Bugle- Demise Of Successful Club

[Ian Pethick]

Some fascinating pictures and comments on the Cornwall Football Memories Facebook site regarding Bugle and their SWL title winning side of 1984/85. Intrigued to know how the club went from the star studded line up of this time, to leaving the league altogether in 1991/92 (still managing to finish third though), and then ceasing to exist as a club altogether by 1998.

[Ian Pethick]

9 minutes ago, Keith B said:

Only thing I know about Bugle is that I have three sisters living there and they are not into football at all. Two are rugby fanatics, along with their husbands. Sorry not helpful I know.

No, very helpful. The club's demise is entirely the fault of your sisters and their partners.😀

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

One of our players many years ago took 6 months off to travel the world, he was scuba diving on the great barrier reef and surfaced to pop into a boat for a breather.

"Hello Andy" a voice behind him said, he turned around to see a fella he played against for Penryn v Constantine! 

That's how small the world is these days.

[Bruegel the Elder]

11 minutes ago, Keith B said:

Some years back during the mid/late 1960's whilst at sea, I was ashore in Cape Town and upon turning the street corner bumped right into another man. We both appologised almost simultaneously in perfect English and - it was my history teacher at secondary school. ''What are you doing here'' we both said in unison. Small world indeed.

Did he play the bugle Keith? (A particularly difficult instrument to play as it is dependant on the users embouchure!)

[Bruegel the Elder]

I had to look it up as well Keith, I’m no expert at franglais, or brass musical instruments either!🎺toot toot❗️

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

2 hours ago, Bruegel the Elder said:

I had to look it up as well Keith, I’m no expert at franglais, or brass musical instruments either!🎺toot toot❗️

You blowhard you!

[Bruegel the Elder]

2 minutes ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said:

You blowhard you!

I’ll have you know that I’m a confirmed heterosexual, how very dare you, you pompous............ (I had to look that one up on Google too! Sounds like a nasty westerly!)

[David Bray]

10 hours ago, Way Of The Park said:

Some fascinating pictures and comments on the Cornwall Football Memories Facebook site regarding Bugle and their SWL title winning side of 1984/85. Intrigued to know how the club went from the star studded line up of this time, to leaving the league altogether in 1991/92 (still managing to finish third though), and then ceasing to exist as a club altogether by 1998.

Fond memories of Molinnis Park home of Bugle Fc.

It's still there, just used for the annual Bugle Band Contest.

Haven't looked in on what's left for quite a while, apart from a rectangle of scruffy grass not much else I would imagine, very sad demise.

Riviera Coasters FC played their Duchy League fixtures there between 1974 and 1980, fond memories indeed.

e

[Tommy Matthews]

I’ve said this before on here, I remember Jimmer their vocal supporter. “Come on my Bugle boys!” 
He loved his team but really didn’t care much for opponents. The football world needs more like him. Sadly gone now I believe. 

[cornishteddyboy]

One of those games you remember once or twice a season.

Bugle v Penzance, mid-winer, late 80's or early 90's. I don't remember if it was a league or cup match.

Before the game, clear when we left West Cornwall, then it started snowing, badly, with the snow coming down so hard, it was almost horizontal.

About 10 people there, roughly half and half supporting either side. I remember we parked alongside the pitch but still stood out in the snow. Daft in those days!

Game kicks off with Penzance facing into the snow. 6-0 down at half time. We were shouting for the referee to call it off as we needed to get home. Not a blade of grass to be seen, everything is white. Blizard conditions but the ref plays on.

Well done ref, Penzance score 7 without reply to win the game! It's in the records somewhere, League, Senior Cup or Charity Cup.  

We left as soon as the game finished taking ages to get home. God knows when the team got back as it was some rough and getting worse.

Don't much remember the ground apart from you drove into Bugle, over the rail bridge, turn left, then left again. Turn down right beside a house then along-side the ground to park at the back of the pitch. Opposite was a tall but small stand. Can;t remember so no idea where the clubhouse, if any was on the site.

 

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

Played there once 50 years ago in a semi or a final for under 18s.

Considered one of the best set ups in those days.

[Soccer Follower]

Weren't there a couple of teams who tried to resurrect footba;ll in the village in recent times? Bugle Orient comes to mind as one but not sure where they played their home matches.

[Charlie Farley]

Wouldn't mind more info on that game Teddyboy.

I remember watching Penzance play there circa '73,'74? Us travelling (young) supporters boo the team running out in red shirts ,then recognise Russel Williams. Penzance were in a change strip ! The ground was/is in the heart of the village.

[David Bray]

4 hours ago, cornishteddyboy said:

One of those games you remember once or twice a season.

Bugle v Penzance, mid-winer, late 80's or early 90's. I don't remember if it was a league or cup match.

Before the game, clear when we left West Cornwall, then it started snowing, badly, with the snow coming down so hard, it was almost horizontal.

About 10 people there, roughly half and half supporting either side. I remember we parked alongside the pitch but still stood out in the snow. Daft in those days!

Game kicks off with Penzance facing into the snow. 6-0 down at half time. We were shouting for the referee to call it off as we needed to get home. Not a blade of grass to be seen, everything is white. Blizard conditions but the ref plays on.

Well done ref, Penzance score 7 without reply to win the game! It's in the records somewhere, League, Senior Cup or Charity Cup.  

We left as soon as the game finished taking ages to get home. God knows when the team got back as it was some rough and getting worse.

Don't much remember the ground apart from you drove into Bugle, over the rail bridge, turn left, then left again. Turn down right beside a house then along-side the ground to park at the back of the pitch. Opposite was a tall but small stand. Can;t remember so no idea where the clubhouse, if any was on the site.

 

There was not a Club House until the 1980's ( at a guess ) certainly not when Coasters played there, a really sizeable building was erected opposite the grand stand, however vandalism and a serous fire put paid to the structure, a real shame and i don't think it was long after that that the Club folded, there was a Bugle Orient FC but they were a Sunday League side ? who did not last that long.

Such a shame they were a good club with good people on the committee, when i played there, there was a high fence behind the goal as you drove into the ground that was there to stop the ball sailing on down to the train station , all houses there now.

[AJW]

Bugle Orient played in the Duchy League for a few seasons and I went to Molinnis in 2002-3 with my team for an "interesting" league game on one occasion.  They finished third in Duchy 4 West that season. The stand in which the teams changed was still there but more or less derelict and so, although they had a decent Duchy team,  I'm not surprised that their players decided to enjoy their football in slightly more pleasant surroundings elsewhere.  I remember that our changing room had a carpet of broken glass!  A real shame that those running the club at that time couldn't stop the team eventually folding as the potential to have a decent pitch and facilities were still there at that time.

[Ian Pethick]

21 hours ago, cornishteddyboy said:

One of those games you remember once or twice a season.

Bugle v Penzance, mid-winer, late 80's or early 90's. I don't remember if it was a league or cup match.

Before the game, clear when we left West Cornwall, then it started snowing, badly, with the snow coming down so hard, it was almost horizontal.

About 10 people there, roughly half and half supporting either side. I remember we parked alongside the pitch but still stood out in the snow. Daft in those days!

Game kicks off with Penzance facing into the snow. 6-0 down at half time. We were shouting for the referee to call it off as we needed to get home. Not a blade of grass to be seen, everything is white. Blizard conditions but the ref plays on.

Well done ref, Penzance score 7 without reply to win the game! It's in the records somewhere, League, Senior Cup or Charity Cup.  

We left as soon as the game finished taking ages to get home. God knows when the team got back as it was some rough and getting worse.

Don't much remember the ground apart from you drove into Bugle, over the rail bridge, turn left, then left again. Turn down right beside a house then along-side the ground to park at the back of the pitch. Opposite was a tall but small stand. Can;t remember so no idea where the clubhouse, if any was on the site.

 

What a story. These sort of posts are exactly what you hope for when starting a topic, there must be hundreds of these tales out there.

[David Bray]

14 hours ago, AJW said:

Bugle Orient played in the Duchy League for a few seasons and I went to Molinnis in 2002-3 with my team for an "interesting" league game on one occasion.  They finished third in Duchy 4 West that season. The stand in which the teams changed was still there but more or less derelict and so, although they had a decent Duchy team,  I'm not surprised that their players decided to enjoy their football in slightly more pleasant surroundings elsewhere.  I remember that our changing room had a carpet of broken glass!  A real shame that those running the club at that time couldn't stop the team eventually folding as the potential to have a decent pitch and facilities were still there at that time.

Alan, thanks for the correction, Bugle Orient were indeed a Duchy League Club for only 4 seasons, 1982 - 1985.

League tables confirmation c/o Mike Newcombe's excellent 'Fifty Years of the Duchy League' .

[isaac rosenberg]

Went there once when they were already in decline to watch an East Cornwall League match against Padstow. I think Bugle lost about 4 1. Instead of their traditional colours they were wearing a lurid orange and purple strip. I seem to remember a rumour that their decline connected with the building of an enormous clubhouse which gave out too many free drinks to those in the know. They evidently didn't get new spectators very often. I was approached with the suggestion I might like to become their committee.  I had two very small children at the time and was only allowed to attend matches within 15 miles on condition I drove straight home afterwards, so Bugle were saved that agony, at least. I saw Bugle draw twice at St Just in the Senior Cup long before this. When they were good, we lost a replay at Molinnis 6-2. More recently, an Alex Johnson goal gave us a 1 nil replay victory. On another occasion, Combo St Just came from two down at Lafrowda Park to beat SWL Bugle 5-2. Memories, eh ?

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

16 minutes ago, isaac rosenberg said:

Went there once when they were already in decline to watch an East Cornwall League match against Padstow. I think Bugle lost about 4 1. Instead of their traditional colours they were wearing a lurid orange and purple strip. I seem to remember a rumour that their decline connected with the building of an enormous clubhouse which gave out too many free drinks to those in the know. They evidently didn't get new spectators very often. I was approached with the suggestion I might like to become their committee.  I had two very small children at the time and was only allowed to attend matches within 15 miles on condition I drove straight home afterwards, so Bugle were saved that agony, at least. I saw Bugle draw twice at St Just in the Senior Cup long before this. When they were good, we lost a replay at Molinnis 6-2. More recently, an Alex Johnson goal gave us a 1 nil replay victory. On another occasion, Combo St Just came from two down at Lafrowda Park to beat SWL Bugle 5-2. Memories, eh ?

Who'd have believed it...isaac and petticoat power...made my day!

[cornishteddyboy]

On 22/01/2021 at 10:09, David Bray said:

Alan, thanks for the correction, Bugle Orient were indeed a Duchy League Club for only 4 seasons, 1982 - 1985.

League tables confirmation c/o Mike Newcombe's excellent 'Fifty Years of the Duchy League' .

There was also a Bugle in the Duchy League in 1998-99, a Bugle Rovers in 1999-00 and a Bugle Orient in 2000-05

[kitbag]

Remember taking  a St Teath to bugle pitch in 1996 played Bodmin res in a duchy league semi final second leg ,we won 21 nil over the to legs and then beat padstow in the final.Also remember the year before that the late Chris Slateford played for us at St teath and turned out for Bugle in a senior cup match as our game was cancelled that day.They played a top sww league team and won by the odd goal Chris getting the goal .Bugle where in the ecpl at this point and there manager was Mike Dowling who was an ex team mate of Chris at bugle .Chris father in law ,neils grandad was heavily involved with the club.

 

[cornishteddyboy]

Why did they leave the SWL anyway? That season, 1991-92, the finished third.

Was it lack of funds, players, officials or another reason?

	TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	FALMOUTH TOWN	34	26	5	3	91	20	71	57
2	NEWQUAY	34	23	5	6	88	31	57	51
3	BUGLE	34	16	9	9	65	46	19	41
4	TRURO CITY	34	14	11	9	74	49	25	39
5	BODMIN TOWN	34	15	9	10	53	51	2	39
6	CLYST ROVERS	34	15	8	11	59	60	-1	38
7	APPLEDORE-BAAC	34	16	5	13	78	56	22	37
8	PORTHLEVEN	34	14	8	12	77	69	8	36
9	ST BLAZEY	34	15	6	13	72	67	5	36
10	TORPOINT ATHLETIC	34	14	7	13	49	50	-1	35
11	HOLSWORTHY	34	9	16	9	37	46	-9	34
12	WADEBRIDGE TOWN	34	12	7	15	45	52	-7	31
13	ST AUSTELL	34	10	8	16	45	63	-18	28
14	MILLBROOK	34	9	9	16	45	70	-25	27
15	LAUNCESTON	34	8	6	20	45	73	-28	22
16	DEVON and CORNWALL POLICE	34	7	8	19	43	78	-35	22
17	TAVISTOCK	34	8	5	21	53	79	-26	21
18	PENZANCE	34	7	4	23	35	94	-59	18

[Ian Pethick]

On 13/02/2021 at 14:57, cornishteddyboy said:

Why did they leave the SWL anyway? That season, 1991-92, the finished third.

Was it lack of funds, players, officials or another reason?

	TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	FALMOUTH TOWN	34	26	5	3	91	20	71	57
2	NEWQUAY	34	23	5	6	88	31	57	51
3	BUGLE	34	16	9	9	65	46	19	41
4	TRURO CITY	34	14	11	9	74	49	25	39
5	BODMIN TOWN	34	15	9	10	53	51	2	39
6	CLYST ROVERS	34	15	8	11	59	60	-1	38
7	APPLEDORE-BAAC	34	16	5	13	78	56	22	37
8	PORTHLEVEN	34	14	8	12	77	69	8	36
9	ST BLAZEY	34	15	6	13	72	67	5	36
10	TORPOINT ATHLETIC	34	14	7	13	49	50	-1	35
11	HOLSWORTHY	34	9	16	9	37	46	-9	34
12	WADEBRIDGE TOWN	34	12	7	15	45	52	-7	31
13	ST AUSTELL	34	10	8	16	45	63	-18	28
14	MILLBROOK	34	9	9	16	45	70	-25	27
15	LAUNCESTON	34	8	6	20	45	73	-28	22
16	DEVON and CORNWALL POLICE	34	7	8	19	43	78	-35	22
17	TAVISTOCK	34	8	5	21	53	79	-26	21
18	PENZANCE	34	7	4	23	35	94	-59	18

That is what would be interesting to hear, did they just burn through all their resources? Looking at some of the line ups of this time, they looked like they had a star studded group of players that would not have come cheap.