Truro City land Max Kinsey on permanent deal from Bournemouth

Not many 21-year-olds can say they shared a Premier League dressing room and steadied a Cornish back line inside the same 12 months. Max Kinsey has done both, and now he has decided where he wants to be.

Truro City have signed the centre half on a two-year permanent deal, a free transfer from AFC Bournemouth, after a loan spell in the Duchy last season that clearly left a mark on both sides.

📷Photo Credit: Will Black/Truro City

From a loan spell to a permanent home

Max made 14 appearances for the Tinners last term, and it was the closing weeks that told the story. He started the final nine games as City conceded just seven goals, a run of form he is keen to carry straight into the new campaign.

Coming back was on his mind long before the deal was signed. “I am coming back to a place where I feel comfortable and I need to kick on and play men’s games,” he said. “Coming back here was always on my mind even when I went back with Bournemouth over the off season.”

📷Photo Credit: Will Black/Truro City

A Premier League grounding

Before Cornwall, Max was a regular in Bournemouth’s Premier League squad through the 2024/25 season. He made his first team bow in the Cherries’ third round FA Cup win over West Bromwich Albion, a marker of how highly he was rated at Dean Court.

After his loan ended he returned to Bournemouth and joined their development side for the Tournoi Europeen, a tournament they went on to win. They beat Real Sociedad 1-0 in the final, having come through a group that included Stade Rennais, Saint Etienne and Hamburg.

📷Photo Credit: Will Black/Truro City

‘A win-win for everyone’

“I’m buzzing and really excited to get the deal over the line,” Max told Truro City’s website. “I can’t wait to get going and hopefully get us to where we deserve.”

He is clear about what last season’s finish means for the one ahead. “I will be looking to pick back up where I left off,” he said. “Although none of us wanted to get relegated, for me personally, to pick those games up at the back end of last season, I am hoping to keep that form going into the new season.”

For a defender still building his senior career, the logic is simple. “My career needs to kick on and hopefully I can get games in and experience,” he said. “As a 21-year-old centre half, if I come here, help the lads, team and the club to get back where it wants to be, it is a win-win for everyone.”

📷Photo Credit: Will Black/Truro City