Plymouth Parkway F.C.

Plymouth Parkway
Full namePlymouth Parkway Football Club
Nickname(s)The Parkway
Founded1988 (as Ex-Air Flyers)
GroundBolitho Park, Plymouth
Capacity3,500 (250 seated)
ChairmanMark Russell
ManagerChris McPhee
LeagueSouthern League Premier Division South
2024–25Southern League Premier Division South, 13th of 22
Websitewww.ppfc.co.uk

Plymouth Parkway Football Club is a football club based in Plymouth, Devon, England. They are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division South and play at Bolitho Park.

History

The club was originally formed by Stuart Cadmore in 1988 when a group of players left the youth team Plymouth Kolts and joined the Plymouth & District League in Division 4. In that same year the club secured sponsorship from Exeter Airport, and as part of that deal they changed their name to Ex-Air Flyers. They were the first club in Plymouth to be sponsored from outside the city limits. The club colours of yellow and blue are from the colours of the airport logo and remain the same today.[1]

In their first season the club gained promotion and then moved the Parkway Sports Club. The club carried on to be promoted in successive seasons until it reached Division one and was waiting to join the Premier Division when the Devon League was formed in 1992.[2] The club decided to apply to become members of the Devon League instead as the Parkway Sports Club had sufficient facilities to join the league. The club was accepted into the league but the club had to change its name, so they became known as EAF Plymouth FC.[3]

Before the 1993–94 season the Sports Club offered a number of extra facilities and help to the club, so the club changed their name to Plymouth Parkway FC.[4] Five seasons later in 1998 the club left the Devon league to join the South Western League. On the eve of the 2000–01 season the club became homeless with the loss of the Parkway Sports Club due to a disagreement over the terms of the lease and subsequent maintenance costs. As a result, and with special permission from the league, the club spent that season having to play all of its games away from home. During their build up to the 2001/02 season the club announced they would be developing an area of Manadon as their new ground, to be known as Bolitho Park. While work was being completed, with controversial assistance from Plymouth City Council, they used The Brickfields athletics ground in Devonport, before they moved to their new and current home in August 2003.[1][4]

In the 2006–07 season the club entered the FA Vase for the first time, making it to the second qualifying round in their first attempt.[5] A season later the club became founding members of the South West Peninsula League, when the South Western Football League and the Devon County Football League merged.

In the summer of 2016, Parkway merged with Plymouth and West Devon Football League club Bar Sol Ona, whose team became the Parkway Reserves in the East Cornwall League. It is here where Parkway got the design for their previous FC Barcelona-esque away kit from.[6]

In 2018 the club gained promotion to the Western League, in 2021 was promoted to the Southern League and in the subsequent year they were promoted from Division One South to Premier Division South.

Ground

Plymouth Parkway play their games at Bolitho Park, St. Peters Road, Plymouth, PL5 3JG. The ground has floodlights, a clubhouse, and has a capacity of 3500 standing and two covered seating areas for around 250 people. In 2021 a program of improvements were undertaken with the majority of the funds coming from a ground share arrangement with Truro City.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  WAL Ewan Griffiths
2 DF  ENG Tom Dean
3 DF  ENG Sam Joce
4 MF  ENG Ryan Brett
5 DF  VGB Taylor Scarff
6 DF  ENG Shane White (captain)
7 DF  ENG Mikey Williams
8 MF  ENG Callum Hall
9 FW  ENG Rocky Neal
10 MF  ENG Rio Garside
11 FW  ENG Dylan Jones
12 DF  ENG Corey Koerner
14 FW  ENG Mitchel Beardmore
15 MF  ENG Joe Wragg
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF  ENG Jack Endacott
17 FW  ENG Matt Wright
18 MF  ENG Alex Cairo
19 FW  ENG James Watts Barciela
20 MF  ENG Carlo Garside
21 MF  ENG Gene Price
DF  ENG Jensen Ireland
 ENG Jake Smith
 ENG Charlie Castlehouse
 ENG Charlie Stevens
 ENG Will Sullivan
 ENG Andrew 'Rocky' Neal
 ENG Aiden Warne

[7]

Honours

  • Pitching in Southern League Division One South:[5][8]
    • Winners (1): 2021–22
  • Les Phillips Cup
    • Winners (1): 2018–19
  • South West Peninsula League Premier Division:[5][9]
    • Winners (1): 2013–14, 2017–18
    • Runners-up (2): 2008–09, 2012–13
  • Plymouth & District League Division 2:[10]
    • Winners (1): 1990–91
  • Throgmorton cup[11]
    • Winners (1): 2010–11 2013–14
  • Devon Premier Cup:
    • Runners-up (3): 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06
  • Plymouth & District League Division 3 Cup:
    • Runners-up (1): 1989–90
  • Plymouth & District League Division 4 Cup:
    • Winners (1): 1988–89
  • George Gillin Trophy:
    • Winners (1): 2001–02
    • Runners-up (2): 1997–98, 2002–03
  • Stafford Williams Trophy:
    • Runners-up (2): 2000–01, 2001–02
  • Charity Bowl:
    • Winners (1): 2014–15
  • Edenvale Turf St Luke's Bowl:
    • Winners (1): 2013–14, 2017–2018
    • Super Bowl Winners (1): – 2012

Records

Club officials and staff

Position Name(s)
Chairman: Mark Russell
Vice-chairman: Gez Baggott
Club Secretary: Genny Turner
Manager: Chris McPhee
Assistant manager: Lee Peacock
Life Vice-presidents: Jim Parsons, Colin Edwards, Gary Doel, Charlie Baggott, Stuart Cadmore, Vic Easterbrook, Alan Horswell & Mark Young
Groundsmen: Garry Turner
Turnstile Manager: Colin Edwards

[12]

See also

  • Plymouth Parkway F.C. players

References

  1. ^ a b Plymouth Parkway an interesting history? Archived 5 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine This is the West Country
  2. ^ EX-AIR FLYERS PLYMOUTH at the Football Club History Database
  3. ^ Plymouth Parkway History −23 Apr 2010 Archived 5 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Plymouth Parkway FC
  4. ^ a b PARKWAY TONIGHT Posted on: Tue 14 Jul 2009 Archived 16 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine Plymouth Argyle FC
  5. ^ a b c d e PLYMOUTH PARKWAY at the Football Club History Database
  6. ^ "Plymouth Parkway FC | Home | the Official Website".
  7. ^ "1st Team Player Stats".
  8. ^ "League Table: Southern League Div One South – 2021/2022". southern-football-league.co.uk/. The Southern League. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Carlsberg South West Peninsula Football League – Honours". Swpleague.co.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  10. ^ PLYMOUTH & DISTRICT LEAGUE HONOURS Archived 11 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine Plymouth & West Devon Combination Football League
  11. ^ PREMIER DIVISION DIRECTORY 2012/13 SEASON Archived 31 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine South western peninsula football league
  12. ^ "Life Members".

50°24′28.25″N 4°08′50.48″W / 50.4078472°N 4.1473556°W / 50.4078472; -4.1473556