Torquay United Fans Forum

[quote="PlainmoorBob"]Had to be Cyril's season...it made me fall in love with the club!
The great escape against Crewe had hit a note with me and given me a sense of pride in the club, but when my Dad and I rocked up on a barmy Saturday afternoon to see the team destroy Wrexham 6-1, then swiftly beat Spurs 1-0 at Plainmoor, I was sold. Caldwell's scissor kick debut and his swashbuckling style alongside Dobbo's superior finishing and Loram's skill ... First class! Jim Mcnichol's commitment and Lee Sharpe's fledgling talents coupled with swelling crowds and an actual atmosphere in the ground were thrilling to me in my early teens - will never forget that last few matches - the two home games v scunthorpe and then that unbelievable play off final second leg v Swansea - gutted but hooked forever! It's probably nostalgia, but I've rarely recaptured that excitement of what was, for me, my first full season as a Gull[/quote]

Yes reading that sent a little shiver down my spine. Think what made it so special was the years of mediocrity, followed by abject, utter dross and then all of the above...wonderful.

2003/04, without doubt. Was my first season. Remember going to several grounds around the country and passing teams off their own park. 1500+ Gulls at Yeovil as we outplayed them, Cheltenham away remains the greatest performance I've ever seen in L2. And of course who can forget Southend? Unbelievable day.

[quote="PlainmoorBob"]Had to be Cyril's season...it made me fall in love with the club!
The great escape against Crewe had hit a note with me and given me a sense of pride in the club, but when my Dad and I rocked up on a barmy Saturday afternoon to see the team destroy Wrexham 6-1, then swiftly beat Spurs 1-0 at Plainmoor, I was sold. Caldwell's scissor kick debut and his swashbuckling style alongside Dobbo's superior finishing and Loram's skill ... First class! Jim Mcnichol's commitment and Lee Sharpe's fledgling talents coupled with swelling crowds and an actual atmosphere in the ground were thrilling to me in my early teens - will never forget that last few matches - the two home games v scunthorpe and then that unbelievable play off final second leg v Swansea - gutted but hooked forever! It's probably nostalgia, but I've rarely recaptured that excitement of what was, for me, my first full season as a Gull[/quote]

I utterly share those sentiments!

my first game was last day v crewe 87. from that moment i was torquay united mad. :scarf:

[u][b]87/88 [/b][/u] - loved cyrils 2 years. i was a young boy and look at those times with the fondest memories, affection and nostalgia,what an 'ard bunch of b@stards the 87/88 lot were and they could play a bit too. a team with characters and good players.

a few hidings were dished out also, a couple of 6-1's and 5-0's. i'll never forget v wrexham only my 2nd proper game they scored first after a few minutes, tom kelly ended up in the back of the net trying to clear the ball and a collective groan of everyone thinking here we go again. 6 goals later songs like "we want 7" "nice one cyril" and my personal favourite "you are my torquay".
then - the dude vs spurs, i didnt go to coventry my mum said i was too young for away games (but wow), caldwell, dobbo, loram, phil lloyd, tom kelly, jimmy mac, impey, lee sharpe. a very strong league that year wolves, bolton etc,- so, so close to promotion.(bloody scunthorpe)
i was then allowed to go to swansea away at vetch field in the play off final on a wednesday night with my mate and his dad who was in some sort of supporters commitee and we went on the coach with the apprentices and players wags, i mitched off school for that as well, great times. great times (sniff) :'(

these years then linked into the successful - [u][b]90-91[/b][/u] season. a great season full of incident, some good attacking football, some quite good players (and a few passengers) culminating in a fantastic friday night win on pens at wembley. only spoilt by that bloody yellow and white striped shirt we were wearing.

i really liked dave smith. he was very different, seemed a nice guy, chatted to supporters before games and had an unusual style.
bit of a shame he didnt complete the job. bit harsh to suggest the wheels came off and the manager was changed. there were a few significant injuries (especially paul smith) and there was trouble brewing behind the scenes definitely, as realised with the tommy tynan situation (v's up to bateson and "tommy put the kettle on").
:bow: to john impey though for taking charge late on, steadying the ship and leading us on to promotion.

as for [u][b]08/09[/b][/u] buckle must get credit for getting us out of the bsp but i feel it was a collective effort from all concerned - board, scouts, coaching staff, players, all club staff and fans.
there was much going on and the whole thing had that new dawn, clean slate, phoenix rising from the ashes feel about it.as great as it was though, i dont see a promotion from non league as our best season.

what can i say about [u][b]03/04[/b][/u] - "leroy, leroy, leroy" its got to be my favourite, i couldnt wait for the next game, you knew every time you went it would be entertaining win or lose. exciting passing football far above our level, playing the way the game should always be played. you felt we could win every game and we had no one to fear.

mcfarland may have signed a few of that team, some were here before him but he could not get a tune out of them though. there were a few rumblings under him of trouble behind the scenes and the football and effort were crap. :-/

a season not on the list but honourable mention must go to [u][b]97/98[/b][/u]. good players, decent football, gibbs and gurney, rodney, jason roberts, how the hell did they not get promoted, that day at orient (only time after a football match i have nearly cried, alright i did a little bit), that night v scarborough,narrow play off final defeat (that was never a penalty and rodney wasnt offside).
i will say it again- how the hell did they not get promoted.


so, yeah, for the football (oh the football), good times and automatic promotion 03/04 is my best season. :)

Had to be Cyril's season...it made me fall in love with the club!
The great escape against Crewe had hit a note with me and given me a sense of pride in the club, but when my Dad and I rocked up on a barmy Saturday afternoon to see the team destroy Wrexham 6-1, then swiftly beat Spurs 1-0 at Plainmoor, I was sold. Caldwell's scissor kick debut and his swashbuckling style alongside Dobbo's superior finishing and Loram's skill ... First class! Jim Mcnichol's commitment and Lee Sharpe's fledgling talents coupled with swelling crowds and an actual atmosphere in the ground were thrilling to me in my early teens - will never forget that last few matches - the two home games v Scunthorpe and then that unbelievable play off final second leg v Swansea - gutted but hooked forever! It's probably nostalgia, but I've rarely recaptured that excitement of what was, for me, my first full season as a Gull

I went for 03/04 as well. To get automatic promotion in what was a competitive league 2 that year was a massive achievement, but even more so to be able to come away from games feeling incredibly proud of the way the team played and on many occasions to have the opposition fans acknowledge it as well. My particular memory is playing Hull off the park at the KC - we were really phenomenal, but that was by no means a one off.

My choice was 'a nomination for style'. 03/04, automatic promotion into League 1 playing the most exciting football I've witnessed from any Torquay side. Take the point about the relief of escaping relegation, but I watch football in the hope of seeing my team win things, to bask in the glory. Our Wembley victories have been great, but none compare to Southend for me.

I went for the Cyril era.

Whilst it didn't end in promotion, the context of what went on before needs to be considered. In 1985 and 1986 we had finished rock bottom. Not in even close to the team above, A team stuffed full of South Devon League standard players who did their best but sadly were not good enough. 1987 - the great escape. The team was much improved and should never have been struggling and it was against this backdrop that Cyril took over. To beat Spurs, slaughter Coventry (yet lose 0-2) and get to Sherpa semis and then the play-offs after the previous three years was unbelievable. Cyril stopped our club from being a laughing stock and then to get to Wembley the year after was amazing.

Frank O'Farrell - not disputing is achievments at all - took over a well run, established club. Buckle took over a club in a lower setting and was bankrolled by a lottery millionaire. Even Leroy took over the team Roy built. Therefore, for what Cyril achieved after three years of misery was incredible.

http://www.torquayunited.com/news/article/best-season-942149.aspx

Though in principal the nominations are worthy of being a good season. I still feel other seasons have given me more satisfaction. Promotion is great but the feel factor of escaping relegation is just as good. You can argue that escaping relegation is not a good season for the club, but when the drop is inevitable and you escape by the skin of your teeth, you cant beat the excitement and nervous relief.

The great escape against Crewe though a one off match to me is why I today support the club and has to go down as the great escape.
Beating Carlisle 1-0 under Warnock was a memorable season, celebrations at the end where immense
Beating Carlisle 2-1 under atkins was a miracle end of season run of results.

Anyone else have different seasons they would vote for?
But as we can only vote on what we are given, I have to go for The Buckle season. We escaped non-league football and that takes some doing regardless of Budget(ask a Luton fan).
Enjoyed Cyril era, remember going Crewe away on a Friday night, we drew 0-0 but will always remember our players passing the ball back to our keeper for about 10 minutes. Great stuff!!!