Plymouth Parkway History
23 Apr 2010

Plymouth Parkway an interesting history

The club was originally formed in 1988 having broken away from Plymouth Kolts and commenced in Division 4 of the Plymouth & District League.In that same year the club secured sponsorship from Exeter Airport so a name change was required to Ex-Air Flyers with Sponsorship from Exeter Airport - the first club in Plymouth to be sponsored from outside the city limits.
The club colours of yellow and royal blue came from the colours of the airport logo and remain the same today. At the time the club played on allocated council pitches however the following year, Season 1989/1990, the club moved to the Parkway Sports Club pitch but continued under the name of Ex-Air Flyers.
The club was promoted in successive seasons, having won league and cup medals on the way, until it reached Division I and was waiting to join the Premier Division when the Devon League was formed in 1992. Because of the facilities at Parkway Sports Club it was agreed that application to join this new league would be made. The club was accepted into the league but the club name wasn’t, it was changed for the first season to EAF Plymouth FC - the club finished bottom.
At the start of the 1993-94 season the Sports Club offered a number of extra facilities and help to the club and therefore the name was changed to Plymouth Parkway FC. That season was the clubs best in the league with a third place finish. The ground was further improved with floodlights and new, larger, dressing rooms as well as adding a conservatory to the clubhouse overlooking the pitch. In 1998 application was made to join the South Western League believing it was a step up in local football circles and would offer followers of local football in Plymouth an alternative attraction to the Devon League. The club was duly accepted from the season 1998-99. At present the club operates two Senior teams, one in the  CSWPL and one in the East Cornwall league. After a nomadic 2000-01 season, when all home games were played away due to the loss of the Parkway Sports Club, pitch, the club moved to its new ground at Bolitho Park in August 2003. The club have continued to develop the new ground with flooflights, stands, rails and fencing and are continuing to develop it having obtained planning permission and funding  for new changing rooms.The Club formed a partnership with the Plymouth YMCA in 2004 and their junior football clubs, (15 teams at 11 a side, mini soccer and girls level) is one of the biggest in the South West. They play in the Wrigley’s Devon Junior and Minor League. In 2008-09 the reserves entered the East Cornwall league set up and are at present in the Premier League of that system, whilst the first team are in the Premier league of the CSWPL which was formed from Cornwall & Devon teams from the former SWL & Devon league to create a new step 6 league within the pyramid system.

Stuart Cadmore
Life Vice President