Northumbergull wrote:Glad the fans will have a chance to match up with Argyle again. Just a few questions to get some conversations going:
1. When was the last time we were in the same division?
2. Do you have any soft spots for the Pilgrims? When they went up into the old Second Division in the 70s, I used to see them in the afternoons and us in the evenings, drawn by the bigger crowds and clubs dropping down from the First, like Chelsea and Wolves, plus draws against the likes of Everton in the FA Cup.
3. What are your fondest/worst memories of our meetings with the guys in green?
Cheers
Bruce
The connections between the clubs have been enormous over the years normally with Argyle being a division or two above us transferring players to us when they were coming to the end at that standard. Far too many to mention over the years but I knew things were going downhill for Argyle after we lost to Colchester 1-0 at Wembley and Argyle then stole our manager Kevin Hodges, our assistant manager, and several players (who weren't actually very good but that was beside the point!). It always used to be the other way round, but Argyle taking players from us how ridiculous!!
Our two clubs did spend several seasons playing each other in the old Division 3 (South) but I am not quite old enough to remember that so the first time I saw a derby was in October 1968. We were in our third season after promotion in Division 3 (now League 1) and Argyle had got relegated the previous season. A crowd of just under 21000 saw us win 2-1 at Home Park with Irish International Jimmy Dunne putting us ahead and after a fluke equaliser Alan Welsh going through one on one to clinch it!
Although we had narrowly missed out on promotion in the previous two seasons the arrogant Argyle manager Billy Bingham stated that Torquay would win the return game over his dead body. The scheduled game on Boxing Day was postponed but when it was held in February Torquay fans ran around the ground beforehand with a cardboard coffin (imagine the hysterical fits the stewards would have these days!). Sadly to no avail, Argyle won 1-0 at Plainmoor in front of a crowd of over 15,000 (just try to picture that now!).
The next season was a memorable season for me personally but also provided my worst ever memory of games against Argyle. I was lucky enough to be in our youth team at that time and we played Argyle in the FA Youth Cup, drawing 1-1 at Plainmoor, 1-1 after extra time at Home Park, and losing the 3rd game 3-1 at Home Park. Five of the Argyle team went on to play professionally including Peta Bal'ac who played for Tottenham and Mike Dowling who scored against Santos when they and Pele visited Home Park for a friendly, and three of our team Ian Twitchin, Phil Sandercock, and Robbie Robbins.
However despite my own memories of that season the first team experience was a nightmare! After losing 2-1at home in an early August fixture we then got stuffed 6-0 at Home Park on Boxing Day. Mike Bickle who was a milkman and playing for St Austell only 12 months before scored four! A decent player Norman Piper got the other two. Crowd 17000.
Definitely my worst experience against Argyle (although our 4-0 home defeat many years later which I think was Scottbrehaut's first game was also hard to take!)
The next season 1970/71 we did the double 2-1 home and away (the only time ever) but we slipped in the league to 10th having finished 7th, 4th, and 6th and just missing out on promotion in 3 of the previous 4 seasons. Mind you Argyle finished 15th so there was really only one team in Devon!
Unfortunately the following season resulted in our relegation finishing second from bottom but although we lost at Home Park we did at least beat Argyle at Plainmoor 2-1 getting towards the end of the season when we were scrapping for points but didn't get enough,
More recently of course we had to wait for Argyle to come down and join us in the bottom division and I can't remember a win although somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. Living where I do I got to know a number of Argyle players including Sean McCarthy (now coach at Ipswich but family still living locally) and Mick Heathcote. An awful memory was losing 4-3 at Home Park after being 3-2 up at half-time and being cheated out of the game by two offside goals. A 1-1 at Plainmoor sticks in the mind which was Paul Sturrock's first game and he watched from the Directors Box, later describing it as like the Alamo as we absolutely murdered them but could not get the winner. The 4-0 home defeat previously mentioned where Scottbrehaut made his debut ended with the ignomony of me giving 3 Argyle players a lift back to Ivybridge, but another 1-1 draw at Plainmoor where we had arranged to go out in the evening was memorable after Sean McCarthy broke his arm early on, scored a couple of minutes later, but then immediately had to go off. His fault, attempting a deliberate foul on our player whilst jumping for the ball, but he was still out with arm in plaster and a sling that evening. 0-0 at Home Park when Neville Southall was in goal for us also sticks in my mind largely because of confronting the Argyle manager Kevin Hodges in the Far Post Club after a couple of Trojan style large ones to demand he explain how he had the temerity to leave us after a play-off final (Paul Buckle please take note!)
. A 3-1 reverse at Home Park a few games before our relegation showdown with Barnet was a dismal affair as a poor Argyle team beat an even poorer Torquay team, but our last meeting with Argyle on Boxing Day 2001 was a happier affair as having looked out of it at 2-0 down we came back to 2-2 with an outstandingly brilliant own goal and a last minute penalty!
Well all my Argyle supporting mates are insisting that Peter Reid has put in to be our manager and after the comment at half time in the international today when the chairman of the panel said it was difficult to work out whether we were watching England or Torquay, and with Reid being on the panel, I wouldn't be surprised.
[quote="Northumbergull"]Glad the fans will have a chance to match up with Argyle again. Just a few questions to get some conversations going:
1. When was the last time we were in the same division?
2. Do you have any soft spots for the Pilgrims? When they went up into the old Second Division in the 70s, I used to see them in the afternoons and us in the evenings, drawn by the bigger crowds and clubs dropping down from the First, like Chelsea and Wolves, plus draws against the likes of Everton in the FA Cup.
3. What are your fondest/worst memories of our meetings with the guys in green?
Cheers
Bruce[/quote]
The connections between the clubs have been enormous over the years normally with Argyle being a division or two above us transferring players to us when they were coming to the end at that standard. Far too many to mention over the years but I knew things were going downhill for Argyle after we lost to Colchester 1-0 at Wembley and Argyle then stole our manager Kevin Hodges, our assistant manager, and several players (who weren't actually very good but that was beside the point!). It always used to be the other way round, but Argyle taking players from us how ridiculous!!
Our two clubs did spend several seasons playing each other in the old Division 3 (South) but I am not quite old enough to remember that so the first time I saw a derby was in October 1968. We were in our third season after promotion in Division 3 (now League 1) and Argyle had got relegated the previous season. A crowd of just under 21000 saw us win 2-1 at Home Park with Irish International Jimmy Dunne putting us ahead and after a fluke equaliser Alan Welsh going through one on one to clinch it!
Although we had narrowly missed out on promotion in the previous two seasons the arrogant Argyle manager Billy Bingham stated that Torquay would win the return game over his dead body. The scheduled game on Boxing Day was postponed but when it was held in February Torquay fans ran around the ground beforehand with a cardboard coffin (imagine the hysterical fits the stewards would have these days!). Sadly to no avail, Argyle won 1-0 at Plainmoor in front of a crowd of over 15,000 (just try to picture that now!).
The next season was a memorable season for me personally but also provided my worst ever memory of games against Argyle. I was lucky enough to be in our youth team at that time and we played Argyle in the FA Youth Cup, drawing 1-1 at Plainmoor, 1-1 after extra time at Home Park, and losing the 3rd game 3-1 at Home Park. Five of the Argyle team went on to play professionally including Peta Bal'ac who played for Tottenham and Mike Dowling who scored against Santos when they and Pele visited Home Park for a friendly, and three of our team Ian Twitchin, Phil Sandercock, and Robbie Robbins.
However despite my own memories of that season the first team experience was a nightmare! After losing 2-1at home in an early August fixture we then got stuffed 6-0 at Home Park on Boxing Day. Mike Bickle who was a milkman and playing for St Austell only 12 months before scored four! A decent player Norman Piper got the other two. Crowd 17000.
Definitely my worst experience against Argyle (although our 4-0 home defeat many years later which I think was Scottbrehaut's first game was also hard to take!)
The next season 1970/71 we did the double 2-1 home and away (the only time ever) but we slipped in the league to 10th having finished 7th, 4th, and 6th and just missing out on promotion in 3 of the previous 4 seasons. Mind you Argyle finished 15th so there was really only one team in Devon!
Unfortunately the following season resulted in our relegation finishing second from bottom but although we lost at Home Park we did at least beat Argyle at Plainmoor 2-1 getting towards the end of the season when we were scrapping for points but didn't get enough,
More recently of course we had to wait for Argyle to come down and join us in the bottom division and I can't remember a win although somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. Living where I do I got to know a number of Argyle players including Sean McCarthy (now coach at Ipswich but family still living locally) and Mick Heathcote. An awful memory was losing 4-3 at Home Park after being 3-2 up at half-time and being cheated out of the game by two offside goals. A 1-1 at Plainmoor sticks in the mind which was Paul Sturrock's first game and he watched from the Directors Box, later describing it as like the Alamo as we absolutely murdered them but could not get the winner. The 4-0 home defeat previously mentioned where Scottbrehaut made his debut ended with the ignomony of me giving 3 Argyle players a lift back to Ivybridge, but another 1-1 draw at Plainmoor where we had arranged to go out in the evening was memorable after Sean McCarthy broke his arm early on, scored a couple of minutes later, but then immediately had to go off. His fault, attempting a deliberate foul on our player whilst jumping for the ball, but he was still out with arm in plaster and a sling that evening. 0-0 at Home Park when Neville Southall was in goal for us also sticks in my mind largely because of confronting the Argyle manager Kevin Hodges in the Far Post Club after a couple of Trojan style large ones to demand he explain how he had the temerity to leave us after a play-off final (Paul Buckle please take note!) :) . A 3-1 reverse at Home Park a few games before our relegation showdown with Barnet was a dismal affair as a poor Argyle team beat an even poorer Torquay team, but our last meeting with Argyle on Boxing Day 2001 was a happier affair as having looked out of it at 2-0 down we came back to 2-2 with an outstandingly brilliant own goal and a last minute penalty!
Well all my Argyle supporting mates are insisting that Peter Reid has put in to be our manager and after the comment at half time in the international today when the chairman of the panel said it was difficult to work out whether we were watching England or Torquay, and with Reid being on the panel, I wouldn't be surprised. ;-)
