ANDY “SLEDGE” STREET’s Cornish football career was nothing if not illustrious, with 20 winners’ medals and eight runners-up with Falmouth Town, Newquay, Bugle and St Blazey, plus over a hundred Cornwall “caps.”
It’s all recounted in vivid detail in his memoir, STREETS AHEAD, out now in aid of Cancer Research UK and with another personal signing session at a special sales event near St Austell this Friday.*
Some of Sledge’s fondest memories of all came with his first years at a South Western League outfit, Bugle, a club that has ceased to exist altogether since 1998.
In his book, Sledge recalls how the Bugle of the early 1980s were transformed from the league’s whipping boys – regularly suffering heavy defeats - to the all-conquering champions, as per this abbreviated extract:--
At the end of the 1983-84 season, Bugle strengthened their emerging status as one of Cornwall’s top teams by winning the South Western League Cup, beating Tavistock 2-0 at Launceston. This was the club’s first cup final appearance since 1952, when they beat Saltash United 3-2 in the Cornwall Senior Cup..
That proved to be manager Bobby Bell’s swan song. He moved on and was succeeded by Terry Huddy,who led us so memorably to the league title, finishing five points ahead of St Blazey.
That was phenomenal – especially as older supporters would still not have forgotten how their club had been the league’s whipping boys some 20 years earlier, with at least one double-figures defeat.
Our final match in that title season was away to Launceston, which we won 5-1 (having already secured the title by beating Plymouth Civil Service 1-0 in the previous game) and I well remember the presentation of the trophy and medals in the clubhouse after the match. The best part was that my brothers Dave and Sage were also part of that great team and to win it together made it even more special (a feat we would later repeat together).
As champions, and as per tradition, we played a SWL XI on May 21, 1985, and the programme notes for that occasion underline just how noteworthy our title success had been. Tristan Scott, League chairman and former chairman of the club itself, wrote: “I have suffered Bugle’s results over the years and to share the honour which this season’s team have brought to the club is tremendous.” He described Bugle as “much the smallest community to boast a team in such a high standard of football.” Over the years, Bugle had had to seek re-election, but the continuing support and faith of the other clubs had now been fully justified.
Sadly, Bugle were relegated from the South Western League in 1991-92 and ceased to exist as a club altogether by 1998. But the memories live on and, notwithstanding the treasure trove of medals and trophies that subsequently came my way, my time with Bugle was stand-out special in so many ways. After four happy years, though, it was time for me to move on.
* Sledge will be personally signing all copies of his book sold at AJ’s Cafe and Bar at Beach Road, Carlyon Bay, St Austell, this Friday, October 17, starting at 4 pm. The book is priced at £5, with higher donations strongly encouraged. If you can’t attend the AJ’s event, please contact Sledge direct through Messenger, WhatsApp or by email: a.street831@btinternet.com.
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