Truro City can confirm that striker Andrew ‘Rocky’ Neal will be leaving the club upon the completion of the 2024-25 season.
Neal first joined City for the 2016-17 campaign, topping the goalscoring charts after he found the net 16 times in National League South.
The following term, Neal was once again the mainstay of a City side that reached the first round of the FA Cup and the play-offs too.
However, he departed for Taunton Town, but was equally as prolific at Wordsworth Drive, before returning to Truro for 2020-21, a season curtailed by the covid-19 pandemic.
Neal’s first full year back in a City shirt saw the side narrowly miss out on the Southern League play-offs, before Truro went one better 12 months later.
After finishing third in the table, City lowered the colours of Poole Town in the play-off semi-finals, before defeating Bracknell Town 3-2 in a dramatic final. Neal was on the mark for City in the promotion winning game and he finished with 19 goals overall.
A first season back at Step Two for City in 23-24 saw the side comfortably avoid relegation and Neal notched a double-figure goalscoring return.
This term, the 31-year-old scored three times in wins over St Albans City (away and home) and Hornchurch. He bagged the fifth and final goal of the victory over the Saints, which confirmed Truro as National League South champions.
A fans favourite, Neal netted 70 times for City across two spells and will be forever remembered for his penalty box prowess and emotional celebration when scoring on the final day of 24-25.
“I’ve loved my time at Truro,” Neal told trurocity.co.uk. “I have been lucky enough to experience some great success with the club and meet some great people who I’ll consider friends for life.
“I’ll always be proud of the two promotions and the goal against St Albans, to send the club into the National League, will be one I forever treasure.
“I’d like to say thank you to all the fans for their support over the years, especially through the tough times where we had to play away from home for such long periods.
“I’m truly gutted to be leaving the club, but with the new full time schedule, it’s just something I can’t commit to.
“I wish the club all the success moving forward, it’s in great hands and I’m sure it will continue to grow.”
Meanwhile, City boss John Askey, added: “Since I joined the club, Rocky has been a pleasure to work with.
“He has been a credit to himself and scored some important goals this season, like he has done all throughout his career at the football club.
“He will be missed not only for his ability on the pitch, but the way he contributed off it, whether he was playing or not and we wish him well for the future.”
