Torquay United Fans Forum

Richinns wrote:
With your inside knowledge - any idea if we are talking as Brass as assistant or will Taylor continue in his current role?

Knill has just announced in his press conference to unveil him as manager that he's looking to bring in Brass, according to the BBC's Brent Pilnick.

@brentpilnick:
Knill looking to bring in Chris Brass as his assistant

MF68 wrote:Thanks MK Gull. Was Brass metioned? Or Taylor?

Think that's all still to be sorted MF.

Stay patient. Few details still need ironing out, but it's close to being announced.

Dave Thomas in the Western Morning News from today seems to think it may be this weekend, but more likely early next week: http://t.co/Md2Ora7iZe

I think Oastler is worth persisting with, maybe for another year. He had a terrific season last year by all accounts and, whilst he didn't quite live up to that this year, he's shown at times that he's still a very capable full back.

His performance up at Morecambe got him in the team of the week, and I have to say he really impressed me again against Rovers on Saturday.

He's got age on his side, there's definite potential there, and I don't think we'd realistically be able to get a lot better.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22352862 - As widely predicted, Benyon has been let go by Southend.

Behind-the-Gulls wrote: The article only says he remains as assistant manager-which I take to mean for now;could all change in next 48 hours.

Apologies if I've read too much into it! I took it as meaning he'd be staying on no matter what, which I found a bit surprising considering Knill's preference to work with Brass.

Western Morning News reporting that Shaun Taylor will stay on as Assistant to whoever the knew manager is.

If indeed it is Knill, as the article suggests it will be, I hope he gets the chance to bring Chris Brass back as well. He played a big part in keeping us up.

Link: http://bit.ly/14Mg7WQ

Benyon
Downes
Oastler
Poke
Jarvis

What a totally bonkers and breathless game that was...it had absolutely everything that's for sure.

Thought we were decent but lacking in cutting edge in the first half, and it took for defensive lapse no. 1 for Rovers to score (Lathrope giving the ball away on the edge of the box and Pokey getting lobbed).

Then in the second half, we look more dangerous, equalise through Benyon and it's all smiles, only for Rovers to go down the other end, win a very soft free kick and Jarvis inexplicably head it past Poke. Then Rovers win a very soft penalty (there's a pattern developing here), and Poke steps up to the plate to make the save. It was a very poor penalty in fairness, but if it'd gone in it would've been all over.

Jarvis then atoned for his error with a close finish to level the scores, before Benyon sparked scenes of jubilation I've rarely seen the like of at Plainmoor. Harrold's equaliser was a bit irrelevant as by that time we knew we were safe whatever happened.

Truly a crazy 90 minutes, with some catastrophic defending at times (from both sides), but who cares! WE ARE STAYING UP! (I never thought I'd be saying that after witnessing the defeat away at Aldershot).

Atmosphere was electric. Deadman was a gurning plank (no change there), but did provide a moment of pure comedy by sprinting off the pitch whilst blowing for full time.

To the board. Please sign a). Elliot Benyon (who was just a joy to watch today, and has worked so hard since coming in) and, more importantly.

b). Alan Knill and Chris Brass.

P.S. how fitting that, in this insane season, we finish with one final farce...waiting for 15 minutes after the game finished to do the awards. 3/4 of the ground got fed up of waiting and cleared off.

Wow. A bizarre turn of events, and one that I'd have thought was best left until the end of the season, to ensure maximum focus on the next three games.

Very appreciative of all that Thea has done for us, but is now the time for someone who, as the 'Meet Thea' article says, will "hopefully catch on quick, and not score too many own goals"? I'm not sure.

Downes
Saah
Rice
Morris
Howe

Just got home, and totally gutted. I know we weren't expected to get anything, but once more TUFC raised my hopes before cruelly dashing them.

We were magnificent in the first half. Really, absolutely magnificent. Gillingham had the better of the first 15/20 minutes - certainly possession wise - but didn't do a great deal with it, and Rice wasn't really troubled. The longer the half went on, the more we came into it. Rene hit the post when through on goal, before having a shot off the line. Mansell then had a shot well saved, before Morris blasted wide on the half volley, and Downes headed just over from a corner. Rice was called into action a couple of times before half time, including one excellent acrobatic tip over of a long range effort. The boys went off to a standing ovation, having made the champions elect look very ordinary.

The second half, however, couldn't have been more different. Once again, we conceded right after the break. Nicho (who had an atrocious game) failed to deal with an innocuous high ball, letting Kedwell in to fire past Rice's near post (via a Nicho deflection). Heads visibly dropped, and we offered very little else all game, and there was only one side in it. Only a few smart stops from Rice stopped it being more. We could've snatched a point at the death, though, as Nicho hit the crossbar with a 25 yard free kick. When your luck's out...

Huge missed opportunity to finish off a spirited first half performance, even with it being against the champions of the league (congratulations to Gillingham, by the way). If we don't beat Barnet, I think it's all over.

Decided I'm going to head to this one for my third game in just over a week. Must be mad!

I know everything points to a defeat, but I've just got this strange sense of optimism that we could just pull off a result. If we play like we did last Friday at Northampton, I think we'll get something. If we play like we did on Monday, we'll get a drubbing. I think the boys will enjoy playing without any pressure on them (seeing as no-one fancies us - with good reason!), and if we defend well and counter attack effectively, who knows.

Think the first goal is crucial. If Gillingham get it early, they'll go on and win comfortably. If we can sneak an early goal, or at the very least keep it at 0-0 for as long as possible, we'll stand a good chance of getting a draw or maybe all three points.

Would like to see Downes in for MacDonald. Angus is a good prospect, that's for sure, but from what I've seen of the last two games, his inexperience has made us a little shaky at the back at times. I'd imagine Lathrope will come in for Labadie as well. As much as I'd like to think Nathan Craig is the answer, I'm not entirely convinced that he is just yet (even when I've seen him playing in the centre of midfield).

Reckon a 1-1 draw today - not really what we need, but would represent a good result and give us a platform to build on for the last few games.

And for those that remember, the similarities with that trip to Carlisle under Ian Atkins are there for all to see, and we all know how that finished! Video evidence here - (from 4:30 on, although the whole thing is worth a watch). COYY'S!!

SkyBlueGull wrote:
This could start a thread of missed loan opportunities becuase whilst writing this didnt we also have a good Sheffield(Utd/Wednesday) goalkeeper in the year we went up to the old 3rd Division under Rosenoir (well we got through about 9 goalkeepers that year). He was about 3rd in the pecking order up in Sheffield - was playing blinders for us and then suddenly got recalled.

Any other memories of loanees snatched form us???

Think this is the keeper in question. Phil Barnes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Barnes

Do remember him being quality. think it was the 04/05 season in League 1, when we went through: Arjan van Heusden, Phil Barnes, Bertrand Bossu, Kevin Dearden, Paul Jarvie, Olafur Gottskalksson and Andy Marriott! As much as I loved Leroy for what he did with us, his work in the transfer market, admittedly on a small budget, left a little to be desired.

Cruise
Labadie (just because he scored, more than anything else)

And that's it.