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For the squad, management, and away fans of Truro City, the gruelling return journey of 914 miles to Gateshead proved bittersweet in the end. Their lengthy coach ride from Cornwall in the south-west all the way up England’s spine to the north-east bore a single point and a free pint or two.

The team tied the National League fixture two goals apiece at Gateshead International Stadium this past Saturday after holding a two-goal lead in the 54th minute, in what is turning out to be a season of epic train journeys and tireless road trips up and down English A roads and motorways. After goals from Dominic Johnson-Fisher and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gateshead rebounded via Adom and a 70th-minute equalizer from Nouble.

“Opposition teams visiting us often fly in and stay overnight, making our coach travel less than ideal, yet with our extensive schedule, it’s our only option.” — John Askey

Earlier in the season the club undertook a journey to Carlisle resulting in a 3-0 loss that clocked up 878 miles. Due to the team's remote location, even their nearest away game is at Yeovil Town, around a two-and-a-half-hour schlep via the A30 to Huish Park, 130 miles each way.

Unifying Effect of Long Travels

During the matchday the first 90 Truro fans were treated to a £920 drinks tab, sponsored by Sky Bet, the complimentary beverage fund equating to £1 per mile covered. At least the players were able to break up their journey with a stop at Derby County’s training ground.

Even their Canadian chair, Eric Perez, accustomed to long-haul trips as he frequently flies seven hours from Toronto to London, understands the challenge confronting the club he acquired in 2023 with ambitions of “doing a Wrexham”.

All this time on the road also brings advantages for Cornwall’s first professional football club, in his view. “I’m not going to say it’s a short journey, It's an exceptionally long distance relatively,” Perez stated. “But what that does is galvanise our side even further – the team bonds during travel, we’re used to travelling together.”

Loyal Fans Face Lengthy Trips

A committed Truro follower, John Joyce, is resigned to long days of travelling yet stays devoted, notwithstanding occasional flight issues and wearisome train treks. He calculated the recent trip at roughly £400 in costs and missed income, noting, “I worked for Nato in the last six years of my career in the navy, and it was a shorter drive from Brussels back to Cornwall than it is from Cornwall to Gateshead.”

As Askey said, following the Carlisle expedition: “Truro's uniqueness as a club lies in the fans' unwavering support no matter what. Last term's promotion success made it easy to back the squad, but from what I know the fans never even moan and they appreciate what the players have done.”