Does anyone think that football will surpass rugby as the number one spectator sport in Cornwall?

[Guest Luffy]

Cornwall has always been a haven for Rugby, as it is one of the few counties in which the oval ball is regarded as the main sport and football as the second.

I remember playing rugby and football for Truro Cathedral school back in the late seventies early eighties and the emphasis was always on rugby with football as a minor distraction, however when I went back up country to Northamptonshire I found that this was reversed with Rugby taking second place to the beautifull game.

Do you as football players, managers and spectators believe that the game will ever be more popular than that of rugby in this county? Truro have brought the vase home but was it regarded as a victory for football or was it for Cornwall regardless of the sport they represented?

Personally I think that football will always be second to Rugby within the Duchy because there is not a league side within its borders, also compared to the way football is promoted further up country it has to be said Cornwall is lagging behind somewhat.

Reading the comments on this forum it seems that the majority of people believe that the the standard of the football down here is pretty good however is it, compared to the rest of the country??

I do think that their are many hard working people within the football community who are trying to bring better coaching and standards to those who play the game within the Duchy, however, could the football communtiy learn something from the way that Rugby is run or are we simply fighting a losing battle and whatever we do rugby is just part of the Cornish make up.

Any thoughts!!!!!

[Guest postman pat]

luffy when i went to school in camborne we had to walk 1/2 mile to play rugby on a football pitch "how ironic"yes i do think that the gap is closing between the two sports but not quickly enough.this is because we do have a lot more qualified coaches. plus hundreds of boys and girls playing more and more. with Truro moving up the pyramid system and the SOUTHWEST PREMIER league the standard will start to progress even more especially when these children come through the system and don't have to move out of county :clapper:

[Guest]

Unfortunately No!

[Barbs]

Rugby is and always will be the No1 sport being played and watched in the Duchy although I agree with Postman Pat that the gap is closing but every so slightly (mainly to Truro doing so well last season). But with the background of Cornwall's heritage and mining traditions Rugby will always come out on top. I cant see the prospect of 40,000 people going to watch Cornwall's Football Team play at Wembley, but if Cornwall RFU got to Twickenham again im sure Trelawyns Army and 40,000 + fans would be on the march once again.

[Guest Cornishdave1980]

Great question Luffy, a very strong opinion oreintated question though.

I believe they are on an even keel as you cannot account for every single person who watches a game played each weekend in both sports. The answer can only truely be based on official attendence figures which then limits both sports to top flight teams such as Cornish Pirates, Launceston and Redruth for rugby and then Truro, St Blazey and other top flight cornish football teams. However the figures wouldn't give an overall accurate picture.

I do agree though that if Cornwall RFU made the county championships at Twickenham again there would be considerable support similar to what i witnessed in 99 when Cornwall beat Gloucester!

By the way can any confirm the number of fans who travelled to Wembley to watch Truro?

[KIT 65]

At the moment I would say that football is gaining ground on rugby as a spectator sport in Cornwall,but very slowly.All that is needed is a very good quality team turning out quality football,and that will bring down to the County good quality opposition.When this happens I think the football fans in the County will turn up to watch in there thousands.The proof of this was last season when Truro City had a great run in the F.A. Vase and had good quality opposition down here to play,and the support was there for all to see.

If Kevin Heaneys dream of Truro getting into the Southern Premier,and perhaps one day into the Combination league becomes reality I think you will see the tables turn.

[Guest WINNO]

FOOTBALL IS NOWHERE NEAR RUGBY . UNTIL TRURO GET INTO THE CONFERENCE IT WILL NEVER BE EITHER.

LOOK AT THE PIRATES AND LAUNCESTON. THEY ARE PLAYING IN THE FOOTBALL EQIVALENT OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP. WITH REDRUTH NOT FAR BEHIND.

SORRY FELLAS MILES APART AT THE MOMENT...................... MILES!!!!!!

[RAPPO]

winno is dead right.compare this one luffy:it was about 15 years ago mind!cornwall played warickshire at redruth in the county championship semi final in front of 12,000,we played for cornwall same time ,same day against wiltshire at newquay in the south west counties championship,won 4-0 as well! 133 in attendance!!!hope that answers you,re question!? rugby will always be no.1 in cornwall,but its getting better these days with deacs show on radio cornwall,and much more in the papers than before,truro,s success etc.so we live in hope!!! :wacko:

[Darin Morse]

Am I missing something here? What absolute tripe! Football is way more popular than egg-chasing, certainly where I've lived all my life, anyway. Is there a rugby equivalent of this forum (with 700 members?). Are there as many rugby matches every week as football matches? Could the average Cornishman name, say, 10 current England rugby internationals? Or name the last 5 England rugby coaches? Or 10 rugby grounds (or even 10 rugby teams)?

I always find it amusing when the County Championship attendance figures are quoted. How many success supporters went to Twickenham again? How many of them had been to a Cornwall game before, or indeed, since? How many of these bandwagon jumpers were glory fans pretending not only to be rugby fans, but worse, that they were Cornish!

I'd sooner be speared in the gonads with a rusty fork than watch a rugby match.

[Guest Peppermint]

Whilst I much prefer soccer to rugby I feel Winno and Rappo are nearer the mark and whether we like it or not rugby is the more popular game in Cornwall. Darin is way off the mark with his comments regarding rugby supporters not being able to name internationals etc. Keen rugby followers are as knowledgeable about their game as soccer followers.

The comment about people jumping on the bandwagon when Cornwall reached Twickenham is correct but that comment could have been leveled at several people who did the same last season and went to Wembley to watch the F A Vase final.

It will always happen that glory hunters will follow success and that goes for soccer and rugby. Look at the crowds that the Cornish Pirates attract for home games and I am sure Launceston will have good attendances this season. I think it will take a long time before Truro City attract those crowds. This is not knocking Truro but is simply stating facts.

[Richard Chown]

Some interesting opinions put forward, Yes the question is Does anyone think that football will surpass rugby as the number one spectator sport in Cornwall? But I think if you put things into prospective, there are way more people actively playing football in Cornwall with more leagues than rugby. FACT. Which means they cannot watch football becuase they are playing.

If you take a look at Junior and Senior football matches, ok you are not going to get the same ammount of people like Redruth Rugby Club get on a Saturday around 400 at a match (mainly older people who no longer actively particpate in sport) put your going to get around 10-20 people on average watch a good Junior side and approx 20-40+ people watching a Senior match, if you put all these people watching football on a Saturday in Cornwall together, I would go as far as to say that Football spectators outnumber Rugby spectators in Cornwall on a Saturday, however I understand those figures are not official and may be wrong.

To compare Cornwall football to Cornwall Rugby is a bit unfair, Cornwall Rugby Team is something different altogether, its a insitiuation in its own right.

:c:

[oldasitgets]

I'm sure that football is getting more popular. And I have statistical evidence to prove it.

In 1996/97, the average gate at Nancegollan was 3.4 spectators per game.

This last season season there was just over 5.1 per game. (These figures, of course include subs and managers. Sometimes the referee can be counted as a spectator for statistical purposes)

This is a MASSIVE 50% increase in support for the game

If this continues, then there will be almost 200 spectators per game in the year 2107, a mere 100 years on. Think of that!

"90% of statistics are made up on the spur of the moment"