Torquay United Fans Forum

If I was Andy I would drop Steve Breed a line explaining what caused the end of his love affair with TUFC and give him a chance to explain his long term plans for the Club and rebuilding the customer experience, So much has already been dealt with and is being dealt with just to keep the club going and I've no doubt Steve would take all ideas onboard.

What have you got to lose Andy? It's only money............. ;-)

He is indeed, come on Andy we've all been through it, I did last season, back in the fold, you know, you want to.. :)

I think he's definitely weakening ................ ;-)

No can do Scotty lad and Dave T. It's vitally important to me personally to feel like i'm valued or treated with respect as a person first and then when relating to football, valued and treated with respect as a fan. This doesn't happen anymore in football and i'm not sure if it ever did anyway therefore to quote the Dragon's Den, from that perspective solely - i'm out.

If we turn things on their heads then I see it this way. Lower league football clubs are all struggling for players, revenue and more support yet they operate bizarrely like it is THEY who are doing the fans a favour by simply being in existence when in actual fact surely it should be the other way around? They should be operating like a streamlined business albeit with limited resources and either working towards gaining more fans as well as keeping sweet the ones they already have. They know that other than myself, a Torquay fan won't gradually get pissed off with the club to the point where they take their business elsewhere and go and support Exeter instead.

Obviously this has actually happened to a certain extent whereby fans have become so disillusioned with their club that they have just stopped going full stop in favour of either football on the telly or local non league football. Maybe they even go and do something completely different at 3pm on a Saturday but the point is it's already happening when it shouldn't be. Many fans are beginning to see themselves as customers or consumers and although I hate those terms, I am one of them. Why should I go and pay £20 (in the case of York) to go and sit in small seats with a crap view, be forced to endure the stress and anxiety of wondering whether i'll need the toilet or not because I have IBS when there is one toilet with no seat, no toilet paper, no lock and no cleaners. The catering is absolutely appalling. It's 2016 in a few days and it feels like it is still the 70's at football grounds across the UK in terms of catering.

Basically Man Utd fans can take for granted their support all they want because there is a long queue of people waiting to fill their seat should any one fan decide they've had enough. Torquay, York, Grimsby and other small clubs CAN'T really afford to be doing this but DO. It is the fans of these clubs who are regularly being put through the ringer with crap football, sky high ticket prices, poor facilities yet they turn a blind eye to being taken for granted and put up with it. Some even accept it as part and parcel of being a fan. Swings and roundabouts so to speak. It's each to their own like I've said before. I suppose if you've grown up with a club and it's your town then the whole encompassing idea of support is actually part of you. When Torquay fans sing about their club then they are also singing about their town and their area and how they are proud to represent those things to other fans across the country. The club is simply the vehicle to facilitate this pride. Therefore I can completely understand why fans put up with loads of shit from an organisation that they ordinarily would have binned off years ago.

It's great you lot have got this level of support because it means that no matter how much shit hits the fan, your identity as Torquinians and Devonians can still be kept and made stronger through the struggles or success of the town's football club. That's why I struggle to understand people from say Leamington Spa who say they support Man City. How can they ever have a true connection to a place when they don't even know the area?

Anyway, again. Martin Ling Ling Ling!!

Firstly best wishes to Martin Ling such a real shame.

Andy, they're right, once a gull always a gull. Yes we may question are faith from time to time, but the love for this football club never leaves you, stop poncing around, change your name to YorkieAndygull and come back to where you belong.

You don't fool me Andy - you are a Torquay supporter and you always will be.
You don't go to the matches, scream till you're hoarse, spend crazy amounts of money travelling up and down the country and get into arguments with people you've never met on a forum, and then claim you don't support that team anymore. It's in your blood mate, you just don't realise it.

Supporting Torquay United is like a smoker trying to give up the fags. You know it's bad for you, it costs you a bomb, but you still need that occasional fix to tide you over (or in your case, you still need to log on to the forum to get your fix of all things yellow).

You can try to run away, but it'll catch up with you eventually.... ;-)

All the best in 2016 :)

[quote="tomogull"]

I suspect that this is because your no. 1 club - TUFC - have hit the buffers and now your no. 2 club - York City - have also hit the buffers and could very well join us in the National League (yes, we WILL stay up - Aaron Downes says so in the Herald Express today). Keep the faith, Andy. There is much wrong with football - e.g. the obscene millions swirling around the top Premier sides but there is a lot that many clubs do in the community that doesn't make the headlines - e.g. players visits to Children's wards at Christmas, Carlisle players helping those poor souls who have suffered flooding.

Anyway, I hope you will at least keep a 'Forum interest' in the fortunes (or otherwise) of the Gulls ....... we like your postings - well, some of them ! :whistle: Best wishes to you healthwise for 2016 - a mate of mine suffers from bouts of depression and I know how difficult it can be to manage.[/quote]

Cheers Tomo. Just for the record though i don't really suffer depression. I've recently been diagnosed late adult aspergers but as someone who can function in normal life but who struggles with it massively in terms of relating to people and all sorts of other things.

In regard to clubs, York City are well run in the sense that they have an owner who has been there for donkeys years and looks after the club without spending beyond his means as opposed to how Torquay were run before. That said, after getting back into football i soon discovered after being initially impressed with how they do things at York that they are no different to any other club in the sense that they really don't offer up anything other than shite football in a shite ground with shite facilities at shite prices and a whole matchday experience that is shite. Their engagement and communication with fans is better than at Torquay but it's still completely unacceptable. They in effect are another club who just hope that a certain number of hardcore fans will keep turning up so they don't really have to do anything different or offer up any gratitude for this support as these fans will come anyway.

Premier League football has it's obvious problems. Idiots disembarking team coaches with earphones the size of Brazil spring to mind to name just one thing that winds me up about it but lower league football is actually a million times worse because these clubs only have a finite number of fans to keep happy and content they can't even do this to any degree of competency. They just presume X amount of fans will keep paying regardless and turning up regardless and they will so it all works perfectly. If as a fan, you are happy to do this then i'm not here to criticise - just that i am one of the people who feel short changed by this. It's odd how fans often berate their players for not going above and beyond the call of duty and putting in a real effort on the pitch but off the pitch it is often their own board who are guilty of doing exactly the same thing on a regular basis. Just my opinion that's all. Not saying this is what happens but what i perceive as happening at many clubs.

With regard to players visiting hospitals and things at Christmas, i agree it's a nice thing to do but again it's more a token effort rather than a sustained all year commitment to doing things voluntarily in the community. In actual fact it's the fans who make the effort and not the players or clubs. For example, last season a group orf York fans cycled to the away game at Northampton to raise money for charity in respect of a NTFC fan who died of a heart attack after the York game the season before last. At Mansfield on Saturday the Mansfield fans wanted to organise a bucket collection for York residents affected by the floods. There is a need for charity and kindness year round and not just visiting some kids at Christmas. That may sound harsh but it's again, the way i feel about it. It's always the fans who think of these things and get them up and running and never the clubs or the players off their own backs. The Carlisle players deserve a hell of a lot of credit if they acted purely out of their own sympathy but again, there are thousands upon thousands of folk out there who do this sort of shit every day year round for nothing so i'm thankful to the Carlisle players yes but next week someone else needs feeding in a soup kitchen, old people need befrienders, dogs need walking in animal homes and so on and so forth so will there be Carlisle players participating in these activities next week and the week after that and the week after that?

Always good to read your posts Tomo and happy new year friend. :bow: :-D

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[quote="Southampton Gull"]Andy, we've had some laughs as well as some disagreements.......... I think you should swallow your pride and come back to support the Gulls in our hour of need ;-)

If nothing else it will save you having to wish "you gulls" all the best, instead you can say "Come on lads, let's smash the bastards" :~D[/quote]

:lol: :-D

Haha cheers for the offer Dave, you're a good bloke really despite others on here comparing your mugshot to people who undergo sinister activities. :lol:

To be honest, i did massively enjoy the banter and singing at Torquay games and actually did feel really part of it often getting carried away but obviously not enough. Torquay are the only club I've supported (there's been a few!! :clap: ) that i did actually genuinely feel as much of a part of it as i possibly could have done.

Sadly things haven't changed at the club much since the last regime in terms of active and regular fan encouragement, engagement and communication. The current board have done more than most to be free from criticism but i feel very strongly that it is in these key areas that are often neglected that needs 100% improvement and attention. In short, i'd never be happy about the way ANY club is run not just Torquay as i feel there is so much more that can be done that doesn't cost anything much other than time. That said, spare time must be at a premium for the board with all the rubbish they have to sort out from the previous board but it's time that needs to be found and used in this manner otherwise fans just get pissed off with forking out and getting a wall of silence.

Not my place to comment other than that really but yes you're right. To be able to stand on a northern terrace again in the cold and rain with a smattering of others making some noise and chanting smash the bastards would actually be something i'd enjoy once more but it ain't gonna happen. I'm just now going to enjoy Austria whip everyones arses in the Euro's because we have some serious talent in that side and when we talk about passion and desire for football, whenever i watch Austria play football is only truly the one occasion where i can watch a football team and feel totally entrenched and involved in the game with every part of me. It matters. Like TUFC matters to you lot i guess. You feel it, it makes sense and it matters.

Take care Dave anyway bud! :-D

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[quote="taxilady"]miss you on the away terraces Yorkie ![/quote]

Hope you are ok Nina and your lot. =D :-D

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[quote="MF68"]Yorkie...The point you made about Swindon is very poignant and you deserve great credit for mentioning it. We all hope Martin Ling stays in football in some capacity or finds a suitable means of employment that he can sustain.
I only met him once and he was a really charming guy and I am sure we all wish him well.

Perhaps he is not going to go back in to management but would definitely make a great No 2 or advisor.
Anyone know a Club that could use his skill ?[/quote]

Kind words MF and thanks. I think most wish Martin well and an interesting point to those who argue that it all fell apart when Ling went off ill. Obviously the way the club handled this whole situation was despicable but if Martin had come back after illness back into the role then maybe he may have resigned soon after anyway like at Swindon leaving the club managerless once more and having to make a new managerial appointment regardless.

It was a quick succession of bad replacements in Knill / Hargreaves that left the club where it is now.

Yorkie...The point you made about Swindon is very poignant and you deserve great credit for mentioning it. We all hope Martin Ling stays in football in some capacity or finds a suitable means of employment that he can sustain.
I only met him once and he was a really charming guy and I am sure we all wish him well.

Perhaps he is not going to go back in to management but would definitely make a great No 2 or advisor.
Anyone know a Club that could use his skill ?

[quote="Yorkieandy"] I lost interest in Torquay a couple of years ago but now just lost interest in football as a meaningful dedicated hobby full stop [/quote]

I suspect that this is because your no. 1 club - TUFC - have hit the buffers and now your no. 2 club - York City - have also hit the buffers and could very well join us in the National League (yes, we WILL stay up - Aaron Downes says so in the Herald Express today). Keep the faith, Andy. There is much wrong with football - e.g. the obscene millions swirling around the top Premier sides but there is a lot that many clubs do in the community that doesn't make the headlines - e.g. players visits to Children's wards at Christmas, Carlisle players helping those poor souls who have suffered flooding.

Anyway, I hope you will at least keep a 'Forum interest' in the fortunes (or otherwise) of the Gulls ....... we like your postings - well, some of them ! :whistle: Best wishes to you healthwise for 2016 - a mate of mine suffers from bouts of depression and I know how difficult it can be to manage.

miss you on the away terraces Yorkie !

Andy, we've had some laughs as well as some disagreements.......... I think you should swallow your pride and come back to support the Gulls in our hour of need ;-)

If nothing else it will save you having to wish "you gulls" all the best, instead you can say "Come on lads, let's smash the bastards" :~D

[quote="Glostergull"]and why would you have supported FGR over us then Andy. I thought you were honestly still a Gulls supporter or have you decided we are to be held in contempt[/quote]

Don't hold anyone in contempt Andy. Life's too short pal. Sure there are always folk who you don't get on with but that's more their problem these days than mine. :)

I lost interest in Torquay a couple of years ago but now just lost interest in football as a meaningful dedicated hobby full stop and just enjoy watching local games and games on the box. It's actually quite an epiphany and a welcome relief not to be tied to any one thing that often makes you experience negative emotions. Sure the positive ones are a real joy to behold when they do come around which is kind of the attraction of being a fan but that's only if you truly have the passion in your soul for that one thing. I don't sadly but I've got no regrets.

Now I just look out for a few scores mainly Torquay due to my obvious history with the club as a 'follower' for the past 7 years prior to relegation and occasionally like to dip in on the forum.

Torquay have some amazing fans. To still be turning up after everything that's happened is either incredible durability and resolution or incredibly stupid. Nowadays I like to see the positives and I see this as remarkable dedication from people who do truly truly have TUFC in their very hearts and souls. I suppose I get criticised for giving up but I simply haven't got this magic in me which many of you lot have and it's to be celebrated.

As for Ling. Well he's put himself back out there and it hasn't worked out as he'd hoped but like the Torquay fans, I admire the willingness to do so.

and why would you have supported FGR over us then Andy. I thought you were honestly still a Gulls supporter or have you decided we are to be held in contempt

A bit of a double edged sword this situation assuming he resigned because of his mental health and not because he's got another physical illness. First of all Swindon bucked the trend and gave someone with a history of mental illness a second chance so in that respect I hold that football club in the highest of regards over most others. That said though, Ling resigning will further reinforce the biased view that most employers have about people who suffer / have suffered with various forms of mental illness in the fact that they think sufferers are too much of a risk and will either be unreliable or not to be trusted with responsibility.

Ling going is a blow for him personally and I wish him well. Perhaps, like myself and others who suffer from various mental illness disorders, Martin should really go and seek to do something he's comfortable with at his own pace and in his own time and that doesn't have any pressure or having to work with morons. As he had to do with a lot of people at TUFC. This is not an admittance of failure, it's about acceptance and being happy going forward. Who decides if someone is a failure or not? The individual themselves that's who and nobody else can have that power. Therefore Martin just needs to try things out and if they don't work then he hasn't failed, he has actually succeeded at trying things out and he might just well along the way discover something else he loves doing and what he is comfortable doing within the parameters of his illness.

Best of luck Martin and also great credit to Swindon for moving away from the dark ages which is the world most people / organisations operate in nowadays when it comes to mental health.

Hey, I might even support Swindon now to hold them up as some sort of beacon of virtue for mental health! :bow: o:)

I was going to support Forest Green solely because of their refreshing outlook on footy catering (ie no fried animal parts in refined flour baps - people have moved on apart from football fans it seems ) but after reading about their ban on Gilbert then they can **** off!! :@ :@ :lol:

Bloody hell that didn't last long - thus is why we were wise not to have him back.