Newquay AFC are Cornwalls biggest football club. Whilst this page relates to the SWPL & Combo sides, Newquay AFC has over 30 teams under its umbrella, making it the largest club in the county. A short history of Newquay Football Club. It is widely thought, that Mr G.R. Card, a Master at Newquay Grammar School was responsible for the introduction of Association Football to the town in Janu
ary 1890. However, there are references to the club having been around since 1885. The first match took place on school grounds, which later became the Pendennis Hotel on Mount Wise, just 400 yards from the current Stadium. The Towns Club did not play competitive matches until 1896/7 season in the Western Division of the Cornwall County Cup (now the Senior Cup)
The club gained the nickname 'Peppermints' in 1906 when supporters noted the resemblance between the players Red & White striped shirts and a boiled Peppermint sweet popular at the time. It was in the same season as Newquay won their first trophy, defeating Looe 4-1 at Bodmin to win the Cornwall Charity Shield. Newquay joined the Plymouth & District League in 1921 and a year later moved into a new permanent home, now known as Mount Wise Stadium. The club withdrew from the P&D League in 1927 due to the financial burden of travelling costs of playing in the Plymouth area every other week. In season 1931/32, a renamed Newquay Rovers played in the newly formed Cornwall Senior League. In 1935/36, The Peppermints won the Double of League & Cup for the first time. During WWII, the American Forces used the ground for storage of tanks and other materials, it took some work by supporters to get the ground fully fit for purpose. During the War years, Mount Wise witnessed Baseball and "soccer" games between regiments. Mount Wise Stadium was officially re-opened in 1951, although games had been played on the ground prior to that date. It was the same season that Newquay joined the newly formed South Western League, 6 clubs from Cornwall and 6 from Devon started what would become the top division to be in until 2007. The Peppermints would win the SWL title on 7 occasions & runners-up 4 times. The reserve side had played in many different Junior & Senior Leagues & Cup Competitions from the turn of the Century, but in 1959/60 the club joined newly formed Cornwall Combination League and remain there to this date. In the days before the FA Vase & FA Trophy, non-league clubs of all standards entered the FA Amatuer Cup, in 1970/71, Newquay made the last 32 before going out to Midlands side Oldbury United in front of 2,500 at Mount Wise Stadium. The 1980's saw the clubs supporters & members raise funds to erect the clubhouse & changing rooms which are still in use today, although have been upgraded several times to comply with FA rules. Floodlights were also added in that decade (now replaced with the highest Lux rating for Non-League grounds). In July 1998, Newquay entertained the then 3rd Division Manchester City, attracting the grounds record attendance of 3,500. Other notable clubs also visited Mount Wise Stadium in the 90's and 00's, WBA, QPR, Harry Redknapps Portsmouth, Graham Taylors Watford and Hull City amongst others. In 2007/8, the SWL merged with the Devon League becoming the current SWPL, Newquay entered in the West Division and were runners up in 2008/9 and won the title in 2011/12 securing promotion the the SWPL Premier Division, Step 6 in the FA Pyramid, the highest level the club has ever played. The club still hold the match attendance record, despite the efforts of Truro City, St Austell and Falmouth Town. A crowd of 737 poured into Mount Wise Stadium on Boxing Day. This being the first ever Senior league meeting between Newquay AFC and neighbours Godolphin Atlantic... To rub the other clubs noses in it, this was a Step 7 clash.
