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Just when you think things couldn't get worse at Penlee Park!


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Thanks for your article Dave - it certainly illustrates the position we are in; the last thing we want to do is to be forced to withdraw either team from their respective league - but that will ultimately depend on the response we get from players over the next few days. We will get a team to Falmouth for Wednesday's Dave Gardner Trophy game, as well as for the finals day on Saturday. However, I have also called an emergency 'open' meeting in our Clubhouse on Friday evening at 7.30pm where we would welcome the attendance of anyone interested in the immediate future of Penzance AFC - particularly players who are able to commit to playing for the Club for the coming season.

....and Goldeneye, I agree with the sentiment of your posting and would very much like to continue a debate on the subject but my efforts need to be concentrated on more pressing issues at the moment! Perhaps, in a few weeks time - if we survive the current crisis - I can air my views on the subject (without it seeming like sour grapes!)

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Best of luck John. Not that many years ago, St.Austell held a similar open meeting in the grandstand (the clubhouse had been closed by the police due to problems with the licence) and things were truly at rock bottom. Somehow from that the club was turned around to a position of strength now. It can be done but will need a concerted effort off the pitch. It might mean a pretty dreadful period on the pitch for a while but if the team can survive in the league then longterm things can improve.

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Thanks for your article Dave - it certainly illustrates the position we are in; the last thing we want to do is to be forced to withdraw either team from their respective league - but that will ultimately depend on the response we get from players over the next few days. We will get a team to Falmouth for Wednesday's Dave Gardner Trophy game, as well as for the finals day on Saturday. However, I have also called an emergency 'open' meeting in our Clubhouse on Friday evening at 7.30pm where we would welcome the attendance of anyone interested in the immediate future of Penzance AFC - particularly players who are able to commit to playing for the Club for the coming season.

....and Goldeneye, I agree with the sentiment of your posting and would very much like to continue a debate on the subject but my efforts need to be concentrated on more pressing issues at the moment! Perhaps, in a few weeks time - if we survive the current crisis - I can air my views on the subject (without it seeming like sour grapes!)

Best of luck John, I think Tommy and I had better reform the Cornwall Senior Cup winners squad and perhaps get Dave Wadd as well !
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Yes, best of luck John! Tough road ahead but hope you can make it happen.

I was talking to George Torrance, John Dent, Nigel Thwaites and George Pattison after the game on Saturday and we joked about making up the numbers! I think a call to New York to recruit Eno Udo might be a bit of a long-shot though!

Best of luck to one of Cornwall's great clubs.

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Thanks for the support guys; hopefully a few players will come forward and make themselves available. It's difficult to believe that there are not more players in the greater Penzance area with the ambition to play at Step 6; I know there are many who are talented enough to do so!

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Thanks for the support guys; hopefully a few players will come forward and make themselves available. It's difficult to believe that there are not more players in the greater Penzance area with the ambition to play at Step 6; I know there are many who are talented enough to do so!

Times have changed, Eno and myself use to travel down from Plymouth for home games and loved every minute of it
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Made my thoughts clear in a thread at the end of last season . Unless something changes pretty soon and both players and clubs get real , I can see more clubs going to the wall this season .

When I hear the figures that are needed just to keep a club going at the moment (rates,gas/electric,cleaning,insurance,ground maintenance etc,etc) before players "expenses" are factored in ,then I don't know how some clubs are surviving . Especially when you consider that incomes from gates,food and drink,sponsorship and raffles/draws are only going one way with people's incomes shrinking/disappearing .

Really hoping that a bit of local pride kicks in and that the football people and players of the area get behind this famous old club .

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I find it hard to understand that any players, not just those local to the Penzance area, dont want to play for a club like Penzance, or those players in lower divisions wanting to test and push themselves. Whenever I have played against them I have always had the impression that they look after their players well and they have great facilities. So am I missing something?? or is there something going on behind the scenes that is keeping these players from signing a Penzance??

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Hard to understand is an understatement.As somone whose natural level was duchy football it was wonderful to sign for an ECPL club, even if they were struggling.

We got a few drubbings but effort and team spirit meant we didn't even finish bottom

Playing SWPL second teams at places like Blazey, Wadebridge & St Austell was a wonderful experience

If I was an ECPL standard player now I'd be on the phone to Penzance like a shot

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AS you know i went through the same thing at perranporth last season being left with a squad of 3, and we were in two minds whether to pull out of the league as right up till 4 days before the first game of the season we still only had 8 signed on. I was lucky enough to find a bunch of young lads prepared to step up and play even though they knew they would take many many thrashings throughout the season.

Hopefully there will be players like that in the penzance area who may bite the bullet and do the same thing, and they can manage to get a team out for every game.

What penzance have to find is players that are willing to do the travelling knowing it will be a long difficult season, but will play at excellent grounds and new places and have 3 officials...

It goes back to the old argument about playing as high a level as you can, theres nothing better than travelling a few hours to get to a ground that you havent played before and getting the chance to play in the FA cup and FA Vase even in the prelims gives you such a buzz.

Sadly that ambition seems to have gone out of local football where being big fish in small ponds with "Your mates" seems to be the norm...

If i didnt have to work on saturday mornings i would have been on the phone to Robin and Flacky offering my services, would still have loved to have given the premier league a shot at 47 !!!!

So come on help save the club, take the plunge and test yourself .... good luck to penzance.

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Sorry to hear about Penzance's difficulties. The answer, however, is not for Dave Deacon to encourage players to decamp from other local clubs. Much of the fault lies with the imposition from above of a national league structure unsuited to Cornwall. As always, those who are really serious about bettering themselves, whether in footballor elsewhere, will leave Cornwall anyway. However, the loss of local identity and the money wasted on short-term success are also to blame. Penzance should concentrate on winning the Trelawney League and the Junior Cup and climb back up from there. Many local people would find that of greater interest than setting off at 8 am to watch a goalless draw against a team nearly in Somerset every other week. What is sauce for Glasgow Rangers, however unpalatble in the short term......

My heart goes out to people like John Mead who represent permanent loyalty and commitment.

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isaac, I do not think it`s the imposition of a league structure as you put it, back in the days when I played and later officiated on the Hellenic League we found ourselves anywhere from London right down into Gloucestershire, it`s always been the same if you want senior football you have to travel.

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Re "At the moment Cornish Football reminds me of the Monty Python 'Dead Parrot sketch' :("

Manager: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.

(The agent does not respond.)

'Ello, Miss?

Agent: What do you mean "miss"?

I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!

I’m busy.

Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this goalkeeper what I purchased not half a week ago from you.

Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Erik..What's,uh...What's wrong with it?

I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's crap, that's what's wrong with it! The games half an hour old and we’re 3-0 down!

No, no, 'e's uh,.he's resting.

Look, matey, I know a crap keeper when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.

No no he's not crap, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable keeper, the Norwegian Erik, idn'it, ay? Beautiful hair style!

The hair style don't enter into it. It's usless.

Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!

All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up!

'Ello, Mister Erik! I've got a lovely fresh herring fish for you if you.

Did he move?

Yes, to pick the ball out of the net again!

Never!!

Yes, he did!

(yelling and hitting the keeper repeatedly) 'ELLO ERIK!!!!!

Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your 3 o'clock alarm call!

(Takes keeper out of the goal and thumps its head on the upright. Throws it into the net and watches it plummet to the floor.)

Now that's what I call a dead keeper.

No, no.....No, 'e's stunned!

STUNNED?!?

Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin' up! Norwegian keepers stun easily, major.

Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That keeper is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf a week ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged training session.

Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.

PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?

Norwegian keepers prefers kippin' on it's back! Remarkable bloke, id'nit, squire? Lovely hair cut!

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I find it hard to understand that any players, not just those local to the Penzance area, dont want to play for a club like Penzance, or those players in lower divisions wanting to test and push themselves. Whenever I have played against them I have always had the impression that they look after their players well and they have great facilities. So am I missing something?? or is there something going on behind the scenes that is keeping these players from signing a Penzance??

Why wouldn't the better local players play for Pz,perhaps they weren't asked,perhaps the previous management wouldn't go down that route,i only hope John and CTB and all connected to Pz all the best for the future.

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Always look on the bright side of life. The Magpies could seek a groundshare with the Tinners if the county council give us 24 million to build a stadium in Newbridge and pump the stream over a new viaduct in Madron. Why should Truro monopolise all the creative options ? The workhouse could loan a few players if Penzance pay the reinstatement fees. I'm thinking of setting up a landscaping busness, anyway. This is an opportunity.

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Thanks for your article Dave - it certainly illustrates the position we are in; the last thing we want to do is to be forced to withdraw either team from their respective league - but that will ultimately depend on the response we get from players over the next few days. We will get a team to Falmouth for Wednesday's Dave Gardner Trophy game, as well as for the finals day on Saturday. However, I have also called an emergency 'open' meeting in our Clubhouse on Friday evening at 7.30pm where we would welcome the attendance of anyone interested in the immediate future of Penzance AFC - particularly players who are able to commit to playing for the Club for the coming season.

....and Goldeneye, I agree with the sentiment of your posting and would very much like to continue a debate on the subject but my efforts need to be concentrated on more pressing issues at the moment! Perhaps, in a few weeks time - if we survive the current crisis - I can air my views on the subject (without it seeming like sour grapes!)

Just wondering how your emergency meeting went on Friday evening? Hope everything went well.

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