponsorship or from individuals)?

Believe he was highly regarded at Bolitho, and that he benefitted from working with GK coach Stuart Dudley. After being number 2 to Kyle Moore at Parkway, would be surprised if he is going to Buckland to be a back up player.

All speculation Easterfield, but very interesting reading. As we've no chance of hearing anything from Truro or the Pirates, that is all we have. Given though the retention and recruitment on both the managerial and playing side at Truro this summer, I would guess there are developments in the offing. For a start, I couldn't see Paul Wotton sticking around for another season of games at a near empty Bolitho if he wasn't assured of future plans.

Ben Fowles, captain of Dorchester Under 23's last season, has now signed. Another really good addition.

Don't know if I'm reading it correctly, but the list of donors suggests that the last donation was a week ago (and that was the only one in the last two weeks). Does make you wonder if the majority of people are that bothered about this forum carrying on.

Potentially a good signing, he never really got going at Saltash due to an injury ravaged season. Looks like Dan Hart is using his Argyle connections.