Porthleven tipped to challenge for honours (From Falmouth Packet)

Porthleven tipped to challenge for honours

9:29am Friday 17th August 2007

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MOST clubs will try all manner of means to gain promotion, but for one club, Porthleven, it was the opposite scenario with the fishing village outfit turning down the opportunity to take their place in the premier division of the South West Peninsula League.

It wasn't that the club lacked ambition, but that they didn't want to risk the long-term future of the club by competing at a level that may have been beyond their financial resources.

The Gala Park club may well have to rethink their strategy at the end of the season as all the early signs suggest the Fishermen could be in for a good campaign.

Competing in the lower tier has not affected the playing strength of the club with manager Gary Marks' squad already being tipped as potential champions.

That is something which he was quick to play down saying that no-one has yet won anything.

"Talk of winning the league, promotion and cups has been banned from the dressing room already," said Marks. "I know people are saying good things about us, but nothing is ever won in pre-season. It's a long season and anything can happen during that time.

"Nobody has a divine right to win anything and football has a nasty habit of kicking you in the teeth."

There has been some movement of players, but not wholesale arrivals and departures.

Said Marks: "We've lost Tom Lamborne to St Blazey, but I'm not surprised because he only lives just five minutes from the ground; Damon Mulready has also joined St Blazey and Nigel Thwaites has retired; the only other departure is Frazer Cadman who has moved to St Just.

"On the plus side the Brewer brothers, Steve and Mike, have joined from Penryn Athletic, Steve Winnan, who has played at Falmouth, Truro, and Penryn, has signed, as have two more brothers, Glenn and Scott Rogers. Glenn is a striker and Scott a central defender or utility player."

The composition of the squad falls neatly in line with the current philosophy of chairman Neil Clark who wants players at the club who live not more than 20 miles away.

"I'm very happy with the squad," said Marks. "Everyone lives within a 20-mile radius which means they all turn up for training. But what pleases me more than anything is the fact that I have retained most of last season's squad.

"They have all trained well under Mike Christopher who has really made a difference to their fitness. We are fit. I also have Micky Westgarth as my assistant and I see that as a great addition to the club.

"We had a young side last year and they are growing into the job all the time. That squad qualified for the premier division last season, but under the circumstances at the time, which I supported, were unable to accept their place.

"We finished well up the league, but could have had a top six finish but for the injury problems we had around the Christmas and New Year period.

"I'm confident in the team's ability because last season we were able to adapt our game. We played some very good football against the top sides, but struggled against the so-called lesser teams because of the style of football they played.

"So it will probably be the other way round this time and we will be the target for the other teams, so it is going to be a different problem for us to solve."

As for the season itself, Marks is confident that he has a side that can challenge for honours, but where all the clubs will finish he has no idea.

"The league is mostly ex South Western League sides, so I would expect a lot more of them. For the clubs from the Jolly's and East Cornwall League it will be a new experience although I don't expect the reality of the competition will kick in until Christmas.

"The SWL sides such as Port, Penzance and Penryn have been competing at this level for some time, and some of the newer clubs may find the travelling a little more difficult for their players.

"But as I said, let's wait and see how it all works out."

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