Ahead of our pre-season friendly matches this week against Hayle, Exeter City and Dorking Wanderers, Pablo Woolls-Blanco met up with Jake Ash to chat over preparations.

The Mousehole first team squad have been finding out exactly what Cristiano Ronaldo does before his free kicks as they prepare for life in the Southern League this coming season. Jamie Clements, a breathwork coach from London, took the boys through two sessions where they learnt how to control their breathing and use it to focus on stress management, match preparation and wind-down.

Big thanks to Bedruthan Hotel for putting on the session for us and to Jamie of https://www.thebreathspace.co.uk for leading it.

Watch the video here:

As we look forward to the first home pre-season friendly against Exeter City, Pablo Woolls-Blanco went up to their training ground to have a chat with assistant manager Kevin Nicholson.

An audio documentary on a mysterious and relatively obscure piece of Cornish football history, the day when Manchester United travelled to Mousehole.

We’ll be finding out why it happened, how it came to be, what happened on the pitch and the final score, in a classic David and Goliath situation. 

We thought we were a pretty good team at the time, but they were a different level

Peter Robinson, Mousehole AFC player

This podcast episode was produced by Callum Walker, a student of journalism and creative writing at Falmouth University. It formed part of his final year mini documentary project.

Occasional use of strong language in this superb and informative get-together with Marc White from @DorkingWDRS as he talks about the upcoming trip way out west to Trungle Parc.

Dorking Wanderers are coming down to West Cornwall on July 15th for the second of our home pre-season friendlies. Make sure you don’t miss out – tickets are on sale here: https://ticketpass.org/o/972346985/mousehole-afc/events

The defender returns to the club he played for until 2017 – and joins his sister who plays for Mousehole Women.

by Pablo Woolls-Blanco

Mousehole have completed their second signing of the summer, securing the services of defender Josh Storey from Helston Athletic.

The 21-year-old comes off the back of a season where he captained Helston to a Cornwall Senior Cup and Les Phillips Cup double in dramatic fashion and will now be eager to join up with Jake Ash’s team in July, where a pre-season line-up features the likes of Exeter City and Dorking Wanderers.

Storey, similar to recent signing Tim Nixon, is another player who has Mousehole roots. Indeed, the defender played for the Seagulls in 2017, and has a sister playing for Mousehole Women.

“I’m quite vocal on the pitch – I keep people motivated on and off the pitch, at training as well. I can get people going when they’re down in the mud a bit.

Josh Storey, speaking to Pablo Woolls-Blanco

We spoke to Josh about becoming a new Mousehole player:

“I’m buzzing to be fair. I’m looking forward to the new challenge, obviously Step Four football. Also looking forward to seeing a few familiar faces so it’s an exciting time!”

On leaving Helston as club captain:

“It was a really hard decision. It took a lot of thought and talking to a lot of people close to me about what was best for me going forward. It was a tough decision for me to make, but I think I’ve made the right one.”

On his qualities as a leader and defender:

“I’m quite vocal on the pitch – I keep people motivated on and off the pitch, at training as well. I can get people going when they’re down in the mud a bit.

I’m a fairly aggressive defender. I’ve got that ball-playing instinct as well, which I think will suit Mousehole with the way Jake Ash wants to play. I’m good in the air and in the tackle, but also got that composure with the ball at my feet.”

When you speak to him you can hear the genuine affinity he has for the club.

Jake Ash, First Team manager

On his excitement at facing the likes of Exeter City and Dorking Wanderers in pre-season:

“I think those games are massive for the club. There will be a good crowd down at Trungle and it will be a really good test for us in pre-season, against even higher-level opposition.”

Mousehole manager Jake Ash did not hide his excitement at Storey’s addition to the Seagulls’ back line:

“It’s probably no secret that we’ve been long-term admirers of Josh. He ticks so many boxes of what we could want in a player; it’s the club he played his first senior football at, he has a real feel and family bond with the club (his sister plays for the women’s team) and he lives on our doorstep. When you speak to him you can hear the genuine affinity he has for the club.

At 21 he is a brilliant age to still improve in so many aspects and has said how keen he is to develop aspects of his game here. We love that – that hunger in a player is such a bit of me.”

Ash continued:

“With his teacher training next year based in West Cornwall and now his football closer to home – especially the training bit which is so important to him – it works for him and we are obviously really pleased with that.”

Head of Football Adam Fletcher shares similar optimism about Storey’s arrival:

“Josh is a player I personally remember from my Ludgvan days, and it will always stick with me when he came and trained as a 15-year-old how much of an impact he had on the session. He showed leadership qualities at such a young age around an older group – a characteristic that he has taken into his senior football.

He’s someone we have admired as a player for some time now and it’s really pleasing to add another local talent to the squad.

Josh has defensive qualities we look for and I know the coaching team are really looking forward to working with him and pushing him on to new levels this season.”

Steve Burt retires as one of Mousehole’s most popular and respected players, with an impressive record stretching back over ten years.

by Andrew Large and Kevin Bishop

Jake Ash has led the tribute to Steve Burt who has decided to hang up his boots after a decade-long career at the club: “I remember thinking back to my first training session at Marazion and this lad turned up with a ponytail and I just thought he was a surfer who’d come along to join in training. But I came away and sent messages to everyone saying there are some good players there but one in particular who is just unbelievable, technically brilliant with every tackle.”

Local lad ‘Burtie’ joined Mousehole at the start of 2013/14 season, and missed very few games over three consecutive seasons, being awarded the captain’s armband by player-manager Wayne Quinn.

As captain, he led Mousehole to a record-breaking and historic ‘double’ in the 2015/16 season, winning both the South West Peninsula League Division One West and the Cornwall Charity Cup.

After a serious season-ending injury near the start of the 2016/17 campaign, he joined nearby Ludgvan for a year,  returning to Mousehole for the 2018/19 season.

He was a key defensive midfield player during The Seagulls two-Step promotion years, and is noted for scoring the team’s first-ever goal at the club’s highest-ever playing level – the Western League Premier Division – at the start of the 2021/22 season (against Wellington).

Before the home match against Exmouth Town at the end of March of that season, Burtie was presented with a plaque to commemorate 250 First Team appearances for the club.

Jake added: “I don’t think you’ll find a single person in football or the world in general who has a single bad word to say about him. Everything he does, he does with real integrity and honesty. He’s been an absolute pleasure to manage.”

Having made another 36 appearances in this season’s League title-winning side, Steve Burt retires with a Mousehole career total of 288 appearances and 11 goals. His final appearance for the club saw him lift the Western League trophy after a 3-0 win against Wellington.

by Pablo Woolls-Blanco

Mousehole have completed the signing of forward Tim Nixon from Falmouth Town. The 30-year-old will begin training with Jake Ash’s team on the 29th of June and is likely to make his debut against Hayle on the 8th of July.

An exciting pre-season schedule including visits from Exeter City and Dorking Wanderers also awaits Nixon, as he returns to the club.

Tim Nixon played for Mousehole between 2015 and 2017, where he won the double in the 2015/16 season. Nixon then went on to join Bodmin Town, whom he left for Falmouth Town in 2018, where he has spent the last five years of his career up until now.
Nixon made 172 appearances for Falmouth Town, racking up 67 goals. He was also part of Falmouth’s 2021/22 treble-winning side alongside current Mousehole striker Jack Bray-Evans. Nixon comes off the back of a very impressive individual season for Falmouth Town, picking up 16 goals in 29 starts as a wide player, finishing the season as the club’s top scorer and Players’ Player of the Year.

When asked about how it feels to have re-signed for Mousehole, Nixon stated:
“I’m buzzing to be fair. It’s been a bit of a long-time coming. It’s almost like a family – they’ve always welcomed me back, so it will be good to be back for good.”

On what Mousehole fans can expect in the upcoming season:
“I’m a technical player – going forward I’m always a threat. I’m quite versatile, I can play on the left and the right – even through the middle. I’m fit as well, so I like to get around the pitch.”

On leaving Falmouth Town:
“It was definitely a hard decision. Not an easy one at all. I’ve been there for a long time – the longest time I’ve ever been at a club. I’ll always hold it in the highest regard. It was a tough decision to make – I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, but the opportunity to play at a higher level was something I couldn’t say no to. I wish Falmouth all the best for the future.”
On competing in the Southern League next season:
“It will be the highest level I’ve played at. To play at Step Four was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. It’s something I’m really excited about, and I know everyone at Mousehole is really excited about it too. It’s really great to be onboard.”

Manager Jake Ash expressed his delight at wrapping up Nixon’s signature:
“I played with Tim when he was younger and if I was to have a criticism of him then it would have been that for all his good work, he perhaps didn’t score or create enough. But the last few seasons he seems to have improved year on year at Falmouth.
We know lots about him, so it was great to get Macca (Macauley Musgrave) watch a few of his games and get a new set of eyes on him. I rewatched our games and a few other games I got access to and his work rate and ability to carry the ball and move a team up the pitch is a real asset.”

Head of Football Adam Fletcher spoke on the club’s excitement at Nixon’s arrival:
“It’s great to have Tim back at Mousehole. It’ll be great to have someone who was a part of the club before this new journey began come back and join us going into this new chapter we are about to embark on.
More importantly though, Tim is a forward player that has immense quality, scores goals, and has energy on and off the ball. A really exciting addition to an already strong forward line.”

Join us on our journey into the Southern League by sponsoring your favourite player at Mousehole AFC

Sponsorship packages are available for all first-team players at Mousehole plus our backroom staff. Sponsorships help cover the costs of player kit and away travel over the season. The package includes:

• Your name and/or company logo on player bio on club website, programme and social media posts
• Your logo next to all player interviews on the club videos
• Sponsor’s name shout-out on club PA system for lineup and scoring
• Social Media follow by player/club on Twitter
• An exclusive invitation to meet your player and have a picture taken
• End of season awards dinner invitation
• First refusal to sponsor your chosen player for the following campaign

COST: £350 per player for the season

You can purchase your player sponsorship online. Please get in touch with Ben Gibson BenGibson@mouseholeafc.co.uk or 07732 177881 for more details.