Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to meet up and interview a handful of former Truro City Football Club players to ask them a few random questions about their Truro City careers…
1 – Harold Jefferies
Harold Jefferies was generally regarded as Cornwall’s best centre-half and joined Truro City at the start of the 1957-1958 season, he was captain for 12 seasons and had trials at Chelsea, Bristol Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur!
I met Harold in 2014 at Falmouth Golf Club and he was more than happy to talk football to me.
Matt Hall “What was your highlight playing for Truro City?”
Harold Jefferies “Winning the Senior Cup! Anytime we won the Senior Cup, that was it for me.”
MH “How did you all celebrate winning a trophy?”
HJ “The game at St Austell (1967 Cornwall Senior Cup Final), we got on a coach and went back to a hotel in Truro where we showed off the trophy and had a few beers!”
MH “Your position was centre-half but you were selected by the county to play left back, why was that? and could you play anywhere?”
HJ “My first position was at left back, but I got moved to centre-half, which I loved as you’re more involved in the game! I couldn’t play anywhere, no.”
MH “You are a TCFC legend but what was it like playing with another, Basil Steer?”
HJ “Basil had asthma and wouldn’t run for any ball that wasn’t at his feet, but when you played the ball to his feet then more often than not he would score! He was also a lovely golfer.”
Sadly, Harold passed away on 9th November 2022 at the age of 84 years.
See also number 50 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’
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2 – Steve Massey
Steve Massey was a striker for Stockport County, Bournemouth, Peterborough United, Northampton Town, Hull City, Cambridge United and Wrexham before joining Truro City in 1988.
Mark Tregunna and I met Steve Massey in July 2019 at The Arts Cafe in Truro and asked him some questions about his time at TCFC.
Mark Tregunna “After your professional career finished, why did you join Truro City?”
Steve Massey “I moved to Cornwall and a few clubs were interested, Falmouth especially and they had put a contract in front of me, all prepared and ready to sign, but I didn’t feel there was really a challenge for me playing for the top side in Cornwall at the time. Once I’d met with Morrish Truscott and Truro City, who were all dressed smartly in club attire, I knew I was going to sign as I had a good rapport with them.”
MT “Who was your best signing for TCFC?”
SM “Stewart Yetton, even though I never had the best out of him.”
MT “Who was your most influential signing for TCFC?”
SM “Leigh Cooper who joined halfway through the 1992-1993 season was my most influential signing followed closely by Graeme Kirkup.”
Matt Hall “What are your memories from the 1992-1993 championship winning season?”
SM “The goal that season was to finish in the top 4, I thought we’d blown it after losing 3-2 to Bodmin (in April), but the Appledore game sticks out in my mind, it was around October/November time, we won 4-0 or 5-0, we battered them and we were full of confidence!”
MT “Who were your best signings XI during your three stints as TCFC manager?”
SM
Andy Gammon
Darren Tallon – Graeme Kirkup – Tom Smith
Jake Ash – Frank Bickle – Paul Smith – Leigh Cooper
Kevin Wills
Stewart Yetton – Darren Robison
Subs – Paul Hider (GK), Steve Wherry, Sammy Leonce, Arran Pugh, Jonny Ludlam
See also number 26 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’
See also number 2 on ‘Legends’
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3 – Brian Mitchell
Brian Mitchell was Truro City’s goalkeeper during the mid 1960’s, winning the Cornwall Charity Cup in the 1964-1965 season.
On 11th February 2022 I met up with Brian at Costa Coffee, St Austell and chatted all things footy with him over a hot chocolate.
Matt Hall “Who was your previous club and how did the move to Truro come about?”
Brian Mitchell “I played for Nanpean before being approached to play for Truro City and was offered 3 pound 5 shilling a game which was better than what I was on at Nanpean… nothing! I signed at the age of 20, the same time as Colin Chegwyn, who came from Camelford.”
MH “The 1965 Cornwall Charity Cup Final at Helston, talk me through it…”
BM “There was a good size crowd considering it was Flora Day and I remember one of the goals Colin Chegwyn scored, he hit the ball that hard that it got stuck in the stanchion of the goal and it had to be forced out!”
MH “You were offered a pro contract with Truro but refused to sign, why was that?”
BM “I spoke with Harold Jefferies about it and he said don’t do it as you’re young and don’t want to be tied down to a club, so I didn’t sign and Trevor Salsbury did, so I moved to St Austell.”
See also number 44 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’
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4 – Johnny Wardle
Johnny Wardle was Truro City’s prolific goal scoring inside-left during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.
On 14th April 2023 I visited Johnny and his wife at their house to discuss all things Truro with him over a cup tea and a ham sandwich (thanks Mrs Wardle for the hospitality).
Matt Hall “Who was your club before Truro and how did the move come about?”
John Wardle “Torpoint Athletic – Truro put in seven days notice to Torpoint for me but Torpoint didn’t tell me!
MH “The 1967 South Western League Cup was shared between Truro and St Blazey after a 2-2 draw, what are your thoughts on that match? Because it should have gone to extra time and we should have had an outright winner…”
JW “I think if we had continued then we would have won that!”
MH “You scored in three cup finals for Truro, but which goal was the best for you personally? – The ’67 South Western League Cup against St Blazey (2-2 draw), the ’68 South Western League Cup against Falmouth Town (2-4 loss) or the ’70 Cornwall Senior Cup against Newquay (6-1 win)…”
JW “I always remember the 1970 Cornwall Senior Cup final goal, the ball came over Stewart Lenton’s head and he caught the ball with both hands, then placed the ball on the ground, I took a quick free-kick and scored, the Newquay players complained but the referee Mr Trunks awarded the goal!”
MH “You left Truro to join Newquay in 1973, were there any reasons behind that move?”
JW “The chairman John Start left and then a few Truro City players followed and we all played for our local clubs.”
See also number 72 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’
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5 – Terry Askey
Terry Askey was Truro City Football Club’s double winning right back in the 1969-1970 season and was signed from Newquay in 1969.
On 12th January 2024 I met Terry in The County Arms, Truro to chat with him about his City career…
Matt Hall “How did you first get into football?”
Terry Askey “My mother got me into football as my father passed away during the war, so she was a single parent and I was an only child. I was 12 years old and first played for Duchy Youth, Newquay as my school only had a rugby team.”
MH “You and John Amos both joined Truro City from Newquay, did you know Truro were building a team capable of winning a league title?”
TA “At the time only Truro and Falmouth were capable of winning things so from a purely selfish reason I joined Truro to win something.”
MH “What was it like playing in front of thousands of people at Treyew Road?”
TA “I loved playing in front of thousands of fans at Treyew Road. Sometimes when we played away at smaller clubs in the cups there would not be very many supporters. This was more difficult to concentrate as you could hear what people were commenting! You could concentrate fully when there were thousands as there was just a very loud overall noise and loads of atmosphere, so it was great!”
See also number 77 on ‘Players of Yesteryear’
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TCFC 1889 