Newquay F.C. - History

History

The club can trace its roots back to January 1890. It has had many names and variations since that time and are known locally as the 'Towns Club'.

• 1890–1903 Newquay FC
• 1903–1912 Newquay One and All FC
• 1920–1937 Newquay Rovers FC
• 1946–present Newquay AFC

It is generally thought that Mr G R Card, a master at Newquay Grammar School, was responsible for the introduction of soccer to the town. It was in January 1890, in the grounds of the Newquay Grammar School (now the Pendennis Hotel, Mount Wise) that the first team match took place under the Association Rules. Following this match sufficient enthusiasm was worked up to form the first Newquay Football Club.

Newquay Football Club did not play competitive matches until season 1896/97 when the team were grouped with Truro, Camborne School of Mines, Illogan, St Agnes and Penzance in the Western Division of the Cornwall County Cup (Senior Cup). Newquay won their first trophy in season 1906/07 defeating Looe 4–1 Bodmin to win the Cornwall Charity Shield.

A milestone in the history of the club was in 1921 when Newquay was elected to the Plymouth and District League, but the financial burden proved too great and the club withdrew in 1927. In season 1931/32 Newquay Rovers played in the newly formed Cornwall Senior League and in 1935 won both the League and Cup for the first time.

The Newquay Club was reformed in April 1946 following the Second World War and the first eleven played in the Cornwall Senior League until 1951 when a new senior league was formed, namely the Cornwall Combination League, the Newquay Club was again a founder member and the reserve side has played in that league since that date.

The Newquay Club's nickname of 'The Peppermints' evolved during the turn of the century and was first mentioned in 1906, alluding to the red and white shirts worn by the players, which resembled a boiled peppermint sweet of that time.