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Tell me your South Western League characters


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Well the South West Peninsula League is well and truly underway now and seems to have grabbed the imagination of most of the Cornish football population.

But, CORNISH SOCCER is trying to put together one last memory of the now defunct South Western League and needs your help to put together some sort of publication spanning as much of the 55 years of its existence as possible.

If you are someone who grew up with the old league and could choose five people that for you capture the memory of the league, players, managers or officials, who would they be?

Please send your suggestions in as soon as possible to me by either sending me a PM or e-mail to davedeacs@hotmail.com, or text to 07759 502408 or in writing to 37 Moorfield Road, Pool, REDRUTH, Cornwall TR15 3QB

Thanks for your help

Dave Deacon

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Guest Postie Pidge

Going back to when I started watching Falmouth, Philpy was a real character. Always laughing and joking and waving when the F-Troop chanted his name. During that season he was unbeatable. He made some awesome saves and even when he decided to play without his gloves nothing got past him.

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Guest Peppermint

Dave - I passed your email onto Sandra and Brian Biggin and they have sent you details of some interesting characters associated with Newquay Football Club over the years.

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I'm sure most could come up with some real characters, here's a few of mine Dave. Managers. 1. Dave Wadd, nobody argued with him, his training was awesome & he did it with you. One of his favourite sayings that I can remember was "Hit the chalk!" Great manager. 2. Martin "Spanner" Smith, different style to Dave, but got the best out of whoever he had, good man manager, one of my best mates & boy have I had some laughs with him, & still do! 3. Dave Fisher. This guy is unbelievable, he has been at Perran forever & has churned out some good sides that have churned out some good players. A lot of big names in Cornish soccer have pulled on a Perranwell shirt for this guy. Players. 1. Probably my alltime favourite, Graham Nicholls, lovely bloke, great player. 2. Chris "Slipalong" Slateford. Another lovely bloke, great player, & a pleasure to be in the same side. 3. Gerry Westlake. A nightmare to play against, but great to have in your side. 4. Malcolm Mullis. Saw Malc a few years back now. He said Robbie I used to kick you from one end of the field to the other, he did as well! A hard good fullback. 5. Rappo. nobody could ever list 5 players fom the SWL without mentioning the big fella. A true gent & goalscorer extraordinaire. Had some right laughs with him as well, best not go into that on here! Committee Men. There are a lot I could mention, but I'm only going to one. This man for me should be knighted. He has done more for Penzance F.C. than probably everyone else put together. He will always be a very dear friend to me. He knows everywhere there is to eat from PZ to Exeter! He gives everybody stick from the stand, then he'll give you more in the clubhouse!! Players from every club love him, he is probably the biggest character I've known in all my years in the SWL. Jimmy Dann is a living legend.

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Guest Postie Pidge

Have to agree about Dave Wadd. Now aged 72, he's still as fit as ever and exercising daily. Although he was before my time, I've heard so many stories about him and his antics. Training at times was almost dangerous the way he used to have the players running up and down the steep Bickland banks.

The best story I ever heard about him was the flasher at Teignmouth and so disgusted with his behaviour he ordered the Falmouth team out and back onto the minibus, only to return moments later growling "I forgot my hat" and storming back out. :clapper:

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one character I can remember was Lee Clansfield i think his name was played for falmouth in the treble side was it Pidge?? I heard he refused to train with the team thinking he was too good for them, not sure about that but i know he scored a fair few.

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Apologies for spelling his name incorrectly!! so who is your character to remember then Dave??

James Miller was a character when he almost got killed playing for Truro, against Falmouth when he took a bow in front of the stand. This was when Webby was taking him off after getting one of the Street brothers sent off for kneeing him in the head.

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Guest Postie Pidge

Truro were winning 2-1 at the time and two goals in the final 2 minutes secured a 3-2 win for Falmouth who remained unbeaten until April. This was Boxing Day 1999.

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I remember a player for Falmouth called Sammy Leonance (cant spell) Sammy was awesome and everytime he was tackled his wife would come running down from the stand shouting abuse at the ref!

I would agree with Dave Philp choice he was such a character on and off the pitch! What a goalkeeper and i would say best shot stopper town have ever had from the 90s onwards.

The Street brothers were characters in the way they would fight for every ball! Had a dont give up attitude!

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Barely remember Sabu as a very young lad.

What were his favorite things to shout from the back of the stand.

I remember one was All roads lead to bickland park.

I'm sure some of the more senior town supporters can tell us alot more about this character, quite man for example or puffer phillips.

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Guest Postie Pidge

In an FA Vase match (I think Town were away to Westbury) and Sabu had spent the whole day drinking and thus missed the game having fallen asleep in the car park (or a field behind the goal) and would probably have remained there unless a young girl hadn't screamed, pointing "there's a dead man over there"

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"Sabu" alias Terence Pascoe,lived and died for Falmouth Town and was also a goalkeeper who played mostly for his local team of Porkellis.

I remember travelling up to St.Austell by train for the 1968 Cornwall Senior Cup final and in the Town met up with Sabu.

He had known the Hotel where the Falmouth players were residing in their pre match build up and decided to take us there.

Gatecrashing the White Hart Hotel, Bernard Barnes was coming down the stairs from his room and Sabu introduced us to the player(and later others) saying these boys have travelled ALL the way from Camborne to support you.

Next we were in the Falmouth directors and officials private party and I rember Sabu introducing me to Desmond Benson saying Mr.Benson manager of Falmouth meet Mr.Odgers manager of Pengegon FC. and then free drinks were ordered by the man.(What the hell were we doing in there)

You could have likened Desmond Benson who owned Hotels in Falmouth and Plymouth to the Abramovich of today.

Later at Poltair Park in the pre match warm up Sabu would be on the pitch in amongst the players giving them their "Gee up" before thousands of spectators and was remembered as "the Legend"by all who knew him.

His photograph can be seen in the glass trophy cabinet in the Falmouth clubhouse.

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mike and pidge,SABU! absolute legend.remember him on many a vase trip sleeping on the bus all game.my first visits to bickland as a kid with my dad and uncle in the western league days with sabu,s famous all roads lead to bickland park bellowing out!!! then being lucky enough to play for town and sab coming in the dressing room and listening to trevs team talks with the players!! he used to crack us up!! remember when we won the league one year and sab just walked in and jumped in the shower with all of us!! think **** put deep heat in his jockeys and he didnt even flinch when he put em back on!! he was entertainment on his own! great bloke,brilliant times!! you would be in my characters as well robbie!! not just the footie but all the great times off the pitch with your 83 mile an hour left foot mate!! remember getting mugged up holsworthy 2-1 and we got back chivy and was so fed up we dragged leezo into the big city for the night?wot a laugh,went footie saturday at 12 and got home sunday at bout 3 pm!! spanner at butlins! still decks me now whenever i think about it!!!dave pleat!! like you say,you cant put it on here but i thinks thats what the game is all about.its not about what you,ve won or not won but the friends you meet and the times we had will last a lifetime.all you young lads still playing,enjoy it cos it dont half go quick!!! old fart goin bed now! nite x :c::drink::D:thumbsup: :)

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