Mousehole
Full nameMousehole Association Football Club
Nickname(s)The Seagulls
Founded1922; 102 years ago (1922)
GroundTrungle Parc, Paul, Cornwall
ChairmanDeryk Heywood
ManagerJake Ash
LeagueSouthern League Division One South
2022–23Western League Premier Division, 1st of 19 (promoted)

Mousehole Association Football Club is a football club based in Paul, Cornwall. They are currently members of the Southern League Division One South and play at Trungle Parc. It is named for the nearby village of Mousehole.

History

Mousehole joined the Cornwall Combination in 1960–61 and were promoted to the South West Peninsula League Division One West on its formation in 2007, after finishing as Combination runners-up the previous season.[1] They won Division One West in 2015–16. At the end of 2018–19 the league was restructured, and Mousehole successfully applied for promotion to the Premier Division West, at Step 6 of the National League System.

In 2017, the club had a sponsorship arrangement with the Endorsed Group, a recruitment and software company run by a local businessman. Together with the club they set up the Endorsed Academy, aiming to improve coaching standards and provide opportunities for young footballers in Cornwall.[2] Mousehole hosted a pre-season tournament in July 2018, the Endorsed Cup, featuring youth teams from Newcastle United, Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers.[3]

In 2018, an approach was made by Mousehole concerning a possible merger between themselves and neighbours Penzance A.F.C., amid concerns that Trungle Parc may not prove viable as Mousehole progress through the leagues.[4] A further approach was made by Penzance in 2019, but in May, Mousehole released a statement confirming they had withdrawn from the discussions.[5] In 2021, they were promoted to the Premier Division of the Western League based on their results in the abandoned 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons.[6] They were promoted to the Southern Football League as champions in the 2022–23 season, only the second Cornish side to reach step four of the non-league system.[7]

Honours

  • Cornwall Combination
    • Runners-up 1985–86, 2006–07
  • South West Peninsula League
    • Division One West Champions 2015–16
  • Western Football League
    • Premier Division Champions 2022–23

References

  1. ^ "Mousehole A.F.C. at the Football Club History Database". FCHD. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  2. ^ Matthews, Chris (8 March 2018). "The Cornish success story giving the county's footballers a chance to go pro". CornwallLive. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  3. ^ Matthews, Chris (16 March 2018). "Two Premier League clubs to play in tournament in Cornwall". CornwallLive. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Row erupts after ambitious Mousehole AFC lodge bizarre approach to merge with local rival Penzance". Cornwall Live. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Statement from Mousehole AFC re merger talks with Penzance AFC". Mousehole AFC. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  6. ^ Andy+Howes says (18 May 2021). "REACTION FROM MOUSEHOLE AFC AFTER NEWS OF PROMOTION TO WESTERN LEAGUE". MOUSEHOLE AFC. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  7. ^ Clark, Daniel (23 April 2023). "Mousehole AFC celebrate historic promotion to the Southern League". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 26 April 2023.

External links

50°05′23.9″N 5°33′13.1″W / 50.089972°N 5.553639°W / 50.089972; -5.553639