WE’RE ON A FLIGHT OF FANCY
Falmouth take to the skies for Vase trip
FORGET the Road to Wembley – Falmouth Town fans are on the Plane to Jersey!
So determined are ‘The F Troop’ to back their side in the Isuzu FA Vase last 16 at Jersey Bulls next month that they’ve chartered their own aircraft.
The idea came when super fan Jeff Chambers – who has supported the Western League club for more than 50 years – tried to book flights from Cornwall to the channel islands.
With demand high, prices skyrocketed up to £800 per person.
That’s when the suggestion for hiring their own transport came about and, with the help of a fundraiser, 70 fans will board a flight from Newquay to St Helier on February 10.
“‘The F Troop’ are 300-400-strong in and stand in what we call The Packet End,” Chambers tells The NLP. “They are the best and most vocal Non-League fans in the west of England.
“So when we got the draw against sey Bulls, I rung up two or three companies to book our seats on planes to go on the ninth for the game on the 10th, but there was so much interest, they trebled their prices on us. It was up to £800 return from Exeter airport.
“I was talking to someone from Newquay Airport and they said, ‘Have you ever thought about chartering your own jet?’ He gave me a number and the rest is history!
“The first quote we had was £800 per person and then it went down to £450. A day later he came up with an offer where he said, ‘I’ve got a 70-seater, where it would be around the £400 mark’.
“It’s still dear so we set up a crowdfunder to see if we could get some help to bring the price down.
“People have donated incredibly in a few days – with donations we’re up to £7,500. It’s brought the price down to £300 per person and that includes transfers from Falmouth clubhouse to Newquay Airport and from the airport in St Helier to the ground.
“It’s sold out and we’ve got a reserve list now! We’ve also got as many people again going from Gatwick and Heathrow. We’re going to take our drum, our flags, our boombox – we’ll be going over there with everything we can to give the team the best chance of victory.”
A Jersey Bulls delegation will also welcome the travelling fans, with a scheduled stop in a pub on the way to the ground.
Happier times
It’s another remarkable adventure in Town’s storied history.
In the 1960s, they got to the FA Cup first round proper on three separate occasions – including a treble-winning year in 1962 – before, under legendary boss Richard Gray, winning eight consecutive league titles in the 1970s.
In the 80s, then managed by Dave Ball, they rose again, winning another treble and also reaching the FA Vase quarters in 1987 where they lost to eventual winners St Helens Town on a replay.
Hard times were to follow and in the noughties they were close to going out of business before current chairman Graham Medlin stepped in and they’re enjoying happier times under boss Andrew Westgarth.
“Under Westy we’ve got a local manager born a mile from the ground,” Chambers says. “The chairman, Graham Medlin, is born a mile from the ground. What a job Graham has done, and Micky Westgarth – the manager’s dad – is fantastic.
“Malcolm Newland, who runs the bar and has been with the club 45 years, and so many other people, have done amazing.
“We’ve gone from being, eight years ago, on the verge losing everything to where we are now, an average gate of 560 up from 50 or 60.
“In 2018, we got to the Walter Parson Cup Final against Tavistock at Wadebridge. A few of the old lads, about 25 of us, decided to get together. I was living away in Plymouth so I travelled down and, do you know what, from the moment we met that day it’s been like a renaissance.
“We formed the new ‘F Troop’. We won the treble in 2022, two Cornish Senior Cups and it’s been a real success story.
“The whole community has rallied round and come to watch Falmouth Town, to bring the old lady back to its past glory.”
Heartbeat
The ‘F Troop’ raise money for local charities and donate to foodbanks. Fan Dave Beard dresses up as a different character for all the big games and there is a sense of community at their iconic Bickland Park home. “The refreshing thing about the whole story, for me, is the renaissance of our great football club,” said Chambers, who thanks Charles Fittus, ‘Beardy, and partner Adele for the help in organizing the travel, as well as Weston Aviation’s Will Sheppard.
“Which, I believe, is the biggest club in Cornwall. When you see all the greediness, VAR in the Premier League, all the spin – we’re down to grass-roots football where money is the least important thing. It’s just the love of the game. There is nothing in the world like supporting your local football club.
“It’s the heartbeat of football where you can smell the onions, stand with your mates, have a bit of banter.
“It’s been a journey. There’s been joy and there’s been tears. At the minute, we’re experiencing a real high.”
And what if they win? “Can you imagine it?” Chambers says. “I might even swim back!”