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Regarding the squad, management, and away fans from the Cornish outfit, the gruelling return journey of 914 miles to Gateshead was a mixed blessing ultimately. Their lengthy coach ride starting in south-west Cornwall travelling the length of England to the north-east region bore a single point plus complimentary drinks.

Truro drew the National League fixture at 2-2 away at Gateshead 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 unrelenting hauls across England's highways. Following strikes by Johnson-Fisher and Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gateshead rebounded through Kain Adom and, in the 70th minute, Frank Nouble.

“Clubs that come down to us, most of them are flying down and staying over on the Friday, so for us to have to do it on the coach is not ideal, but because we have so many long journeys, that’s the way we have to do it.” — John Askey

Already this term Truro have made a trek to Carlisle for a 3-0 defeat 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, a 130-mile trip each direction.

Unifying Effect from Extended Journeys

During the matchday the first 90 Truro fans to arrive shared a £920 bar tab, courtesy of the EFL sponsor, Sky Bet, the complimentary beverage fund equating to £1 per mile covered. Fortunately, the squad could interrupt their travel with a pause at Derby's training facility.

Even their Canadian chair, Eric Perez, accustomed to long-haul trips since he regularly flies seven hours from Toronto to London, understands the challenge facing the club he took over in 2023 aiming to emulate Wrexham's success.

The extensive travel also brings advantages for Cornwall’s first professional football club, he believes. “I’m not going to say it’s a short journey, It’s a ridiculously long journey in context,” Perez stated. However, it serves to strengthen our squad further – everybody spends time together, we’re used to travelling together.”

Dedicated Fans Endure Long Travels

A committed Truro follower, John Joyce, accepts the reality of extended travel yet stays devoted, notwithstanding occasional flight issues and exhausting rail journeys. He calculated the recent trip at roughly £400 in expenses and lost earnings, 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, after their Carlisle odyssey: “Truro's uniqueness as a club lies in the fans' unwavering support regardless of circumstances. I know last season we were very successful made it easy to back the squad, yet the supporters rarely complain and they value the players' efforts.”