Truro City promotion 'a big deal' for Cornwall - Palfrey

Billy Palfrey is beginning his fifth season at Truro City over two spells

Truro City midfielder Billy Palfrey says the club's promotion to the National League is important for the whole county of Cornwall.

It is the first time a club from Cornwall has reached the fifth tier of English football, and Truro have become the county's first fully professional side.

Palfrey, who was born and raised in Looe, first joined the club in 2017.

"It's a big deal really for the county, and I'm obviously personally buzzing," the former Plymouth Argyle academy player said.

"I think somewhere like Cornwall needed a team to push on, and hopefully it helps young kids come up as well.

"The more backing we get, the better we'll be, hopefully, as proven last year, but to me it means a lot, and hopefully we'll kick on and push on and go further."

Truro only returned to Cornwall last season after almost four years without a permanent home and playing on the "wrong" side of the Tamar river that separates the Duchy from neighbours Devon.

It was a river crossing that Palfrey has got to know well, having come up through the Plymouth Argyle ranks before playing for Truro at temporary homes such as Plymouth Parkway, Torquay United and Gloucester City over spells - the first from 2017 to 2019 and the second beginning two years ago.

Palfrey says going from playing in front of a hardcore group of around 50 supporters to gates in excess of 3,000 last season was huge for the club.

"I think it's proven this year that we need the fans to push us along, and they have," he told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"Last year, we weren't at this ground, we weren't even in the county, and it's been like that for a long time, and obviously we weren't getting many supporters.

"But this year coming home and getting promoted has proven that - I think it's just been a massive, massive part of it, and they've just helped us get over the line.

"Now hopefully they can help us push even more, and we will need them, so the more the better for us."

While Palfrey expects a noticeable step up in quality in the opponents he and his teammates will face, he is also excited to see how the Tinners will fare at a national level for the first time.

The club begins their season with an away trip to Wealdstone on Saturday before their first home game in the National League seven days later - an occasion Palfrey said he and his teammates could not wait for.

"Everyone's going to be buzzing. It should be packed here, and obviously that will get us right up for it.

"I think that will be massive and it will just be exciting times, really.

"The first home game for us in this league is massive, and we are going to need every single fan to get us over the edge."