This article is part of the ‘League Preview’ series, in which every day we take a detailed look at one of Aldershot Town’s 23 prospective opponents for the upcoming National League season.
Recently becoming Cornwall’s first ever professional football club, today’s focus are perhaps the most interesting addition to this season’s Enterprise National League, 2024/25 National League South champions, Truro City.
Following significant financial backing in the early 21st century, ‘the Tinners’ have been making serious noise in the depths of the football pyramid for the last two decades, including a record four promotions in as many years between 2006 and 2009. Finally reaching step-one in April in dramatic circumstances, the club will undoubtedly continue striving towards their ultimate pursuit of Football League status.
Tasked with making a first Cornish season at step-one a success is John Askey. The former Macclesfield Town forward, who made a record 679 appearances for the club, joined the South West side in June 2024, and delivering a maiden sixth-tier title at the first time of asking, understandably has the utmost confidence of the club going into the new campaign.
—————————————————————————————————————-
Where is Truro?
Truro is situated in Cornwall, in the furthest reaches of England’s South-West. With a population of roughly 23,000, it is the fourth-largest settlement in its county, and the only with city status. Approximately 231 miles from the EBB Stadium, this 4h 11m journey will mark Aldershot’s eighth-furthest away trip of the upcoming league season.
Following their historic promotion, the Tinners have not only become the first Cornish side to have ever competed in England’s top-five leagues, but in preparation have also made the jump to becoming the county’s first ever full-time professional club. One must look to step-four of non-league to find the club’s next-best neighbours, with Falmouth Town and Mousehole both competing in the Southern Premier League South Division One.
Their closest rivals in the professional game unsurprisingly hail from Devon, and while the club are yet to meet Football League heavyweights Plymouth Argyle or Exeter City competitively, their heated National League South meetings with Torquay United have regularly commanded attendances of 3,000+ in recent years. Outside of the city itself, Truro currently serves as the closest place to see fifth-tier football or higher in the towns of St. Austell (~25,000 pop), Falmouth (32,000), and most notably, Redruth (47,000).
Truro play their home matches at the Truro City Stadium, in the nearby village of Threemilestone. The ground opened for the start of the 2024/25 season, following an arduous process that was prolonged by the collapse of a proposed groundshare with the Cornish Pirates rugby team, and a four year interim period playing ‘home’ matches in Plymouth or Gloucester, the latter over 200 miles away from the city itself. Finishing the season with a capacity of 3,600, it is technically the second-smallest ground in this season’s National League, marginally ahead of fellow sixth-tier champions, Brackley Town. However, in January of this year, the club were given permission to add 500 seats to the ground, construction of which has occurred this summer.
Truro finished the 2024/25 season with an average league attendance of 1,814, the ninth-lowest among teams currently competing in the division, though their average 60.47% capacity fill represents the second-highest total, behind only York City.
—————————————————————————————————————-
Recent history and club highlights
Yo-yoing between steps two and three of non-league in recent years, Truro City finally made their first foray into fifth-tier football in April, following an historically close title race in the National League South, which saw as many as six teams capable of being crowned champions on the final day, including nearby rivals Torquay United.
While the neutral may have been hoping for several twists and turns across the afternoon, the table-topping Tinners ensured to make things as uncomplicated as possible, leading by three goals after half-an-hour against St. Albans. The side would go on to win 5-2 on the day, reaching new heights in front of a sold out home crowd.
2024/25 – National League South (1st, Promoted)
2023/24 – National League South (16th)
2022/23 – Southern Premier S (3rd, Promoted via play-offs)
2021/22 – Southern Premier S (8th)
2020/21 – Southern Premier S (N/A)
2019/20 – Southern Premier S (N/A)
2018/19 – National League South (20th)
2017/18 – National League South (7th)
2016/17 – National League South (9th)
2015/16 – National League South (4th)
While two promotions in three years may normally represent the most lucrative period in a club’s history, the Tinners are no stranger to a rapid rise. Following significant financial backing, the once step-seven club climbed five divisions in six years to reach the Conference South in 2011, including four successive promotions between 2005/06 and 2008/09, a feat that remains a shared record in English football history, alongside Shaw Lane AFC.
The club also enjoyed cup success during this time, winning the FA Vase in May 2007. Beating AFC Totton 3-1 in front of 27,754 spectators, they became only the second club side to emerge victorious at the newly built Wembley, and the first Cornish side to appear at either iteration of the iconic stadium.
They have reached the 1st round of the FA Cup on just one occasion, after victories against AFC Portchester, AFC Sudbury and Hampton & Richmond Borough earned them a visit to former Premier League side Charlton Athletic in November 2017, losing 3-1 on the day.
—————————————————————————————————————-
Pre-season, incoming transfers and other news
At time of writing, Truro have made 7 first team signings.
| Player | Pos. | Age | Arriving from… | Highest level played |
| Luke Jephcott | CF | 25 | Newport County | SPL (St. Johnstone) |
| Rekeil Pyke | CF | 27 | Grimsby Town | Championship (Huddersfield) |
| Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain | RB | 27 | Kidderminster | League Two (Notts County) |
| Aidan Stone | GK | 26 | Yeovil Town | League One (Port Vale) |
| Harry Kite | CM | 25 | Yeovil Town | League One (Exeter) |
| Lirak Hasani | CM | 23 | Torquay United | League One (Doncaster) |
| Max Kinsey (loan) | CB | 20 | Bournemouth U21 | N/A |
A promising transfer window thus far shows a serious statement of intent from the South West side, with each permanent transfer possessing Football League experience.
This is particularly true with returning striker Luke Jephcott, who boasts 26 goals at League One level. The forward joined the side on loan in February, chipping in with six goals on their way to the NL South title, including the opening goal on that all-important final day.
Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain played 42 times for the Shots during the 2021/22 season, and is the younger brother of former England, Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder and namesake, Alex. Goalkeeper Aidan Stone joins from Yeovil Town. The shot-stopper was instrumental in Port Vale’s promotion from League Two in 2021/22, including a clean-sheet in the side’s victorious play-off final against Mansfield.
Truro’s pre-season matches, which were contested exclusively within the South West peninsula, resulted as follows:
Tavistock AFC 0-5 Truro City (11/07)
Truro City 2-3 Plymouth Argyle (16/07)
Truro City 2-0 Falmouth Town (19/07)
Tiverton Town 0-0 Truro City (25/07)
Plymouth Parkway 1-0 Truro City (02/08)
With preparations concluding with a narrow loss to former groundsharers Plymouth Parkway, Truro will begin their first ever step-one campaign in Ruislip, North London, with a trip to Wealdstone on Saturday, 9th August.
—————————————————————————————————————-
When will Aldershot and Truro play each other?
Following the release of the National League fixture list, the Shots will make their most southerly journey to the Truro City Stadium on Wednesday, 3rd September, while Tommy Widdrington’s men will be welcoming the Tinners on Saturday, 25th April, on what is currently scheduled to be the final game of the regular season.
The early-September tie will represent the first time that the two sides have met. With unrealised bragging rights on offer, this unique midweek matchup may just be worth the 460-mile round trip yet.
