We're the pits: manager admits football team is 'probably worst in Britain'Madron FC has conceded 227 goals in losing 11 straight games in Cornwall's Mining League, including one 55-0
Share1007 Comments (26) Steven Morris guardian.co.uk, Monday 29 November 2010 14.33 GMT Article history
Madron FC are at least not bottom of their league – because another side had points deducted. Photograph: Stephen Wake/EMPICS Sports Photo Agency
Madron FC's start to the season has been, to put it mildly, disappointing.
The Cornish village team has lost 11 games on the trot, conceded 227 goals (scoring just twice themselves) and has been on the end of a 55-0 thrashing.
The stand-in manager, Alan Davenport, admitted Madron FC are "probably the worst team in Britain" after their "embarrassing" string of results but - clearly keen not to lose the dressing room - praised his players for at least turning up.
The club near Penzance was delighted to be promoted from division two of the Mining League last season. But a mass exodus of players, followed by the manager's departure, left them struggling. Now the depleted squad, which is made up of people from a local pub and students, struggle to get 11 players out.
Asked to pose for a team photograph on Saturday, only eight of the 11 would do so – the others were too embarrassed to be associated with the club.
On Saturday they went down 22-0 to St Buryan. Only seven players and no recognised goalkeeper turned up for a game against Illogan RBL Reserves, which they lost 55-0.
Davenport, 68, said of that defeat: "It's a struggle when you only have seven players and no goalkeeper. One of the lads went in goal and did his best. I know everybody is probably laughing at us but we will battle on.
"We will definitely keep playing every week and fulfil our fixtures until the end of the season. We have no plans to stop. Some of the players aren't that brilliant so they are just happy to play. They can't get games with anyone else. Fair play to them for turning up really. It would be easy to just give in and let their heads drop but we'll fight on."
There is one bright side - they are not bottom of the league because another team had points deducted for not turning up to one of their matches.
Other teams are sympathetic, up to a point. The manager of Illogan, Mark Waters, said it was impossible to really enjoy a thrashing like the one it gave Madron. "We certainly didn't enjoy it. I have nothing but admiration for the seven Madron players, but it does make a mockery of the league."
Comment