Legends

TCFC Legend #1

Basil Steer

16 June 2020

Basil George Steer was born in South Milton, Near Kingsbridge, Devon on Tuesday 30th July 1929. His first club was West Alvington where he played football with his two brothers, Ray and Terry.

Basil went on to play for Tavistock, St Blazey and of course Truro City. He suffered from asthma and therefore never went for any 40/60 balls to preserve himself, giving some belief that he could have given more. Basil could use both feet and his head and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

He was offered a trial with Everton and Arsenal but was discouraged by his wife Lois, with a concern about his asthma and it was suggested that he got a real job! Basil played for both Devon and Cornwall at both cricket and football.

Basil’s goals were instrumental in helping Truro City gain honours, in his first season in 1958-1959 Truro won the Cornwall Senior Cup, a season later they won the South Western League Cup and in 1960-1961 Basil helped Truro win the South Western League title for the first time in their history by being one of only six ever presents in the City side, playing all 28 league games and scoring 43 league goals.

Basil died on 16th February 2000 at Woodhall Spa Golf Club, he was 70 years old.

Massive thanks to Basil’s son Phil Steer for sharing this information about a proper TCFC legend with me.

🏆 South Western League – 1960-61

🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 1958-59

🏆 South Western League Cup – 1959-60

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TCFC Legend #2

Steve Massey

12 January 2021

Steven Massey was born in Denton, Lancashire on Friday 28th March 1958.

The striker played for Stockport County, Bournemouth, Peterborough United, Northampton Town, Hull City, Cambridge United and Wrexham before joining Truro City.

Massey made his debut for City on 31st August 1988 at home against Penzance, Truro won 4-3 and Mass scored all four goals! Steve was top scorer for Truro in his debut season, scoring 28 league goals.

Steve went on to become Truro City’s player/manager and in 1992/1993 Truro did the double, winning both the South Western League and the South Western League Cup under Steve’s management to end a 23 year wait for a league title at Treyew Road!

Massey had two more managerial spells at Truro in 2005/2006 and 2013/2014.

Steve is currently the manager of South West Peninsula Premier Division West side Helston Athletic.

Cheers Mass you absolute TCFC legend!

🏆 South Western League – 1992-93

🏆 South Western League Cup – 1992-93

See also number 2 on ‘Matty meets…’

See also number 26 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’

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TCFC Legend #3

Neil Imrie

29 April 2021

Neil “Jock” Imrie was born on Sunday 25th April 1937 in Dundee, Scotland where he still lives with his wife Hazel.

Neil was in the Royal Navy and played for several teams in Plymouth whilst he was in the Navy and after he finished his service, before moving to Falmouth Town for a short spell before being approached by Truro City.

“Jock’s” goals helped City win honours during his time with the club.

In the five seasons (over three spells with the club) “Jock” was at Truro City, he was Truro’s top scorer in the league in his first four seasons and amassed over 170 goals in total!

His third spell with the club was in 1972-1973 season as player/manager.

Edit – Neil sadly passed away on 9th January 2022 at the age of 84. RIP Jock!

🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 1966-67

🏆 South Western League Cup – 1966-67

🏆 Cornwall Charity Cup – 1964-65

See also number 24 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’

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TCFC Legend #4

Steve Wherry

28 October 2021

Steven Wherry was born in Redruth, Cornwall on Tuesday 28th January 1964 and played for Illogan, Redruth, Penryn Athletic and as an apprentice at Bristol City before Steve Massey signed him at Truro City.

In the eleven seasons that Steve was Truro’s striker, he banged in 218 goals, winning three league titles – once as captain during the 1995-1996 season – the Cornwall Senior Cup twice and the South Western League Cup once.

Steve was also the assistant manager to Graeme Kirkup in the 1998-1999 season.

🏆🏆🏆 South Western League – 1992-93, 1995-96, 1997-98

🏆🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 1994-95, 1997-98

🏆 South Western League Cup – 1992-93

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TCFC Legend #5

Tom Smith

30 January 2023

Thomas Smith was born on Monday 26th December 1983 in Sheffield, England

Tom’s mum and dad enrolled him into a small club called Sheffield Rangers when he was 8 years old, he was only there six weeks before he was being scouted by Sheffield Wednesday! Tom can even remember the scouts name… Jack Wade.

Tom’s biggest influence in football is his granddad Dennis Smith, who played for Middlesbrough and Tom joked “The football genes skipped a generation, thank God!”

Smudge’s previous clubs were Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Rotherham United, Northampton Town and Hereford United before joining Truro City in 2005 when Steve Massey poached Tom from Tiverton Town, who Tom had asked to go and train with as his parents live in Devon and Tom hadn’t even heard of Truro City until Steve Massey approached him after he scored in a pre season friendly, where Tiverton played Smudge at left-wing!

Tom’s proudest moment was being captain of the 2007 FA Vase winning side at Wembley, a moment he will always cherish.

Tom would like to thank Steve Massey for bringing him to Cornwall, “My life would be very different if I was still up country. Something I’ll always be grateful for.”

🏆 FA Vase – 2006-07

🏆 Southern League Division One South & West – 2008-09

🏆 Western League Premier – 2007-08

🏆 Western League Division One – 2006-07

🏆🏆🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08

See also number 18 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’

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TCFC Legend #6

Chris Webb

27 February 2023

Christopher Webb was born on Wednesday 21st August 1963 in Truro, Cornwall.

Chris started playing football very young, at the age of 7 years old he was playing for Trelander Rovers which his dad ran as manager, Webby played all the way through until the age of 12 with his brothers Tony and David. There were players in that team like Mark Symons, Grant Champion and Stephen Caruana – the latter two went on to play the funny shaped ball of rugby.

Webby says his dad was the one who encouraged him to start playing football and after Trelander Rovers he played for an old Truro City player, Harold Richards who managed Chris up until the age of 16 for Truro Minors before Webby started playing for the Truro City first team, where he was trying to mark the likes of Newquay player David Street, which didn’t work out too well for Chris, as in his own words “What a great player he was, I don’t think anyone could mark him!”

Webby capped off a memorable season in 1992-1993 when he came off the bench in the South Western League Cup final at Porthleven and scored a goal against Falmouth Town in time added on, as City easily won the tie 4-1 and picked up the first trophy in a remarkable double winning season!

After retiring from football Chris went on to become Truro’s manager, director and vice chairman.

Webby regards the 2007 FA Vase final as the best day of his footballing career.

🏆🏆 South Western League – 1992-93, 1995-96

🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 1994-95

🏆 South Western League Cup – 1992-93

See also number 1 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’

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TCFC Legend #7

Kevin Wills

27 March 2023

On Wednesday 15th October 1980 Kevin Michael Wills was born in Torbay, Devon, England.

Kevin Wills got into football from an early age while watching his dad play for their local side Stoke Gabriel. Any spare time that Kevin had, he was kicking a ball around whether it was in the garden or the local park!

Whilst Kevin was playing for Tiverton Town, another future City legend, Stewart Yetton joined Truro from Tivvy and City then came in for Willsy and a fee was agreed so he spoke to Kevin Heaney (chairman) and Steve Massey (manager) and joined shortly after. The project they wanted to undertake was very exciting and Willsy wanted to be a part of it.

Before joining Truro City, Wills played for Plymouth Argyle, Torquay United and Tiverton Town.

In his three seasons, Kevin Wills scored 20 league goals for Truro City and 28 goals in all competitions, including two in the famous Vase final at Wembley, earning him the nickname Kevin ‘Both Ends’ Wills!

🏆 FA Vase – 2006-07

🏆 Western League Premier – 2007-08

🏆 Western League Division One – 2006-07

🏆🏆🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08

See also number 53 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’

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TCFC Legend #8

Johnny Wardle

14 April 2023

John Wardle was born in Plymouth, England on Saturday 30th May 1942.

Johnny started playing football in primary school at the age of 9 or 10 for his school football team and it was his older brother Ken, who first got him interested in football.

His first South Western League club was Saltash before moving on to Torpoint Athletic and then joining Truro City in 1966. Johnny made his City debut away at Nanpean on 15th October 1966, scoring two goals in a 6-0 win.

John won the South Western League with Truro as well as the Cornwall Senior Cup (for the second time) in 1970, he also helped City win the 1967 South Western League Cup.

After Truro City, Johnny joined Newquay but only played one season there.

John still lives in Plymouth with his wife.

🏆 South Western League – 1969-70

🏆🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 1966-67, 1969-70

🏆 South Western League Cup – 1966-67

See also number 4 on ‘Matty meets…’

See also number 72 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’

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TCFC Legend #9

Stewart Yetton

6 September 2023

On Saturday 27th July 1985 Stewart David Yetton was born in Plymouth, England.

His first club was his hometown club Plymouth Argyle, then Weymouth (on loan) and Tiverton Town before joining Truro City in late 2005.

Yetti made an immediate impact in his first season at Truro by being the top scorer with 18 goals in the league and 31 goals in all competitions helping Truro to gain promotion to the Western League. The following season was by far his best as he banged in a club record 72 goals in all competitions including 52 in the league and 10 goals in the FA Vase as City were triumphant in the league, Cornwall Senior Cup and in the FA Vase.

Stewart helped Truro City achieve five promotions in six seasons, three consecutive Cornwall Senior Cups, a famous win at Wembley in the Vase and even a glorious FA Cup run to the first round proper in the 2017-2018 season where we put up a brave fight away to Charlton Athletic.

Yetton was City’s top scorer in 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09, his 232 goals in all competitions is a club record at Truro City Football Club and will take some beating!

Yetti is currently the assistant manager at City and is doing a great job alongside manager Paul Wotton.

All hail the king of kings, Stewart Yetton!!

🏆 FA Vase – 2006-07

🏆 Southern League Premier – 2010-11

🏆 Southern League Division One South & West – 2008-09

🏆 Western League Premier – 2007-08

🏆 Western League Division One – 2006-07

🏆 Southern League Championship – 2011

🏆🏆🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08

See also ‘Stewart Yetton’

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TCFC Legend #10

Andy Watkins

30 December 2023

Andy Watkins was born on Wednesday 3rd April 1985 in Plymouth, Devon, England.

Watto joined Truro in 2006 and helped them win 4 league titles, 2 Cornwall Senior Cups, the Southern League Championship and of course the FA Vase at Wembley.

During his time at Truro City Andy scored 120 league goals and 142 goals in all competitions and was City’s top scorer in 2009-2010 and was joint top scorer in 2011-2012 along with Scott Walker.

🏆 FA Vase – 2006-07

🏆 Southern League Premier – 2010-11

🏆 Southern League Division One South & West – 2008-09

🏆 Western League Premier – 2007-08

🏆 Western League Division One – 2006-07

🏆 Southern League Championship – 2011

🏆🏆 Cornwall Senior Cup – 2006-07, 2007-08

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