Boss John Askey says yesterday’s open training session at Truro City’s brand-new stadium ‘gave everyone a lift’.

Season ticket holders, invited guests and members of the local media were invited to Langarth as the first team were put through their paces by Askey, his assistant Stewart Yetton and first team coach Matt Godfree.

For many, this was the first glimpse of the Tinners’ new home and to finally see the players out on the pitch, it was a realisation that after four long years away from the Duchy, the highest ranked football club in Cornwall are finally back.

And even for Askey himself, the transformation has been rapid since he was appointed new first team manager in early June.

“I came down here when there was no grass on the pitch,” he began.” So to come down here and have the lads train on it is fantastic.

“It is a really lovely surface to train on and it will the same to play on too. It helps make a training session because there has been lots of talk amongst the players about the new stadium. They have now seen it with their own eyes and I could see during the session it gave everyone a lift.

“There is a real buzz about this place now and I think those fans in attendance saw that this stadium is for real. Hopefully, they will tell their mates and we will have a decent crowd for the first game.

“Football clubs are all about their fans and wider community. It is great for us to be back at Truro and hopefully there are good times ahead.”

Those in attendance watched City put the final touches on preparations for Saturday’s pre-season clash away to Gloucester.

And after racking up comfortable wins over Torpoint Athletic, Willand Rovers, Tiverton Town and then Falmouth Town in the Aubrey Wilkes Trophy game on Tuesday evening, Askey is hoping for a sterner examination against the Tigers, who last year were relegated from Step Two into the Southern League Premier.

“We need a tough test because every team we have played so far, it has been really comfortable,” the City chief added.

“But that is more because of the players’ attitude and how they have approached each game, opposed to any result being just down to the standard of our opposition.
“It will be a bit harder against Gloucester, but we need that going into the first game of the season against Dorking Wanderers.”