Shaun Middleton
The Manager Who Played Here First
Shaun Middleton has been involved with Newquay AFC for most of his life. He played here as a kid, came through the youth system, wore the red and white stripes for the senior team.
When the club needed a new manager in May 2023, the interview panel voted unanimously - not for an outsider with big ideas, but for someone who already understood the place. "Shaun knows the league, knows players, but importantly he is a Newquay man through and through," the club said.
He took over during what the club called "recent unsettlement" after the previous management team was dismissed. The job was to bring stability and get back to core values.
Two years later, he delivered the highest achievement in the club's 136-year history.
April 17, 2025
Wendron United at Mount Wise. Win or draw and Newquay AFC would achieve something they'd never done - promotion to the Western League Premier Division, the highest level in club history.
Final score: 5-0. Record crowd: 1,864.
Two days later, hundreds lined the streets as an open-top bus carried the team through town. Supporters cheering, horns beeping, the whole celebration.
"The number of people that have come out shows what it means to the town and the community," Middleton said. "We got there in the end."
Building Something
Middleton talks about making Mount Wise "a fortress" - not flashy tactics, just the basics done properly. It worked. Newquay dominated at home throughout the promotion season, with crowds regularly exceeding 500.
He brought back local talent too. Jack Bray-Evans had gone up the leagues but Middleton convinced him to come home. "I feel I can take on a leading role in bringing Newquay back to the football club it should be," Bray-Evans said.
Since Middleton took over, the club statement says "Newquay AFC has become a club of choice, where players matter, and community involvement is paramount."
He's got "a strong ambition to ensure we are creating opportunities of development for our academy and Newquay AFC youth players." Not just managing the first team - building the pathway for local kids.
Looking Forward
Newquay AFC is now competing at Step 5. Mount Wise remains a fortress. Young players keep developing through the system. The town keeps showing up on Saturdays.
Before the 2025/26 campaign, Middleton said: "Last season was a fantastic one for the football club and we want to be successful this season also."
No resting. Just keep building.
This Is How We Rise