Torquay United Fans Forum

I sympathise with all Gulls Fans who have endured the 'Constant Engaged Tone' over the last 3 days. Despite the clubs efforts at trying to sort this out, it is obvious that the club really need to learn some valuable lessons and put in place some processes to ensure this doesn't happen again. I got through at about 12.10pm on Sunday and booked my 3 tickets. I went for the £56.00 tickets simply because I wanted to try and get a great place to enjoy the day like most fans. It sounds like this may have been the wrong thing to do (especially if they were selling seats in order around the pitch).

This is about the 3rd time this season that fans and season ticket holders have been treated so poorly and the club have been spineless in defending their corner and looking after their fans. A club constantly complaining of a lack of cash and supporters does not do itself any favours by handling things in this manner. I hope in the after sales 'wash up' meeting there is strong representation from the fans. I am livid after this and the Crawley fiasco and I am certainly writing to the club to air my concerns - I am also hoping that there will be an AGM at some point to go to to make my feelings known too.

I am sure if you asked loyal fans if they would come in and help in return for a gesture from the club they would - I run my own IT business and I certainly could have helped them automate some of this process using technology. I do understand they only had a week to sell tickets but thought should have gone into how they were going to approach this well in advance, let's face it, it's like this every time there is a need for advanced ticket sales.

Let's just hope the game is worth it!

AWJ

Just wanted to add my own advice to fellow Gulls supporters thinking of driving to Old Trafford (Stretford)

I have used parkatmyhouse.com on a few occasions to park my car for an event at old trafford. It's a great scheme as long as you ensure you pick a reputable provider with a good number of reviews and feedback. On Sunday immediately after getting my ticket I booked my space where I parked before - 4 minutes walk to the ground and the space is reserved from 1.00pm to 10.30pm in case of extra-time and penalties, oh and you avoid the big queues getting out of the car parks too! - slightly more expensive at £11.00 but well worth it.

My top tip for the day.

This is, and continues to be a major issue for this club. Having been a season ticket holder for 5 years now and had the same seats, in year two they gave away our seats to someone else despite the fact that we were within the renewal period for season ticket holders. We always enter via the Reception, go up the stairs and then hand over our tickets at the top of the stairs. During the last FA Cup game where they were equally inept by the fact that the queues stretched out of the ground, down the road and around the corner, they placed a steward in front of the reception doors and would not allow anyone through.

We, that's myself and my son have been to almost every away game this season and I will blow my lid if the army of one-time glory supporters claim a ticket for the away leg at Shrewsbury before me. Where have these fans been the rest of the season. TUFC have never stopped for a minute to consider their business model. Regular subscribers a.k.a Season Ticket holders are your (almost) guaranteed income at the club and need to be looked after - they regularly attract or bring friends/family and generally market your club for you. It is suicidal and complacent not to understand that this is the bulk of your GUARANTEED income. The emphasis always seems to be on recruiting new blood and showing very little regard for season ticket holders. What incentive is there to be loyal to the club if this is how you are treated? - I think they consider a reduction in the cost of the ticket recompense enough.

I know for one I will be speaking to both the Chairman and others about this before the new season starts. Surely it is not difficult to coordinate ticket sales and also to provide season ticket holders with priority ticket purchases - I hate inconsistency.

Next years season ticket purchase for myself and my son will depend on it! - so let's hope someone from TUFC reads the forums!

Maybe us season ticket holders should raise the issue - I intend to go to the AGM to do just that!

That's better - now breathe!

PS. Anyone know how quick you have to renew your season ticket to stop someone nicking your seats? - don't want a repeat performance of a couple of years ago!

He regularly posted on his Facebook page (the one he deleted when he left TUFC) that he had problems with his knees and ankles and regularly said that his body was shot after almost each and every game. He had the potential for great things but in my opinion was somewhat of a lazy player and a member of the 'He's great on his day' club - only trouble was, his day didn't come very often. I never really felt he loved/enjoyed playing for Torquay and after the despatch of his closest team mate Tyrone Thompson, it was apparent that this was probably the only thing keeping him here - he seemed to consider himself a bit of the gangster type to, never really hit it off with the other players - something that is more apparent with the existing squad this season. They regularly socialise with each other and have become really good friends - part of the reason I believe Stanley and Branston want to be here.

We sit directly in front of the directors box in the family stand and we didn't hear anything - although I can say that when one of the season ticket holders turned to their contingent and wished them luck in their promotion they were anything but pleasant! - some people are never happy! - memories of Crawley spring to mind.

We'll definately be going from Taunton! - we've done Macclesfield, Northampton, Bradford and Burton - so what the hell!

Just wanted to say many thanks ChippyGull, RoyalGull and SuperNickyWroe (who personally messaged me) for your kind words about my post and for the welcome to the forum. It's great to be on board and I look forward to contributing to a fantastic board with great participants in future. Oh, and the tears and joy that will no doubt surround us all during the next 10 weeks.

Best wishes to you all.

Alan.

As a loyal Gulls fan who has driven all over the country for the last two seasons, and someone who reads the forum regularly but doesn't really contribute, I felt it was time this changed.

Having driven all the way to Macclesfield after the sat nav decided to take us via the most indirect route possible, I feel I just need to say a few things about the game. Firstly, there seems to be a lot of talk about Scott Bevan. I am personally a big fan of the big man but there are a couple of cracks in his game that keep reappearing. Firstly, for a keeper of his height, I feel he should make claim for more crosses/corners than he does. He does seem very reluctant to do this at times and there does appear to be an air of uncertainty in the relationship between him and his two centre backs. Whilst he can be a great shot stopper, his kicking and distribution are also inconsistent, not hitting a yellow shirt when kicking and failing to spot a running break on occasions. Instead, deciding to calm the game down and kick the ball from his hands which either comes down with snow on it or veers off at weird angles - not always just on a number of occasions. On Saturday, given the way that Macclesfield fancied packing the box with height which proved fruitful you would have thought this was a priority. Personally, I do not blame Bevan entirely, and the moron behind us in the stand that decided to shout profanities at Bevan blaming him for the 2nd goal was quite rightly chastised by the 'true' gulls fans. This barrage of abuse obviously rattled Bevan who, when the first half had concluded, quite rightly turned around at the same moron and told him what he thought. Needless to say when our first goal went in - we all turned around and he was nowhere to be seen. We all get frustrated when things go badly wrong but we equally all know that someone consistently shoving it down our throats is not going to motivate us to perform better is it?

Branston is arguably a very intimidating presence for the opposition, but this also appears to be the case for his own team mates. I do understand he is considered a leader and I regularly hear people say, 'that's what you get with Branston'. However, I regularly watch him berate Robertson (who I have to say is not one of my favourite players due to his inconsistency and failure to read the game on many occasions) even when he does something well - and we all understand the damage that destructive negative criticism does. Branston's distribution from the back is - and I would be amazed if anyone would disagree, appalling. He is strong and committed but turning and berating your own players when you are far from perfect yourself makes Robertson and Nicholson on occasions look like frightened school children.

Nicholson / Robertson are really my main areas of concern. Whilst Nicholson has a good throw, can take a cracking free kick, is more mobile this season than last after losing a few pounds. There are clearly issues with this side of the pitch, never more obvious on Saturday when Macclesfield got in behind him on numerous occasions in the first half. I saw Branston covering left back on too many occasions for my liking. Those gulls fans who love their stats - I would love to see the amount of goals we have conceded from the left hand side of the pitch - I think the result would be surprising. Many of the sides who visit Plainmoor always attack this side of the pitch with pace knowing I believe of this weakness. He was clearly out jumped for their second headed goal on the near post and this probably was the reason he was substituted shortly after with Rowe Turner.

I don't know why but I always seem to panic when I see Robertson with the ball, he always seems to give away possession at crucial times. He either takes too long on the ball and gets caught or gets drawn forward and is turned quite easily. He regularly thumps the ball up in the air and forward not knowing where it is going. I wish he had more composure on the ball and again his distribution was more assured. Whilst I like Mansell in midfield and I feel this is his better position, Robertson in right back doesn't work for me and I always feel more confident when Mansell is there.

All that said I thought we showed tremendous character to come back from 2-0 down to draw. Some will clearly argue we were lucky and in all honestly I have to say we were - despite Jake nearly winning it at the end. Although I didn't go to Bury I heard the live commentary and we certainly sounded equally as bad for 35 mins of the first half at Macclesfield. Teams are quickly realising that we do not play so well when we are put under regular pressure and closed down quickly. This is something we have to adapt to and improve. I wonder if this was the catalyst for the players coming out early in the second half and playing quick and short passing between themselves - I haven't seen us do this for a while. Equally, we must be more consistent with our tempo - we come out gunning for the first 15 minutes and then start to slow down - this then appears to offer team a chance to get back in the game. Our tempo shouldn't be so erratic and we should hold on to the ball and make teams work if they want to chase us and close us down so quickly - nothing saps your energy more than chasing the ball.

It's going to be a tough run in with our remaining games. I have always questioned (predominantly because I read between the lines in Buckles comments) whether the club was really pushing for promotion this season. I felt that the club would be happy to stay in League 2 for another season, grooming our young squad and pushing harder next year. I regularly hear that we are exceeding expectations for such a young squad - well we must remember we have chosen a young squad by choice - and I do incidentally support and understand the financial necessity to adopt this model of business. But as is this case in all walks of life, there needs to be balance.

A new league, 1400 fans a week, a stadium/stand that needs updating and the inevitable requests for pay increases by players playing a higher league of football is going to put a lot of pressure on an club already placing restrictions on spending in a tough economic climate. Personally I believe that if you are in any football league, the whole ethos of a club is built on improving performance and getting promoted and this shouldn't be undermined by fear. Nobody ever achieves anything by not taking a risk. If the club is managed effectively and we work within our available funds there is no reason why we cannot be just as successful in League 1 - I hate to hear us Buckle saying 'We are playing beyond our expectations' - my expectations are Championship football for the club. Have you ever heard the phrase 'Shoot for the moon and you'll hit the stars!'

Come on your gulls for the run in - we'll certainly be right behind you. You can do no wrong in our eyes - however frustrating it is at times. Those of us who have played football at a reasonable level will know how tough it really is.

Someone - is time up!

Come on you Gulls - Show us that you can hold on to a lead. Your fans need you - I've got my lucky seaweed out and everything!

How long is left - this is all too tense!

Come on you Gulls - Branston - no penalties!

Will be cancelling Gulls Player in the morning - one word 'S#?te'

Fletch wrote: Trojan...If youre at home tune a radio to 1458am. Its fine on that (apart from the way were playing)

What station is that - can I get it on internet?

Anybody else subscribed to the useless Gulls Player frustrated by not being able to listen to the match? It seems hell bent on not allowing me to login SSL Protocol errors - I guess server has crashed through over subscription - we are talking Torquay here, god their servers must be useless!