MOUSEHOLE AFC – Cornwall’s second highest-placed club – have announced that they are applying for voluntary relegation from Southern League Division One South for the 2026/27 season.

The Seagulls have risen from Step Seven and the old South West Peninsula League Division One West through the Western League and into Step Four where they have excelled, reaching the play-offs in the 2024/25 campaign.

Last year was far tougher and with Jake Ash announcing that he is to step down at the end of the season and the current financial climate impacting all clubs – yet alone a club travelling over 7,000 miles a season from the far west of Cornwall up to sides in Worcestershire and Hampshire – they have decided to act.

A club statement said: “Following careful consideration, Mousehole AFC can confirm that the club is proposing a strategic reset by applying for voluntary relegation from the Southern League Division One South and seeking entry into the South West Peninsula League for the 2026/27 season.

“After reviewing all options, the board believes that taking a step back now provides the best platform to rebuild on stronger and more sustainable foundations for the future.

“Over the past decade, Mousehole AFC has been on one of the most remarkable journeys in Cornish football. Together, players, staff, volunteers, supporters and sponsors have helped take a small village club in West Cornwall to a level many thought impossible. Along the way, we have celebrated league titles, unforgettable occasions, national recognition, and created a football club that has become one of the most recognised and respected in Cornwall.

“The club would like to place on record its heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to that journey. From volunteers and supporters to players, coaches, sponsors and local businesses, this rise simply would not have been possible without the dedication, belief and commitment of so many people across our community.

“But the reality is that the financial demands of operating at Step Four level – particularly given our location at the far western edge of the country – have increased significantly in recent years. Rising travel and operational costs, infrastructure requirements, the impact of VAT, and debt accumulated during the club’s rapid growth mean that now is the right moment to regroup, reassess and build again from a position of strength.

Importantly, this is not a step back in ambition. It is a step forward in strategy.

With key foundations already in place — including improved infrastructure, growing support, a strong identity within the community and beyond, and the opportunities created by the new road development at Trungle Parc — the club believes it is well-positioned to take a more deliberate and sustainable approach moving forward.

The focus for the upcoming period will include strengthening youth pathways and local engagement, building a robust and aligned leadership team on and off the pitch, developing a sustainable commercial model, reducing long-term reliance on benefactors, maximising the opportunities created by the club’s infrastructure and new road development and continuing to grow football opportunities across youth, women’s and men’s football.

Our aim is to create a genuine community-driven football club that can thrive for generations to come, while continuing to represent West Cornwall with pride.

The long-term vision remains clear. We have not given up on the dream of top-level football in West Cornwall. Far from it. This is a moment to reflect, reset and work relentlessly towards creating a football club capable of achieving great things again in the future — but this time on the strongest and most sustainable foundations possible.

Chair Deryk Heywood said: “Mousehole AFC has always tried to do the right thing, not simply the easy thing. This decision reflects our commitment to protecting the long-term future of the football club and building something sustainable for our players, supporters and wider community.

“We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved over the last few years. The journey this club has been on has been extraordinary. But now is the time to regroup, reconnect with our community roots, and make sure that whatever comes next is built to last.

“This is not the end of ambition at Mousehole AFC. It is the beginning of a new chapter.”