THE LITTLE CLUB THAT IS ONE OF ANDY’S GREATEST MEMORIES

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.   

‘SLEDGE’ BOOK LAUNCH FOR CANCER RESEARCH

ANDY “SLEDGE” STREET, skipper of Falmouth Town’s 1997 treble-winning side and holder of more than a hundred Cornwall caps, will be signing copies of his book, STREETS AHEAD, in the clubhouse at Falmouth’s Bickland Park ground on Saturday, October 4.  

The book will be sold wholly in aid of Cancer Research UK, with a cover price of £5 but with higher donations encouraged. The launch will be underway before and after Town’s Southern League match against Swindon Supermarine that day (kick-off 3pm), plus during half-time. 

It is anticipated that the event will be attended by a number of Sledge’s fellow living legends from the “treble” team that won the South Western League, League Cup and Cornwall Senior Cup in the one season.  

All told, Sledge collected 20 winners’ medals and eight runners-up in 23 years as a prominent player in Cornish senior football, principally with Falmouth and Newquay. He also enjoyed notable successes with Bugle and St Blazey.  

THE FA CUP SAGA THAT RAN TO 540 MINUTES!

Tomorrow sees Falmouth Town take on Bideford in the FA Cup. These two old rivals have produced some epic clashes down the years, and none more so than that of 1973 – with a record-equalling saga that certainly can’t be matched tomorrow.  So let’s dip into my archive with this blog piece originally published in 2017:--

 

THE REF WHO WAS HUGELY POPULAR . . . MOST OF THE TIME!

 

As you would expect, the recent “Legends” soccer match marking the 60^th anniversary of Falmouth Town’s Bickland Park ground prompted many a trip down Memory Lane.

 

One such concerned one of the all-time most respected Cornish referees – and the occasion when he was, exceptionally, none too popular with the Falmouth club.

 

In the 1960s and ‘70s, Bill Pearce was a familiar and formidable figure on the field of play.  He was very much “loud and clear,” with his voice echoing around the grounds, and his commanding gait was instantly recognizable, with his big, rapid strides.

 

He was definitely not flavour of the month, though, in the autumn of 1973, when Falmouth and Bideford were involved in a record-equalling FA Cup third qualifying round saga.

 

The occasion was the third replay at Bickland Park, played on a midweek afternoon to avoid power cuts at that time.  It was well into stoppage time, with Town leading 2-1 and everyone in the Falmouth camp screaming for Bill to blow for full-time . . . but where oh where was that final whistle?

 

Alas, an innocuous-looking cross from Ben Murphy deceived concussed Town goalkeeper Phil Hewlett to level the tie. Player-manager Richard Gray went into goal for the extra time and, with an injured Tony Kellow moving on to the wing, Falmouth held out for another replay – and for a good while after that Bill was not quite so popular with Falmouth fans!

 

For it was Bideford who eventually went through to the next round, winning the fourth replay 2-1 at Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park.

 

At a grand total of 540 minutes’ playing time, it equalled the record for the longest-ever tie at the third qualifying round stage of this famous competition.  It can now never be beaten, with the introduction since then of the penalty shoot-out after a first replay.

 

Bill Pearce, RNAS Culdrose FC life president and former county referee, died in 2019, aged 87.  Four years earlier I spoke to him for the last time and wrote this piece for the Sunday Independent:--

 

What a host of fond memories Dave Deacon triggered with his reference to Cornish referees living legend Bill Pearce last week.

 

I caught up with Bill a few days later and, almost in unison, we both straightaway recalled his trademark command on the pitch: “Play on, you goddit.”

 

Bill, now 82, earned enormous respect among players and spectators alike.  He was loud and clear – his voice echoing around the grounds – and his commanding gait was instantly recognisable, with those big, rapid strides of his.

 

During our chat, “Pearcey” told me that to the best of his knowledge he is the only official ever to have refereed two Cornwall Senior Cup Finals – in 1959 and 1972.

 

The first went to a replay, with Truro City beating St Blazey at Penzance after drawing at St Austell. Bill recalled that St Blazey included an inside forward called Gardner who later died in a motor cycle accident, while the Truro goalkeeper was Melville Triggs, who came from Ludgvan – the parish where Bill has spent most of his life.

 

His second Senior Cup Final was won easily by St Austell at Falmouth against a giant-killing Looe (Plymouth and District League) side, compiled by the club’s Fred Jones who called up his Devonport Dockyard contacts to bring players of the calibre of Peter Loveys, the Quest brothers (Geoff and Bob), “Binky” Revell, and Danny Gordon, among many others, to the fishing resort.

 

Characters, though, don’t come any bigger than Bill Pearce – although he did have a rival in this category, namely Bill Cheshire, who was nicknamed by many as “the Cheshire cat” for his seemingly permanent grin as he officiated.

 

The simple truth was that both Bills refereed with a smile – very much a key to their authority.

 

Alas, Pearcey reflects: “I know when we grow old we always say it was better in my day – but in so many ways it was! 

 

“About the only thing that has improved in football in my lifetime is the facilities. The honesty has gone out of the game, with players diving and routinely disputing clearly correct decisions.

 

“It also irks me to see such small attendances at the local matches, and it seems so few people nowadays want to commit themselves to helping out for their clubs.  Television has a lot to answer for – there is far too much football on the box.”  

  

BOOKS UPDATE

STREETS AHEAD, the story of former Falmouth Town and Cornwall captain Andy Street, is now with the printers and comfortably on schedule for publication in late September/early October.

 

I had planned to take a month’s break from writing once we’d got Andy over the line, but that little plan lasted all of one day – so boring! - and I’m now motoring ahead with Falmouth-based Melville Benney. Couldn’t wait any longer to get tucked into his remarkable story as “Britain’s longest-serving football manager!”  

 

By the time his book is published, just over a year from now, he will have clocked up a remarkable SIXTY years as a soccer boss.

 

As with all these books, all sale proceeds will go to Cancer Research UK. 

Cover designs (Melville provisional) by Colin Pascoe

WEEKEND BREAK IS TAKING A BREAK!

For the next few weeks I’ll be focussing all my energies (well, almost all of them!) on my current book project, which will soon be ready now for sending off to the printers.

 

STREETS AHEAD is well on schedule for publication in early October, with a book signing session at Falmouth Town’s Bickland Park clubhouse on a date to be fixed.

 

Wholly in aid of Cancer Research UK, it tells the story of Andy Street, who enjoyed a glittering 23-year career, principally with Falmouth Town and Newquay, and captained Cornwall, for whom he made over 100 appearances.

 

The all-conquering Falmouth Town team of 1996-97, 

with skipper Andy Street, centre, front row.

 

Next in the pipeline is SIXTY YEARS A SOCCER BOSS, the story of Melville Benney, “Britain’s longest-serving football manager.”

 

He began managing at the age of 14 – and is still going strong! He’s led nearly 20 teams and received top-level recognition of his services to the game. A highlight was taking the Falmouth GPO team to the final of the post offices national knockout competition in 1994.

 

Mel and I are rarin’ to go with this book – just after a wee break for me! 

FANTASYLAND, AGAIN

Thought the Treasury quote last week -  “We are a pro-business government” – would take some beating, but I see Ms Reeves has now come up with this beauty:  “Britain is a beacon of stability.”

 

They’re ‘avin’ a larf, right?  Is it some sort of competition . . . ?  

WEEKEND BREAK (23)

FLOATING A POSSIBILITY: ‘BEST-EVER’ CARNIVAL NEXT MONTH?

 

My mention of carnival queens last week prompted a fresh look at the Falmouth Carnival scene and I see this year’s event, on August 9, is going to be something of a landmark job.

 

The big parade will see the return of float entries – decorated platforms on vehicles or towed on trailers behind them – after an absence of 20 years.

 

Their return should reinforce its reputation as “the biggest, happiest, brightest, jolliest, noisiest, gayest, liveliest and most popular carnival of them all.”

 

Or that’s the description in a delightful black and white Pathe News-style video on Falmouth Carnival’s website, anyway.

 

And it must be true because it’s delivered, it seems, with all the authority of none other than Bob Danvers-Walker. 

 

Bob was famously known as the voice of Pathe’s cinema newsreels during the Second World War and for many years afterwards.     

 

There’s just one snag – Bob died in 1990.  

 

So either the carnival organisers have discovered an invaluable bit of footage buried deep in the archives (but the footage strongly suggests a more recent recording!) or they have hired one of several very impressive soundalike voiceover artists now available.

 

Either way, if you haven’t already seen it, take a look. It’s really good and makes you feel proud,  seriously, of one of Falmouth’s great long-established summer highlights.

 

When they come to reflect on this year’s big show, it’s even possible, I guess, that the organisers might just be declaring it the town’s “best-ever.”

 

That was the verdict – at least once! – back in the day when Yours Truly used to cover it.

 

I’m recalling the late 1960s when I was in my first stint on the Falmouth Packet, then still a broadsheet, and we would serve up full coverage – I repeat “full coverage” – with anything up to a thousand words of a report, excluding the complete set of results.

 

There would also be full caption details beside a page or more of pics taken by a staff photographer (those were the days!).

 

Typically, I would start my coverage by joining the participants’ throng at the Recreation Ground, chatting to a goodly number of them as they put the finishing touches to their entries.

 

Then I would move out to Killigrew Street to see the start of the parade . . . before shooting across town to either Arwenack Street/Grove Place and/or the seafront for the final stages.

 

Then, on the Sunday morning, I would join the organisers for their reflections and updates.  The likes of Chris Powdrill (Packet printer)  and Arthur Pankhurst (customs launch Mongoose) spring to mind.  

 

They would still be counting the contents of all those collecting tins and, yes, the event was declared “the best-ever” at least once! 

 

I loved it – with just one wee exception.  More than once, as I stood at the roadside with the procession filing past, a voice would cry out “Hi Mike, all right?”

 

Cue worst fear realised. The voice would be familiar, but I was blowed if I could put a name to it – even after the guy concerned had briefly removed his/her mask or whatever and declared: “It’s ME, Mike.”

 

Hence my giveaway response: “Ah, hello THERE, all right?”  

 

And that was long before I had even heard of “senior moments”, let alone come to suffer them almost daily.  

 

But it was all part of the fun!

 

 

FORTY UP FOR JAMES!

 

They say an excellent pointer to the quality of a hotel is the length of service of its employees.

 

In a sector more notable for its high turnover of staff, Falmouth’s Royal Duchy need have no worries on that score.

 

And congratulations in particular to James Pellow, doorman and concierge, who has just clocked up 40 years with the hotel. 

 

He leads a goodly number of loyal long-servers in the Duchy service stakes – with seven of his colleagues having together clocked up more than 200 years there. 

 

There surely can’t be many, if any, other Cornish hotels that can boast such statistics. 

 

 

Do NOT Try This ‘At Home!’

 

My mention of walking in my carnival piece above brought me in a roundabout way back to a remarkable piece of footage I first saw on Facebook some ten years ago.

 

I count myself lucky that I could still easily take part in the Falmouth Carnival, asa walker, if I so wished (I don't, thank you!).  

 

I can still very easily do four, five or six miles a day, which I reckon is not too bad, given that this old feller is now nearer 80 than 70.     

 

Mind you, I have begun to be overtaken occasionally . . . and my treks are taking that little bit longer. 

 

And I very much doubt if I will ever again attempt something I last did a few years ago now, which almost killed me (or so it felt) even then – namely, to climb UP Falmouth’s Jacob’s Ladder two steps at a time, all 111 of them!

 

But the one thing I would never have dreamed of doing, even in my prime, would be to CYCLE down that Ladder.

 

It’s been done, at least once, as this video clip shows.  Hold on to your hats:-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy5OehnXe2w

  

 

You CAN Believe What You Read In The Media!

 

According to The Times, Falmouth is the best coastal town to live in the

UK:-- 

 

https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/25302169.times-falmouth-best-coastal-town-live-uk/

 

 

HAIRY QUESTION

 

It’s nice to put one over on a youngster occasionally . . . 

 

I’ve always had trouble remembering whether it’s sideboards or sideburns – those strips of hair beside my ears.

 

I was having my hair cut recently by a young hairdresser who was clearly relatively new to her trade.

 

It came to those two aforementioned features and I had no choice but to confess my difficulty thus: “I never remember whether it’s sideboards or sideburns.”

 

There was a pause, followed by the young lady hesitantly pointing to them, as if she hadn't even heard of such a thing, and asking: “What . . . you mean these things here?”

 

Seems I knew a thing or two more about hair than she did!  (And either “side-” word will apply, apparently.)

 

 

What DO They Take Us For . . . ?

 

C’mon now, can there have been a bigger collective laugh across the nation this week than the one for this prize quote from the Treasury: “We are a pro-business government.”

 

 

FROM THE ARCHIVE . . . 

 

Like any long-standing annual big event involving thousands of participants and spectators, Falmouth Carnival has known occasional controversy.

 

Here’s one bit o’ bovver that caused a stir with a new attraction in the week leading up to the big parade back in 1976, from my blog first published in 2017:--

 

 . . . you might have witnessed a new spectacle with the first-ever waitresses’ race along the seafront.

 

This proved a tad controversial, with at least two competitors disqualified, according to the Falmouth Packet, “for running with their glasses, bottles and trays clutched tightly to their bosoms.”

 

And a Packet reader’s letter from M Winter, of the Green Lawns Hotel, complained: “As far as Falmouth is concerned, we would be better to save the expense, rather than waste time bending over backwards to make ourselves and the town a laughing stock.

 

“It was not advertised as an open race . . . only one waitress walked the quarter of a mile with a bottle, glass and tray carried in the manner one would expect in such a race.”

 

Fortunately, it wasn’t all aggro.  The race was part of Falmouth Carnival Week, which was opened by Westward Television personality Ken Macleod.  He described Cherry Pritchard as “the most beautiful carnival queen I have ever seen.”