“And I thought that was me done so I went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows."
Richard Hughes
13:05, 13 Jan 2026
Club captain Connor Riley-Lowe has called Truro City’s National League South title that secured them promotion to the National League for the first time ever “a miracle”.
The 30-year-old left back, who first came to Truro as a loan player from Exeter City in 2015, was an integral part of John Askey’s squad that pipped Torquay United to the top spot on goal difference on the last day of the season.
Talking to his club’s website this week, Riley-Lowe said: “Last season was a miracle. We can say that, can’t we?
“We had a new manager, after losing our other manager, who didn’t know the area or the players. We were moving back to a new ground and lost key players from the year before.
“Our pre-season wasn’t great and everything was adding up to it being a tough season.
“So to do what we did is difficult to put into words. We made history and you don’t see relegation favourites win the league at any kind of decent level, do you?”
Promotion came under Askey in his first season after former manager Paul Wotton chose to move to Torquay after the takeover by the Bryn Consortium at Plainmoor. And Torquay were among the favourites to win a title Truro made theirs.
For the Paignton-born teacher, it gave him the opportunity of full time football for the first time since leaving Exeter.
Riley-Lowe said: “We had an amazing day lifting the trophy and a few days later the lads started talking about going full-time.
“And I thought that was me done so I went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.
“I didn’t think I could go full-time with Truro but Alex Black [director of football] told me to sit tight and we would then have a conversation as to what the future looked like.
“I carried on with work in teaching and then when we met, it was an honest conversation.
“I had a good job, one I loved, that gave me a good balance between work and home life, along with playing football at a half decent standard. The club was amazing though and after they put an offer on the table, it left me with a decision to make.
“It was one I pondered over, but not too much because I needed to let the school know my plans. I spoke to my wife, family and other teachers at school who were saying that I could go back into teaching at any time, but this opportunity to go full-time with Truro doesn’t come around too often.
“Never give up but I also think you need a back up plan. If I didn’t have a back up plan, I wouldn’t have had a decision to make.
“You want to chase your dreams by working hard, so I am a firm believer that if you give 100 per cent in everything you do, you will get the rewards. I did that with my job, my career, my family and also for Truro.
“I feel like I have been rewarded for the effort I have put in. So no matter what you do, my main advice would be to put everything into it and that will put you in good stead.”
Truro have a fight on their hands this season, though. They are second from the bottom of the table, with 19 points, the same as bottom club Gateshead. And they are still waiting to start 2026 after their game at Southend United was postponed because of the weather.
On Saturday, 17 days into the new year, they are due to take on Tamworth at home – and Riley-Lowe will lead the team out as a full time pro.