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Mabe FC have withdrawn from Trelawny League Division 1 with immediate effect due to a lack of players.

 

As a result of the withdrawal, all previous results involving Mabe have been expunged.

 

No cup competitions have been affected.

 

Division 1 will now be made up of 12 teams. 

 

As a result of this withdrawal and in line with Trelawny League 12b(ii) and due to the withdrawal of Marazion FC at the beginning of the season, no teams will be relegated from Division one at the end the 17/18 season.

 

What is happening to grassroots football man?!

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Sad to see another go, it's getting worse every season. Also having looked at the fixtures in that league Trispen only have 10 games left to play now and having 4 scheduled before Christmas will leave them with 6!! Reckon their season could be done by the end of February, has there ever been an earlier finish to a season for any club?!? 

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It's got nothing to do with travelling. It's to do with the fact participation is at the lowest it's ever been. It's about people not lacing up their boots and playing on a Saturday.

It's not too many teams either - we now have the lowest amount of clubs/teams in the Trelawny League since it was formed. Team numbers are dwindling every season.

And with regards to travelling, what do you want us to do? Divide the divisions based on geographical location? You will literally have a few divisions which are completely unbalanced and with minimal teams. Imagine putting a team like Madron in with the likes of Mousehole Reserves or St Buryan? Then what happens with the club's second teams? Put them in a sub-division based on geographical location? It wouldn't  work.

We just haven't got enough teams to create a Mining/Falmouth Helston league setup like before. 

The problem isn't travelling - No club has ever folded because of the travelling. All clubs fold because there isn't enough players or/and volunteers to go around.

This will be a talking point at the Committee Meeting on Wednesday. The league's and the club's need to take ownership of the situation and work together to find a way to entice players back into the game. I have a few ideas but I need the backing and support of the club's for it to work. 

I will be looking to meet with club representatives on my return from the Middle East in February. We need to try and find a solution together. Failure to do so will see numbers dwindle even further. 

 

(All views above are of my own personal opinion)

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18 minutes ago, BarmyArmy said:

Too many teams, not enough interest and too much travelling!

Travelling is a weak excuse in my eyes. People dont think twice about crusing about in the evenings etc, if you want to play football for a side, the travelling has nothing to do with it, it because you want to play for that club and should be the fact you want to play to the highest standard you can and not just be a big fish in a little pond! :yahoo:

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Camborne Athletic

Camborne Park
Camborne School of Mines
Camborne Town
Carbis Bay United
Carharrack
Carharrack Reserves
Chacewater
Chacewater Reserves
Clipper Bar Inn
Constantine
Constantine Reserves
Cury
Falmouth Albion
Falmouth Athletic DC Reserves
Falmouth DC
Falmouth Town
Four Lanes
Four Lanes
Four Lanes Reserves
Frogpool & Cusgarne
Frogpool & Cusgarne Reserves
Goonhavern Athletic
Goonhavern Athletic 3rds
Goonhavern Athletic Reserves
Gulval
Gulval Reserves
Gwinear Churchtown
Gwinear Churchtown Reserves
Halsetown
Halsetown Reserves
Hayle 3rds
Hayle Reserves
Helston Athletic 3rds
Helston Athletic Reserves
Holman SC Reserves
Holman Sports Club
Illogan RBL 3rds
Illogan RBL Reserves
Lanner
Lizard Argyle
Lizard Argyle Reserves
Ludgvan
Ludgvan Reserves
Mabe
Mabe Reserves
Madron
Madron Reserves
Marazion Blues
Marazion Blues
Marazion Blues Reserves
Marazion Park Rangers
Mawnan
Mawnan Reserves
Mousehole 3rds
Mousehole Reserves
Mullion 3rds
Mullion Reserves
New Inn Titans
Newbridge Athletic
Newlyn Dolphins
Newlyn Dolphins
Newlyn Lions
Newlyn Non-Athletico
Newlyn Non-Athletico Reserves
Newquay 3rds
Newquay 4ths
Newquay Reserves
Pendeen Rovers
Penryn Athletic 3rds
Penryn Athletic Reserves
Penwith College
Penwith Exiles
Penzance Reserves
Perranporth Reserves
Perranwell Reserves
Pool United
Porthleven Rangers
Praze-an-Beeble
Praze-an-Beeble Reserves
Probus
Probus Reserves
Railway Locomotiv
Redruth Athletic
Redruth Athletic
Redruth Athletic Reserves
Redruth United
Redruth United 3rds
Redruth United Reserves
RNAS Culdrose Reserves
Robartes Arms
Rosudgeon
Rosudgeon
Rosudgeon Reserves
Ruan Minor
Sennen
St Agnes 3rds
St Agnes 4ths
St Agnes Reserves
St Buryan
St Buryan Reserves
St Day 3rds
St Day Reserves
St Erme
St Ives Mariners
St Ives Town Reserves
St Just Reserves
St Keverne
Stithians
Stithians Reserves
Storm
Storm
Storm Reserves
Storm Reserves
Threemilestone
Threemilestone Reserves
Titans
Titans Reserves
Titans Reserves
Trelander
Trelander
Trevenson United
Trevenson United Reserves
Trispen
Trispen
 
Troon 3rds
Troon AFC
Troon AFC Reserves
Wendron United 3rds
Wendron United 4ths
Wendron United Reserves
West Cornwall

West Cornwall Reserves

 

57 Teams Folded

13 Teams moved to Combo/ECPL

66 Teams in Trelawny League

 

We have lost more teams than we actually have competing in the League at the moment. I'm now compiling some stats. I don't have the reasons for most of these clubs folding - but I would say 95% are due to lack of players/volunteers.

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I think there are a few issues....... with suggestions

No loyalty....... hard to change its just the next generation of spoilt players coming through

Too expensive to participate for youngsters and unemployed ( I know some clubs subsidise for unemployed or younger players, but smaller clubs cant afford to do that)..... the league works with the Cornwall FA to make funding available to clubs if they have 16-18 year olds or unemployed players??

As soon as the season ends, the whole team can just bugger off to another club, no questions asked.- massive headache preseason for every manager and the league to have to get everyone signed on again, why not say once your signed for a club that's it, over preseason still enforce the transfer procedure, this gives manager and clubs more stability as no mass exodus, cuts down workload for the league and clubs........ as an example ( Chacewater players walking out preseason and joing St.Agnes and Mabe players preseason all walking out and going to Falmouth Town)----- Email going to the league to make suggested rule change.

 

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8 minutes ago, Portreathlegend said:

As soon as the season ends, the whole team can just bugger off to another club, no questions asked.- massive headache preseason for every manager and the league to have to get everyone signed on again, why not say once your signed for a club that's it, over preseason still enforce the transfer procedure, this gives manager and clubs more stability as no mass exodus, cuts down workload for the league and clubs........ as an example ( Chacewater players walking out preseason and joing St.Agnes and Mabe players preseason all walking out and going to Falmouth Town)----- Email going to the league to make suggested rule change.

 

I said a few years ago at the agm, why don't we use the RETAIN LIST like the swpl do...i was told that its illegal and they will be stopped, well he we are years on and swpl still doing the same thing.

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2 minutes ago, Bruegel the Elder said:

Some interesting points there Portreathlegend.

B_D An interesting compilation, however there is no time frame, nor indication of new teams joining or being relegated from “senior” leagues . Looking at the bare information it would appear that the Trelawny league started out with 136 teams

You'll have to wait a little while longer for that information.. I'm good, but not that good. I think the shocking statistic is the player numbers in the graph.

Number of teams at the end of each season:

11/12: 89
12/13: 94
13/14: 89
14/15: 83
15/16: 75
16/17: 69

This shows the decline

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3 minutes ago, B_D said:

You'll have to wait a little while longer for that information.. I'm good, but not that good. I think the shocking statistic is the player numbers in the graph.

I don’t know where you find the time Dave. The graph is fascinating, as well as the year on year decline, it is the continued growth in signings throughout the season with a distinct rise in the closing months that fascinates. This seems to be replicated every season, with an increase of 180+ from February onwards. Are these fair weather players who don’t like cold knees?

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42 minutes ago, B_D said:

 

Camborne Athletic

Camborne Park
Camborne School of Mines
Camborne Town
Carbis Bay United
Carharrack
Carharrack Reserves
Chacewater
Chacewater Reserves
Clipper Bar Inn
Constantine
Constantine Reserves
Cury
Falmouth Albion
Falmouth Athletic DC Reserves
Falmouth DC
Falmouth Town
Four Lanes
Four Lanes
Four Lanes Reserves
Frogpool & Cusgarne
Frogpool & Cusgarne Reserves
Goonhavern Athletic
Goonhavern Athletic 3rds
Goonhavern Athletic Reserves
Gulval
Gulval Reserves
Gwinear Churchtown
Gwinear Churchtown Reserves
Halsetown
Halsetown Reserves
Hayle 3rds
Hayle Reserves
Helston Athletic 3rds
Helston Athletic Reserves
Holman SC Reserves
Holman Sports Club
Illogan RBL 3rds
Illogan RBL Reserves
Lanner
Lizard Argyle
Lizard Argyle Reserves
Ludgvan
Ludgvan Reserves
Mabe
Mabe Reserves
Madron
Madron Reserves
Marazion Blues
Marazion Blues
Marazion Blues Reserves
Marazion Park Rangers
Mawnan
Mawnan Reserves
Mousehole 3rds
Mousehole Reserves
Mullion 3rds
Mullion Reserves
New Inn Titans
Newbridge Athletic
Newlyn Dolphins
Newlyn Dolphins
Newlyn Lions
Newlyn Non-Athletico
Newlyn Non-Athletico Reserves
Newquay 3rds
Newquay 4ths
Newquay Reserves
Pendeen Rovers
Penryn Athletic 3rds
Penryn Athletic Reserves
Penwith College
Penwith Exiles
Penzance Reserves
Perranporth Reserves
Perranwell Reserves
Pool United
Porthleven Rangers
Praze-an-Beeble
Praze-an-Beeble Reserves
Probus
Probus Reserves
Railway Locomotiv
Redruth Athletic
Redruth Athletic
Redruth Athletic Reserves
Redruth United
Redruth United 3rds
Redruth United Reserves
RNAS Culdrose Reserves
Robartes Arms
Rosudgeon
Rosudgeon
Rosudgeon Reserves
Ruan Minor
Sennen
St Agnes 3rds
St Agnes 4ths
St Agnes Reserves
St Buryan
St Buryan Reserves
St Day 3rds
St Day Reserves
St Erme
St Ives Mariners
St Ives Town Reserves
St Just Reserves
St Keverne
Stithians
Stithians Reserves
Storm
Storm
Storm Reserves
Storm Reserves
Threemilestone
Threemilestone Reserves
Titans
Titans Reserves
Titans Reserves
Trelander
Trelander
Trevenson United
Trevenson United Reserves
Trispen
Trispen
 
Troon 3rds
Troon AFC
Troon AFC Reserves
Wendron United 3rds
Wendron United 4ths
Wendron United Reserves
West Cornwall

West Cornwall Reserves

 

57 Teams Folded

13 Teams moved to Combo/ECPL

66 Teams in Trelawny League

 

We have lost more teams than we actually have competing in the League at the moment. I'm now compiling some stats. I don't have the reasons for most of these clubs folding - but I would say 95% are due to lack of players/volunteers.

That list is astonishing .... wow

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9 minutes ago, Bruegel the Elder said:

 

I don’t know where you find the time Dave. The graph is fascinating, as well as the year on year decline, it is the continued growth in signings throughout the season with a distinct rise in the closing months that fascinates. This seems to be replicated every season, with an increase of 180+ from February onwards. Are these fair weather players who don’t like cold knees?

@Steve Carpenter compiled the data up until 15/16. I just inserted last seasons and this seasons. It's quite an unforgiving set of stats. People say we need to recruit more youth, whilst that's correct, the massive drop in participation is actually in the 32-35 bracket. Youth (16-19) actually towers above all the other age groups

I'm putting that down to lads falling in love, getting married, having kids and working etc.... By the time they reach 36, they've had enough of the Mrs lol

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12 minutes ago, Bruegel the Elder said:

 

I don’t know where you find the time Dave. The graph is fascinating, as well as the year on year decline, it is the continued growth in signings throughout the season with a distinct rise in the closing months that fascinates. This seems to be replicated every season, with an increase of 180+ from February onwards. Are these fair weather players who don’t like cold knees?

Too many Xbox footballers, think they can do as the computer game and when they get on the pitch and realise they are not Messi or Ronaldo, they climb back into their hovels!

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What would the graphs look like if it showed only the players who actually played during those seasons. A lot of clubs with SWPL sides still register their players for the Trelawny but those SWPL players never get their boots dirty playing at our level. 

I other words just graphs showing active players who have played at least one game in the Trelawny i any season.

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Just now, digger1000 said:

Bring back the Falmouth/helston league 

bring back the West penwith league 

bring back the mining league 

end this nonsense 

travelling is the main reason!!

they can stay in bed till 1pm then and still play!!!!

You're misguided to think that travelling is the reason for the decline in participation.

5 minutes ago, cornishteddyboy said:

What would the graphs look like if it showed only the players who actually played during those seasons. A lot of clubs with SWPL sides still register their players for the Trelawny but those SWPL players never get their boots dirty playing at our level. 

I other words just graphs showing active players who have played at least one game in the Trelawny i any season.

I can do it on appearances at the end of the season, that'll be interesting

 

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1 hour ago, Bruegel the Elder said:

 

I don’t know where you find the time Dave. The graph is fascinating, as well as the year on year decline, it is the continued growth in signings throughout the season with a distinct rise in the closing months that fascinates. This seems to be replicated every season, with an increase of 180+ from February onwards. Are these fair weather players who don’t like cold knees?

Obvious. Come late in the season, players are finding jobs in the tourist trade ready for Easter, players are suffering long term injuries,, players moving up to combo teams to cover player shortages in that league, etc.

I bet a fair bit of that increase is young 16-17 year olds as they are the only new players available. I see it in the combo when doing the goal scoring charts. I find there is a sudden influx of new names that have never scored before.  

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8 minutes ago, digger1000 said:

Bring back the Falmouth/helston league 

bring back the West penwith league 

bring back the mining league 

end this nonsense 

travelling is the main reason!!

they can stay in bed till 1pm then and still play!!!!

It is not travelling causing the problems at this level. How far do you travel North-South or East-West in the Trelawny or Duchy leagues. What is the furthest distance.

In Div Trelawny 4 I think it Mousehole to Probus is longest trip , 37 miles each way. An hour an 6 minutes each way according to a route planner. You drive from Mousehole to Newquay for a day out and don't moan but it is the same distance. You drive further than that to go shopping at Liskeard Trago and think nothing of that trip. 

The loss of players is in the 20-23 age group might be to a fair few now moving away to college, Saturday working with a lot more people self employed nowadays, wives/partners working Saturdays/Sundays so blokes now have to babysit, and sadly due to our society nowadays a lot of blokes have kids, leave their partners and Saturdays is the only time they get to see their youngsters.  

 

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Whenever I've asked someone personally, it's always been because of work, not getting enough time or they just can't be bothered. I have never heard of a player leaving the game purely based on travel. 

I've reached out to people on Facebook for answers. I'll be doing the same again this week to try and get answers. 

Unfortunately, we do not collect email addresses so I can't try and email the players to get answers. I do however hold all the addresses - anyone want to chip in for postage? 

I can only go on the information that I have here... I'm not going to speculate nor jump to conclusions! I enjoy travelling around the County both as a player and as a referee personally.

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33 minutes ago, B_D said:

 

Whenever I've asked someone personally, it's always been because of work, not getting enough time or they just can't be bothered. I have never heard of a player leaving the game purely based on travel. 

 

Me neither.

 

3 hours ago, Portreathlegend said:

As soon as the season ends, the whole team can just bugger off to another club, no questions asked.- massive headache preseason for every manager and the league to have to get everyone signed on again, why not say once your signed for a club that's it, over preseason still enforce the transfer procedure, this gives manager and clubs more stability as no mass exodus, cuts down workload for the league and clubs........ as an example ( Chacewater players walking out preseason and joing St.Agnes and Mabe players preseason all walking out and going to Falmouth Town)----- Email going to the league to make suggested rule change.

Can't be done I'm afraid.  Straight from the FA's legal department when the question was asked.

 

2 hours ago, green & white said:

I said a few years ago at the agm, why don't we use the RETAIN LIST like the swpl do...i was told that its illegal and they will be stopped, well he we are years on and swpl still doing the same thing.

It was and still is (as far as I'm aware) other than for contracted players.

 

2 hours ago, Bruegel the Elder said:

B_D An interesting compilation, however there is no time frame, nor indication of new teams joining or being relegated from “senior” leagues . Looking at the bare information it would appear that the Trelawny league started out with 136 teams

I don't have this to hand but I know B_D has a spread-sheet of teams by season. Off the top of my head the largest number of withdrawals (just) was for lack of players followed very closely by a lack of volunteers and then promotions to the Combination.  After that it's a splattering of other reasons.  

 

57 minutes ago, B_D said:

I can do it on appearances at the end of the season, that'll be interesting

If it's not in the stuff I handed over to you I may have this somewhere.

Sadly there is no silver bullet for any of this.

 

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I can answer for myself, and it is probably the same answer for a number of blokes my age (34), injuries, and inability to work through injury, will cause people to leave the game they love as they simply cannot afford the risk of losing money when they have bills to pay, and families to feed etc. I was injured last week by accident but this has resulted in being laid up since. Unfortunately it is now one injury too many and I have decided to retire. However, I cannot imagine being out of the game altogether and will lend a supporting role in some capacity to my current club (even as a supporter travelling 36 miles!!!). The one thing I have noticed with players, and I do believe this is the biggest problem with teams, and this is purely loyalty, or lack thereof. It is far too easy to transfer mid season when the going gets tough!!

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2 hours ago, B_D said:

Trial_Page_1Trial_Page_2

Participation by Age Group

Could it be lower in the 28-31 and 32-35 brackets because a lot of players are "in their prime (obviously not so much as they get closer to 35)" and seeing if they can make the grade in the higher leagues and then come back down when they get older?

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Although I read this site every day I've managed to not contribute for over a year . However I can't help but respond to this subject which is one of the most interesting  and important subjects on here for ages . I'm particularly interested  because I'm involved with a league in Norfolk  and our league has plummeted from 3 divisions down to just one in a very few years . A similar situation has occurred in other parts of our county with some leagues disappearing altogether . There are now huge areas of Norfolk without a village football team and sadly these teams will never return . I'll keep my posting short so as not to bore you but I totally agree with earlier posts asking why nobody asks those who longer play why they finished . The FA have recently implemented a survey regarding grass roots football but yet again fail to ask why people no longer play . (  I must I found the question about a prayer room rather strange , I'm not sure providing a prayer room would increase player numbers ) I strongly believe that organised football for 6 year olds up to 13 year olds must  shoulder the blame for some of the decline . I know I'll receive a barrage of  comments about this , but let's face facts , the majority of football teams in this age group are run by parents for the benefit of their child .As soon as that child reaches 16 the team folds . During that time the child has learned no useful football skills and has probably suffered some miserable games . They are unable to integrate  into adult football  and so are lost to the game . From my experience some of the better ones are so arrogant that they don't progress up the football ladder because they can't be told anything .

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The big jump last season of players only playing up to 4 games. Bet you that is young players, who try it, don't like it and leave the game. It's them we need to attract. Also those sticking it for a whole season from season 14/15 to 15/16 halved. One reason could be the bad winter two years ago when teams did not play for week after week. Players went off and did other things and never came back. 

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2 hours ago, B_D said:

Whenever I've asked someone personally, it's always been because of work, not getting enough time or they just can't be bothered. I have never heard of a player leaving the game purely based on travel. 

I've reached out to people on Facebook for answers. I'll be doing the same again this week to try and get answers. 

Unfortunately, we do not collect email addresses so I can't try and email the players to get answers. I do however hold all the addresses - anyone want to chip in for postage? 

I can only go on the information that I have here... I'm not going to speculate nor jump to conclusions! I enjoy travelling around the County both as a player and as a referee personally.

I’m amazed that in 2017 a request for email address isn’t on the registration form, is there a reason for this or have they not been updated this century?

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BD hats off to you for all the work you are putting in to grass roots football ,  you take lots of stick , but you keep going and try to raise interest in the local game ,  From a personal perspective I couldn't manage a team now ,  any manager deserves praise the hours and money it costs is unbelievable ,for no thanks bar abuse when some players are benched .  The good old days have gone  , players move clubs more than they used to , more as John Mead has stated leave our county for education and to better their futures never to return , the world is a smaller place now , when younger I didn't know anybody who went to university or travelled , the opportunity is there for younger people and good luck to them .  Weekend work ,  less free time , youth football , volunteers getting older and unable to keep clubs going , costs to run clubs , eg insurance , kits , rent  when Cornwall is a mainly low income area ,  As another poster said injuries can keep you off work and to get personal insurance isn't cheap ,  nearly every month another team folds  , it will keep happening until it levels out and unfortunately we all will see less teams and smaller leagues . Hope I am wrong as I still love the beautiful game  but I fear it will get worse before it gets better .

 

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8 minutes ago, Bruegel the Elder said:

I’m amazed that in 2017 a request for email address isn’t on the registration form, is there a reason for this or have they not been updated this century?

It's hard enough to get players to write their name's and house number correctly - I'd have no hope requesting email addresses aha!

 

8 minutes ago, stevieb said:

BD hats off to you for all the work you are putting in to grass roots football ,  you take lots of stick , but you keep going and try to raise interest in the local game ,  From a personal perspective I couldn't manage a team now ,  any manager deserves praise the hours and money it costs is unbelievable ,for no thanks bar abuse when some players are benched .  The good old days have gone  , players move clubs more than they used to , more as John Mead has stated leave our county for education and to better their futures never to return , the world is a smaller place now , when younger I didn't know anybody who went to university or travelled , the opportunity is there for younger people and good luck to them .  Weekend work ,  less free time , youth football , volunteers getting older and unable to keep clubs going , costs to run clubs , eg insurance , kits , rent  when Cornwall is a mainly low income area ,  As another poster said injuries can keep you off work and to get personal insurance isn't cheap ,  nearly every month another team folds  , it will keep happening until it levels out and unfortunately we all will see less teams and smaller leagues . Hope I am wrong as I still love the beautiful game  but I fear it will get worse before it gets better .

 

Thanks for the kind words Steve - I learnt how to use the block button :c:

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7 minutes ago, St Darren said:

A lot of the ‘equivalent standard  junior players’ from years gone by are now playing combo football henceforth the reason why the overall standard of combo football decreases year on year in my opinion. 

Jeez, I played in it for 3 years!!!

Well done that you played in the combo , I was never good enough to play ,   but have to disagree about the standard it did drop a few years back but with the likes of Ludgvan , Carharack ,  ST. Day at present  Pendeen , West Cornwall  playing good football and most clubs have players who could get in the top teams of the league it has improved .

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4 minutes ago, St Darren said:

The overall standard of the combo league isn’t as good. There are some good teams in it but it doesn’t go down far in the league

 

i played because I had a left foot

I will suppress the temptation to suggest that this is not uncommon in bipedal mammals. In fact almost a requirement for the able bodied. Do you mean that you are left handed, only in the lower limb, thus improving your perceived skills on the left hand side of the pitch?

If so, you put yourself down, left footedness may be a small advantage, but it needs fitness and a footballing brain to make it of any use. I suspect that the level of football you played was due entirely to your overall skills, rather some quirk of “handedness”.

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