Truro City are facing a new chapter after chairman and chief executive Eric Perez parted ways with the recently relegated National League club.
The Canadian businessman, who made his name in rugby league by founding the Toronto Wolfpack, first took the helm when his Ontario Inc investment group purchased the Tinners from Kernow Sport in November 2023. That same group also owned the Cornish Pirates rugby union team at the time, and Perez later helped launch Cornwall RLFC in 2022, which competed in the third tier of English rugby league.
Perez's tenure was nothing short of a rollercoaster. Under his leadership, Truro City returned home to a brand-new stadium on the outskirts of Cornwall and clinched the National League South title last season—a remarkable achievement that earned the club its first-ever promotion to the fifth tier of English football. But the dream move didn't last long. The club finished bottom of the division this season, and despite Perez's earlier vow to remain fully professional in 2026-27, relegation proved inevitable.
The Ontario Inc consortium sold the club to businessman Kenny Stone in November 2024, but Stone's ownership lasted only months before the club went bust in April 2025. Now, with Perez's exit, the club is searching for stability once more.
"Eric leaves behind a remarkable and transformative legacy at Truro City," read a club statement. "Since leading the club's acquisition in late 2023, he has overseen one of the most compelling turnarounds in English football history. When he took the helm, the club was facing significant challenges—playing away from its home city, struggling near the bottom of the table, and drawing only a small core of supporters. Under his leadership, Truro City experienced a dramatic resurgence both on and off the pitch."
For a club that made history as the first from Cornwall to reach the National League—and the first to go fully professional last season—the road ahead is uncertain but not without hope. Truro will return to National League South for the upcoming campaign, and the ownership group has confirmed its commitment to the club's success.
"Moving forward, the ownership group remains fully committed to the club's success, both on and off the field," the statement added. "Following his departure, Eric will be pursuing a range of high-profile international opportunities across sport, business, and strategic investment."
A successor is expected to be announced in the coming days. For now, Truro City fans can only wait and see who will step up to lead the next chapter of this Cornish underdog story.