And so to New Meadow Park in Gloucester, a National League North ground (for now - The Tigers were relegated early in April after a 6-1 home drubbing by the Seals of Chester), for a National League South fixture between Truro City FC and Weymouth FC.
Truro City FC was established in 1889 and was a founder member of the Cornish County Football Association. In the 1930s the White Tigers left Cornish football, joining the Plymouth and District League.
Truro City FC was established in 1889 and was a founder member of the Cornish County Football Association. In the 1930s the White Tigers left Cornish football, joining the Plymouth and District League.
The Tinmen became a founder member of the South Western League in 1951, but struggled, having to seek re-election in their first two seasons and eventually dropping to the Cornwall Combination between 1975 and 1978. Following rejoining the South Western League and with successful further re-elections Truro City was crowned champions in the 1992/93, 1995/96 and 1997/98 seasons.
After declining and suffering financial problems, the club's fortunes changed in 2004 when the White Tigers were taken over by local property developer Kevin Heaney. All debts were cleared and the Tinmen achieved promotion to the Western League Division One at the end of the 2005/06 campaign.
City immediately moved up to the Premier Division with a record of 37 wins, 4 draws and one loss - and won the FA Vase at Wembley, beating AFC Totton 3-1 in the final. Further championships in the Western Premier (2007/08), the Southern South West (2008/09) and the Southern Premier (2010/11) saw the Tinmen climb to non-league's second tier, but only for two seasons.
2013 brought a return to the Southern Premier, having finished last and with ten points deducted after falling into administration. Heaney's company went into liquidation with debts of £4.5m and he was declared bankrupt, and amidst threats of expulsion a £50,000 bond was paid by local businessmen to ensure The White Tigers' survival.
Promotion back to the National South in 2015, via the play offs - beating Hungerford and St
Promotion back to the National South in 2015, via the play offs - beating Hungerford and St
Neots - was a four season stay however they were demoted to the Southern League in 2019. Last term saw the City finish third and overcome Poole Town on penalties and then Bracknell Town 3-2 away in the play offs to move back into the National South for this season, with the club now taken over by former Toronto Wolfpack owner Eric Perez.
Historically City played at Treyew Road, before selling up in 2014 and groundsharing at Torquay United's Plainmoor ground. A temporary return to Treyew Road followed in January 2019, before a final departure in 2021, the ground becoming a supermarket shortly after, with the Stadium for Cornwall to be constructed, housing the football club and Cornish Pirates RUFC.
Another 'temporary' groundshare at Bolitho Park, home of Plymouth Parkway FC ensued and this was extended as the Stadium for Cornwall was scrapped. That deal was cut short in February this year due to incessant ground waterlogging problems and postponements.
More of the same as a subsequent groundshare at Taunton Town's Wordsworth Drive venue saw yet more waterlogging and zero 'home' fixtures played. The FA stepped in and the White Tigers agreed to play their remaining home games on the artificial pitch at New Meadow Park in Gloucester, 195 miles from Truro. The original Meadow Park was destroyed by flooding in 2007, almost as high as the crossbars, having previously been flooded in 1990 by severe snowfall and contaminated by the River Severn bursting its banks in 2000.
More of the same as a subsequent groundshare at Taunton Town's Wordsworth Drive venue saw yet more waterlogging and zero 'home' fixtures played. The FA stepped in and the White Tigers agreed to play their remaining home games on the artificial pitch at New Meadow Park in Gloucester, 195 miles from Truro. The original Meadow Park was destroyed by flooding in 2007, almost as high as the crossbars, having previously been flooded in 1990 by severe snowfall and contaminated by the River Severn bursting its banks in 2000.
After many false starts the renovated TigerTurf New Meadow Park, the surface 3.5 metres above the old pitch, saw its first match played in December 2020. To end the season meant thirteen games in 28 days for the White Tigers - and not helped by the recent abandonment of the 'home' match against Eastbourne Borough due to serious player injury. Safety is now assured after their victory against Dover on Tuesday in front of 73 spectators - 15 from Dover; the Terras' clash their last home game this season, the 7th consecutive 'home' fixture in 13 days 😏
Truro will return home to the city next season at the new Truro Sports Hub at Langarth - but Cornish Pirates will remain at Mennaye Field in Penzance.
Weymouth was elected to join the Western League from the 1921-22 season, where they competed as well as continuing in the Dorset League. Following a Dorset League win that season, they followed it up in the 1922/23 season with a Western League title. The following year the club turned professional, and was elected to the Southern League for the first time - but debts, a recurrent theme, saw the club revert back to amateur status in 1928, moving back to the Western League where they won championships in 1937 and 1938 before folding for five years.
Football resumed after the Second World War in 1947 and the club soon achieved promotion back to the Southern League, and were champions in 1965 and 1966. The Terras moved to the Wessex Stadium in 1987 - now renamed the Bob Lucas Stadium in July 2010, in honour of the club president at the time.... and who died a month later...
Weymouth was a founding member of the Alliance Premier League in 1979, finishing runners up to Altrincham in its inaugural season. Relegation in 1989 to the Southern was followed by further demotion in 1991; a one season return to the Premier preceded 6 more seasons at the lower level, before promotion and then joining the newly formed Conference South in 2004 in the halcyon days of Ian Ridley's chairmanship and with Steve Claridge managing the team.
Promoted as champions in 2006 despite having 4 points deducted, the Terras were relegated in 2009 amidst financial turmoil, John Hollins and Bobby Gould having little effect in the dugout, and sank into the Southern Premier the following season. Notice of appointing administrators in October 2009 prefaced a Company Voluntary Arrangement in March 2010 with debts standing at £822,000.
The club was taken over by lifelong fan Nigel Biddlecombe in February 2012, after George Rolls' controversial reign, epitomised by fielding their youth team in a 9-0 home defeat by Rushden with first team players unpaid - Biddlecombe currently still retains a minority shareholding. The Terras were promoted in 2019 and again in 2020 back to the National League Premier, but were relegated in 2022 and miraculously avoided back to back demotions to the Southern League on the last day of last season on goal difference, after winning their last three games - Dulwich Hamlet going down on goal difference 😒
This time, after a slow start, the Terras have achieved mid table mediocrity and safety, but surprisingly have parted company recently, with safety not assured at that point, with last season's saviour Bobby Wilkinson; Mark Molesley retaking the reins.
Manchester brings numberplates DOO8Y, BT04STY, POO10 and a van emblazoned in 'Cryptic Punks', then skyscrapers, graffiti 'We Are Comin', Taylor Swift, Blue Whale and a billboard 'Never Dread Mondays Again'. Then it's Stockport and its lustrous new bus interchange.
Pollarding at Prestbury, Arighi Bianchi at Macclesfield and an orange canal at Kidsgrove follow. That takes me to the Hand with Chronos sculpture at Stoke on Trent station then Overclockers UK and Rafferty Chimneys before approaching Wellbeing Park (formerly of Stone Dominoes and Stone Old Alleynians) in Stone.
A flooded Stafford and then the National Brownfield Institute and the iconic Chubb Lock & Safe Company building at Wolverhampton come next. Onto the new shiny, metallic Birmingham New Street, the Bullring and the 2022 Commonwealth monuments - One Giant Step and Leaves of the Tree.
Alongside the canal, through Edgbaston Tunnel to the University and thence the Metalworks and the Bristol Pear at Selly Oak. Cadbury at Bourneville before King's Norton sidings with Philip and Henry coaches and a London Transport shunter.
Verdant countryside, including a solar farm and observatory leads me to Worcestershire Parkway station, in the back of beyond at Wychavon. Leafy Cheltenham Spa, 'The Home Of Jump Racing', and finally Parnaby Cyclones cranes outside Gloucester, with several brightly painted houses on its city streets.
In Gloucester, past Kingsholm to St Oswald's Priory and then the magnificent Cathedral. After that it's the Emperor Nerva bust and a stop at a pub - Robert Raikes's House; Raikes a Gloucester philanthropist and Sunday School advocate.
Afterwards comes the Museum of Gloucester and Greyfriars before reaching Gloucester Docks and Quays. Here I find the Soldiers of Gloucestershire regimental museum, the ancient tramroad and The Lord High Constable of England - a Wetherspoons pub.
Thereafter to the National Waterways Museum, Taffeta & Lace and The Old Gloucester Gaol, seemingly occupied now by Salvation Z and Vendetta.... Then via Soul n Seoul to The House of The Tailor of Gloucester - a Beatrix Potter shop.
Finally Llanthony Secunda Priory and we reach the TigerTurf on Sudmeadow Road, parking up through helpful stewarding. New Meadow Park is a 4,000 capacity stadium, with two all red and yellow seater stands housing 762 either side of the half way line, bisected by the clubhouse - both stands also host hospitality boxes. The top end features the T-End Stand behind which lie the rolling Gloucestershire hills and, nearer, through a gap in the fencing, part of the original Meadow Park pitch and old terracing. Across is the scoreboard side and club shop plus a shipping Container Bar. Crowds have been as low as 71, with the all ticket fixtures attracting 384 against Torquay and a bumper 1,238 versus champions, the Glovers of Yeovil Town. Tonight's attendance is 126 (70+ from Weymouth) and it's £11 in.
The White Tigers are naturally in all white and Weymouth in change yellow and blue. Thereafter follows a stereotypical end of season dead rubber with little to commend it.
Ezio Touray does put the ball in the net for the Terras on 12 minutes but it's disallowed for handball. Tom Bearwish is blocked on 25, but the chance of the half comes 10 minutes later - Dan Roberts and Touray combining but Touray doesn't get enough purchase on the ball and James Hamon saves. Ryan Kavanagh fires over for Truro a minute before the break - their first meaningful effort.
The second stanza is marginally better - Terras' keeper Gerard Benfield slices a clearance causing havoc. However he atones midway through the half with a fine save from the Tinmen's Matt Buse. Roberts' curling effort for Weymouth is beyond Hamon's far post shortly after.
But the real action comes in the final few minutes... the White Tigers' Josh Hinds goes down in the box with three to go, but no penalty is given. Then Touray should have done better with a half shot on 90 and finally Benfield preserves a point for the visitors, producing another good save from Truro substitute Rocky Neal in stoppage time.
But, in truth, a game that didn't deserve a goal.....
