CALLINGTON Town Football Club have a new head as Ian Southcott has been elected Chair of the club following the decision of the previous leader Steve Blatchford to take a step back.

Southcott is no stranger to the club, having managed back in the 90s and overseen some of the most successful seasons for Callington.

Now he has stepped in to take on the role of developing the club further and entrenching its position within the community.

“It has been a great honour to take over and help progress the club and I am really looking forward to the task ahead,” said Southcott.

“On the pitch we have had a really encouraging start to the season for our sides as they begin to find their feet. We want to get back to basics and create a club built on local players and it is already paying dividends with increased crowds and some excellent results.” he added.

However, the new committee are also having to deal with an ongoing issue of vandalism at the club’s Ginsters Marsh ground.

Over the past few months incidents of seats being smashed in the grandstand, the pitch itself being damaged, and the reserve pitch dugouts being destroyed has meant that the club has had to divert valuable resources into replacing and repairing its infrastructure.

“With all the effort we have made to make the facilities as good as they can be for the community, it is incredibly frustrating when we arrive at the ground to find more damage” added new vice chair Andrew Bingham, who has stepped up from previously being treasurer. 

“We are now going to be looking at new fencing and even CCTV in an attempt to protect the facilities for the young people of the town to offer them the best possible playing experience we can give them,” he added.

Work is already underway to put in bids for grant funding to get new fencing on the northern edge of the ground and to install cameras and recording equipment to oversee the area.

On the field, the transformation begun by former chair Steve Blatchford and continued by the new incumbent is already reaping success.

The first team are rising up the South West Peninsula League table following recent successes against Bodmin Town, Wendron and Penzance, while the their St Piran League side, made up almost entirely of 16 and 17 year olds from the Callington Colts system, have found their feet and are beginning to produce great results.

Added to this, the continued building of the women’s and veteranss sides and a new U18 team linked to the Colts, football is definitely back on the radar at Callington.