By David Harrison
THE two Launceston men’s teams, joined by friends, family and supporters, came together at Pennygillam on Sunday, May 26 to celebrate the challenging but satisfying 2023/24 season.
Team managers Neil Price (SWPL Premier West) and Kevin Hatch (St Piran League) made a series of presentations to players from both sides.
Hatch stressed that his main task had been to provide a steady stream of young players to feed through into the first team squad.
Unsurprisingly, second team results had been mixed but the key objective had been delivered with the first team securing a top ten SWPL finish while fielding some of the youngest teams in the club’s history.
Price paid tribute to his young side who, having endured a tough first half to the season, improved steadily to put together an unprecedented run comprising 10 wins from 11 games.
Results slipped away somewhat towards the end of the season, with the final nine league games having to be played within a three-week period, as a result of the severe winter weather. Otherwise a seventh-place finish would have been well within reach.
Price informed the meeting that his squad, enhanced by one or two fresh faces, had committed to stay with the club for the new season.
Future prospects for the club can only be enhanced by the recently-announced strategic partnership with Southgate which will provide a pathway for local players, from Colts through to adult football.
SWPL crowds at Pennygillam rose by 35% last season and hopes are high that the 2024/25 season will see both existing senior sides thrive, along with the new Launceston Development team who will start at the bottom of the St Piran League system.
More details of the partnership will be announced as they become available, following key meetings during the summer.
SWPL First Team awards: Manager’s Player: Andy Watkins and Mike Steele; Players' Player: Jude Jago; Supporters' Player: Archie Wall; Young Player: Jacob Ham; Top goalscorer: Andy Watkins; Dickie Downes Sporting Trophy: Paul Hider.
St Piran Second Team awards: Manager's Player: Mark Elvidge; Players' Player: Morgan Jones; Supporters' Player: Josh Chidley; Young Player: Morgan Jones; Top Goalscorer: Mark Elvidge and Josh Chidley
Additional Awards: Cornwall FA Award for over 50 years’ service to Cornish Football: Keith Ellacott; Inaugural winner of the SWPL Tracy Banfield Shield: Keith Ellacott.