Truro City's rapid rise up football pyramid continues

For the fifth time in six years, Truro City have finished a league season by winning promotion.

On Monday, nearly 1,700 fans packed into Treyew Road to watch City beat Weymouth 3-2, before the players were presented with the Zamaretto Premier Division trophy.

In winning the title and promotion, Truro became the first Cornish team to reach the heights of Conference football.

The likes of Woking, Havant & Waterlooville and Boreham Wood will all be travelling to the south west to turn out at Treyew Road next season.

Truro's journey up through the leagues began in the 2005/06 season when they finished second in the South Western League.

Promotion into the Western Leagues followed, from where Southern League football quickly became a reality.

Managers have come and gone during the White Tigers' rise, with both Dave Leonard and Sean McCarthy enjoying successful spells at the club, the latter guiding Truro to the Southern Premier League.

But it is the current incumbent, former Plymouth Argyle defender Lee Hodges, who is winning the admiration of players, supporters and officials alike.

"Lee is a very special man," chairman and owner Kevin Heaney told BBC Cornwall. "He was born to be a manager. He is a top man, and he'll go on to be a great manager."

Hodges was appointed to the top job in March 2010, replacing ex-Yeovil Town boss Steve Thompson, whose tenure only last 18 games.

"I'm still learning, I am going along the way," Hodges said. "It's my first full season in charge and I'm a Championship-winning manager.

"It still hasn't settled in yet, when I sit back in the next few weeks I'll be chuffed to bits."

Even though Truro City are backed by multi-millionaire businessman Heaney, the make-up of the squad has hardly changed during their ascent.

Captain Jake Ash has been with the club for every one of their five promotions.

He said: "I'm not afraid to admit it - I've been looking at the grounds for next season and Woking looks nice."

As for a sixth promotion, the facilities at Treyew Road will prevent that for now, but with council-backed plans for a 'Stadium for Cornwall', the club could soon be on the up once again.

Heaney said: "Treyew Road will meet the standards for the Conference South, however it wouldn't be enough for the Blue Square Bet Premier - we would need a stadium for that to happen."