Torquay United Fans Forum

Absolutely agree with Parry, the family stand now needs to be priced accordingly as a family stand.

I sat in the bench again on Tues night. I think the problem with crowd noise is going to be an issue with such a split crowd now that the bench is up and running. The Family stand needs to be made an actual family stand and priced accordingly. i.e 2 plus 2 for say 30/35 quid family ticket, in order to get the crowd the whole way round the stadium rather than just either side of the pitch as being the same price or similar to the Bench, unless you prefer sitting behind a goal, I cant see why you would not go in the bench if you wanted to sit. At the moment the crowd from Tues night was probably split say 200 - 300 Family Stand 700-800 new stand and say Pop 1,000 - 1,200.

I normally stand very close to or below the singers and will probably be back there for the rest of the season. A few seasons ago it was very rare to be outsung in volume and amount of songs sung by any away support, even when they filled the away end. We all know that the acoustics of the away end are better than the pop side, but with the new stand there as well the away end noise has been even more improved. The new stand sucks in the away end volumes and Chelts seemed like they had a lot more singing than the 150 they had behind the goal. At one nil down you could here a pin drop in the bench, but I know that it will take two, three months before it gets its own atmosphere going. So unless the team are doing well in the game, I think volumes will be a lot lower this season.

Plus, before Tues I didn't realise how poorly the sound travels from the home end on occasions.

SG your exactly right and I knew that as well, all I am reiterating is the need for a bigger fanbase, how we get it and if we ever do is another matter. It is a shame we don't have the backing of a more affluent town/city the size of even say Chelts or Exeter 100K to get another thousand on the gate. (I realise that this does not work for Chelts as they support historically is a lot less than us)

Excellent season with a very limited squad, lets face it you would have had half of the side Buckle had last year above some of our lesser players. The starting 11 we had this season was capable of promotion but the bench was not and that was our undoing in the end. Ling has proved everyone wrong and is very refreshing how he handles himself. He does not seek self gratification like Buckle, lets the football do the talking, gives an honest assessment and stands out the way at the end of the game and lets the players take their applase. Good luck to him for next year.

We some how need to get more on the home end attendances, I believe thats what really costs us a promotion each time. To have what must have only been 2,900 in the home end on nights like last night and even more worringly the Plymouth home game earlier in the season is what threatens every promotion campaign. The extra on the crowd would have given Lingy the chance to bring the two attacking loanees we required or the Billy Bodin which would have almost certainly won us promotion. I know the reasons we do not get the crowds that the football we play deserves, but there has to be a strategy in place to get kids through the doors before they get taken in by Man U, Liverpool etc.

I believe Regiment is correct, sorry for the added confusion. Just thought I would highlight it to ensure people do not make the mistake of believing it is not all ticket on the pop when in fact it always has been all ticket and still is.

In today's Western Morning News, reads ' Thursday's second leg is not all-ticket on the Popular Side terrace, but it is in the Family Stand, where United still have some seats left'

Firstly I thought to myself great no need to make an unwanted trip to Plainmoor to get my ticket, as to my knowledge it was definitely an all ticket game. Secondly, I thought no cant be and then I thought oh no not another ticket disaster from TUFC. So I phoned the club as I am yet to get my ticket for the game and read out what it said in the paper and the lady said that what is in the paper is correct. So I said I will just pay on the gate, to which she said you must purchase a ticket. I know I am being pedantic but my point is that WMN should not say that it effectively is not all ticket in the pop because this could lead to some one just expecting to turn up at the ground and get in, which you physically cannot do.

Also cannot see it even selling out as Family Stand has not even sold out yet. And can also see the club deciding to allow you to pay on day like Southend which would also cheese off supporters who have made that unwanted mid week trip to the ground. Finally could not believe that season ticket holders are not guaranteed a ticket for the game if they dont make a trip to the ground and get their ticket, I know they had a priority sale but you cant always get to plainmoor. Sorry for bringing up the same old story.

just bought tickets for tomorrow and hereford easy as pie, straight through on phone to a very helpful chap on the other end. Was able to get the 5 standing tickets I wanted in a small standing allocation at hereford possibly around 250 I believe

The game reminded me very much of a game at Notts County in I think the Hodges play off year. We lost that day 3-0 at Meadow Lane to the Champions Elect in a similar style to last night at Swindon. They had Sam Allardyce in charge? on his way up the ladder in a similar vein to Di Canio. Swindon were excellent second half and really turned the screw, but what was dissapointing was that the goals we conceded were not from the open play football but two very cheap goals. I do believe that winning our home games is all that we require for auto promotion, Port Vale, Accrington, Crewe and Southend. On paper not the worst teams to be playing with hopefully Crewe either already having a play off spot or no chance of a play off spot by that time. And on Sat, Port Vale with the ten points off and no risk of relegation. Southend are an up and down team, depends which one turns up. Looks fairly optimistic. One thing I would say is that if we miss out then I think that the strength outside the first 11 could be where we go wrong. Last night, following the subs, we never looked like scoring if we played until saturday. I feel that the impact from the bench when losing a game could be where we fail. But cannot grumble to much. Jarvis last night looked like a loan player, whereas when I had seen him before looked a very hungry player. Tai was fairly limited and Rowe Tuner gives me the whopplys every time he is on the ball...sorry. But cannot grumble as we are second in the league, so what do I know. In Ling we Trust, could not ever say that about a certain Mr Buckle.

The future of our club and also the general size of support comes from youth. I am 23 and started going with my dad at 10. Any later than getting the children through the turnstiles and they are lost to Man United. If I was a 23 year old now who had never been to Plainmoor at ten I would have been lost to Man U too. You need to get kids through from local Kids sides like suggested and through from primary schools, Frank Prince style. If a local bloke is say 30 to 50 and a football fan and is not a fan of Torquay United by this stage in life. I can guarantee that the only game at Plainmoor he will watch is when we draw Man U in the cup. I also believe that as our elderly supporters are passing on so is our crowds numbers. A father/son style ticket arrangement needs to be made available i.e Adult plus kid on the pop for £20. Adult plus two kids £22. what have you lost on a five /six quid paying kid. nothing. But when that kid turns 16 he will be hooked and paying full price like i am now all those years on. The ticket prices are too rigid. If every one brought a mate for a tenner you would have 2,000 x 2 = 4,000 crowd . it aint rocket science. the 2,000 are hardcore would pay their last pound to support their club. the other two thousand is who we now need.

Firstly i am pleased this issued has been raised as i have been coming away from great results at home thinking we got a great side but its no point having a league one side with blue square attendances.

I agree with almost every point that has been raised by other users but thought i would add a little:

the main factors why we only get average of 2.6k at home is;
1. if you draw a circle round torquay for its catchment area half of it is the english channel
2. average wage in the bay is probably around £16k
3. the tv coverage of football
4. small population to support the team in general, Torquay 60,000 Paignton 45,000 Newton Abbot 25,000 Brixham 20,000 = catchment, compare this to Exeter's, Exeter 110,000 Exmouth 35,000 plus the whole area towards north and east Devon as a whole. In general terms as far as Taunton before you get rovers fans and say Chard before you get Yeovil fans.
5. Ticketing, why cannot a professional football club sell tickets online. How many times have you had to make an uneccessary trip to plainmoor in work time to get those hallowed tickets.
6. Everytime we get a chance of getting a bigger crowd, we alienate the people who may come by either duff information or inflated ticket sale figures like the rovers game.

Other things to consider for League One is that last time we were there we had Sheff Weds at home and they wanted to bring 2,500 down, but we could only accomodate 1,000. A club like ours cannot afford to turn away definate numbers like that, this time around.

I could really go on, but im at work

Hi

This is my first post on here, so I hope I have done it correctly. Just at work relishing in the incredible run of form we are on and it had me thinking what the table looked like in comparison to this time last year. Chesterfield who won the league were on the same points as us currently after the same number of games i.e 30 played and 56 pts, also which puts Martin Lings achievement so far into perspective is that we are 14 pts up on this time last year (note having played two more games this season).

Well done to the Yellows, lets hope for a deserving 3,000 plus crowd on saturday COYY

link
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An amazing set of opening fixtures, buckles unveiling to the home crowd when we play them, christ their p.a. system will have to be good to be heard over our chanting and boo's haha

Echo the sentiments of others that although he was great, would he be great next season, i say up step Mark Ellis, potentially our best player and lets hope he gets a run in the side as once he has had five six games in a row he will start racking up those mom awards again like his last run in the side. thanks to branston, was def the cult hero for the last 18 months.

having looked up Hughes his credentials are very good and having any scottish premier experience is a calibre of manager that we would all be more than happy with. but ask your self why would he want to manage torquay with all respect to our club, surely he could get a more than reasonable job in scotland. just personally would have liked to have seen managers with experience of the lower english leagues like some of the names quoted from the BSP and league two which would not have neccessarily cost any more than buckle originally did. but hughes has to get the job out of those surely?