Torquay United Top 100 Matches

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 26 Feb 2016, 14:04

JOINT 81st: Brentford 0 - 1 Torquay United - 1988/89

4 points, 1 vote

Sherpa Van Trophy Semi Final - Southern Section
21st March 1989
Griffin Park
Attendance: 5802

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A trip to Brentford is next to feature. This was the Southern area semi-final of the Sherpa Van Trophy 1988/89, the year we reached Wembley for the first time. We travelled to third-tier side Brentford more in hope than expectation, with mixed form in our preceding 6 matches (3 wins, 3 losses). Brentford, however, had just lost heavily to Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter finals, so were hoping for a positive result here to pick themselves up. They didn't get it, as United scored the only goal of the match to progress to the Area final, where we met Wolves.

davidcaldwell123 · Post by **davidcaldwell123** » 26 Feb 2016, 14:56

Kernowgull wrote: What an absolutely ludicrous penalty to concede!!!

We were all over them at the time!!!

samuel · Post by **samuel** » 26 Feb 2016, 15:30

Brentford match - I was there - memorable only for the awful conduct of certain Gulls fan whom I think got ejected or arrested and the fact I unknowingly had scabies picked up from visiting a real filthy house and was itching like mad.

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 26 Feb 2016, 16:39

JOINT 81st: Torquay United 2 - 2 Bristol Rovers - 2011/12

4 points, 1 vote

League 2
10th March 2012
Plainmoor
Attendance: 3920

Torquay: Bobby Olejnik, Joe Oastler, Brian Saah, Mark Ellis, Kevin Nicholson, Damon Lathrope, Lee Mansell, Eunan O'Kane, Ian Morris, Danny Stevens, Rene Howe. Subs: Taiwo Atieno, Ryan Jarvis, Martin Rice, Lathanial Rowe-Turner, Angus MacDonald.

Torquay scorers: Lee Mansell (2)
Bristol Rovers scorers: Matt Harrold, Chris Zebroski

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I remember looking forward to this meeting - it was supposed to be the chance to 'welcome' Paul Buckle back to Plainmoor. Unfortunately he got sacked 2 months earlier on, and so Rovers made the journey south without Bucks involved. However, a handful of ex-Gulls were; Scott Bevan, Chris Zebroski, Mustapha Carayol and Craig Stanley all featured, while Shaun North was in the dugout. Alas, the match. Rovers took the lead right on half time as Matt Harrold scored from about 30 yards - unusual for him. Chris Zebroski had to get on the scoresheet for the visitors, and he did so with just over 20 minutes left. This looked like game, set and match. However, Lee Mansell had other ideas. He pulled a scruffy goal back two minutes later, and equalised with 10 seconds of the 90 minutes remaining. It was a sterling fightback from United to rescue a point from the jaws of defeat.

Chris B · Post by **Chris B** » 26 Feb 2016, 16:41

The Hartlepool match was equally memorable for the part Jean Pierre Simb played in asssiting Eifion's hatrick. Simb failed to live up to the excitement of this performance, but I'll never forget his half lap of honour as he high fived the crowd in celebration of his only goal for the club against Rotherham. TUFC could exist for another 100+ years, but we'll never see a character quite like Jean Pierre again!

wivelgull · Post by **wivelgull** » 26 Feb 2016, 18:00

Yes, I remember the SIMB celebration. But I had forgotten it was at the Eifion hat-trick debut match.

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 01 Mar 2016, 07:51

JOINT 81st: Torquay United 3 - 2 Rushden & Diamonds - 2007/08

4 points, 1 vote

Blue Square Premier
25th August 2007
Plainmoor
Attendance: 3017

Torquay: Simon Rayner, Chris Robertson, Steve Woods, Chris Todd, Kevin Nicholson, Danny Stevens, Lee Mansell, Chris Hargreaves, Chris Zebroski, Tim Sills, Lee Phillips. Subs: Martin Rice, Danny Wring, Matt Hockley, Elliot Benyon, Ishmael Welsh.

Torquay scorers: Tim Sills, Lee Phillips, Chris Zebroski
Rushden scorers: Michael Rankine, Dean Howell

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Torquay's first home win as a non-league club is next up, and it came against Rushden & Diamonds - a side that had dropped into non-league in 2006 after our great escape (which, ironically, looked incredibly unlikely after a loss at Rushden's Nene Park at the start of April!). This game didn't come to life in the first half, with no goals. However, by the mid-point of the second half, United were 3-0 up. Tim Sills scored first, before Lee Phillips found the net with a penalty. Chris Zebroski added a third which proved to be the winner. On 69 minutes, Rankine pulled one back for the visitors before Dean Howell made it closer in the last minute with a penalty. Rushden's momentum was stopped as Curtis Woodhouse was sent off straight after, and the Diamonds could not find an equaliser.

Post by **Eirik** » 01 Mar 2016, 08:14

Bloggy wrote: Didn't Eiffion go on to play for Hartlepool?
Thought he was a great signing... but felt he could have done more.

I got Eifion Williams printed on the back of one of my first Torquay shirts. Two weeks later he was sold to Hartlepool

Since then I have only printed my name. I am not going anywhere

Plymouth Gull · Post by **Plymouth Gull** » 01 Mar 2016, 09:46

JOINT 81st: Torquay United 2 - 1 Bristol Rovers - 1966/67

4 points, 1 vote

Division 3
8th April 1967
Plainmoor
Attendance: 14171

The last of the matches that came in at joint 81st! This is one I have absolutely no idea about, but look at that attendance!!

stefano · Post by **stefano** » 01 Mar 2016, 12:29

Plymouth Gull wrote:JOINT 81st: Torquay United 2 - 1 Bristol Rovers - 1966/67

4 points, 1 vote

Division 3
8th April 1967
Plainmoor
Attendance: 14171

The last of the matches that came in at joint 81st! This is one I have absolutely no idea about, but look at that attendance!!

Seven games to go and the attendance was due to a realisation that we were in with a genuine chance of promotion to the second tier of English football in our first season back in Division 3 following promotion the previous season. The top two went up and this win over Bristol Rovers, who were highly placed themselves, pushed us in to 2nd place behind Queens Park Rangers. It was the top two got promoted (no play-offs). Ron Barnes and Robin Stubbs scored the Torquay goals, and the promotion challenge continued a few days later with a 1-0 win away to Brighton & Hove Albion. In 2nd place and 5 games to go - and we managed to lose 4 of them! The only glimmer of hope sandwiched in the middle of those 5 games was a 5-0 win at home to Brighton. That sent us to Middlesbrough for the penultimate game of the season. Well over 1000 Torquay supporters were in the 27160 crowd at Ayresome Park, to see us comprehensively thrashed 4-0 by Middlesbrough, who were to take the 2nd promotion spot behind QPR. Strangely we were still mathematically in with an outside chance at the final game, but we managed to lose that 4-2 at home to already relegated Swansea Town. Anybody looking at the league table now and seeing that we finished 7th probably would not realise how close we were to promotion. It was all very tight at the top, and had we won the last 2 games instead of losing them we would have gone up.

The following season was in some ways worse. Top of the table virtually from the off and throughout until the very end of the season. Then another collapse, finishing 4th behind promoted clubs Oxford and Bury, and once again winning our last 2 games instead of losing them would have seen us promoted.

I suppose it was never meant to be!

chunkygull · Post by **chunkygull** » 01 Mar 2016, 14:52

I have heard rumour, speculation, gossip, opinion and conspiracy down the years from a few Plainmoor cranks and my own Dad that a couple of times in the 60's and in once in the 50's that TUFC threw promotion right at the end of the season on purpose because the club/board did not want to go any higher as they felt they could not afford it and it wasnt sustainable, do you think this is what happened or just bad luck and a bit of bottling it?

First time I heard this sort of thing was at the end of 87/88 season when we just came up short at the end, a few comments "They're doing it again, they're doing it again" They've done it before", "The board dont want 'em to go up", heard it all again at the end of 97/98.

Kit_robin · Post by **Kit_robin** » 01 Mar 2016, 14:56

Every time a team, not just Torquay, bottles promotion you always hear this rumour.

Of course it makes no logical sense, because of the boards of clubs were just money grabbing greedy bastards it would be in their interests to go into a higher league, take the extra income that comes with it, and invest nothing in the team. Champagne all round boys!

chunkygull · Post by **chunkygull** » 01 Mar 2016, 15:14

I agree, I certainly couldnt imagine any of the characters of 87/88 throwing it let alone the manager Mr Knowles going along with that , nor any of the 98 lot, and from what I have heard of the teams of the 60's with some real "TRUE" CLUB LEGENDS, not a chance in hell.

Behind-the-Gulls · Post by **Behind-the-Gulls** » 01 Mar 2016, 16:14

stefano wrote: Seven games to go and the attendance was due to a realisation that we were in with a genuine chance of promotion to the second tier of English football in our first season back in Division 3 following promotion the previous season. The top two went up and this win over Bristol Rovers, who were highly placed themselves, pushed us in to 2nd place behind Queens Park Rangers. It was the top two got promoted (no play-offs). Ron Barnes and Robin Stubbs scored the Torquay goals, and the promotion challenge continued a few days later with a 1-0 win away to Brighton & Hove Albion. In 2nd place and 5 games to go - and we managed to lose 4 of them! The only glimmer of hope sandwiched in the middle of those 5 games was a 5-0 win at home to Brighton. That sent us to Middlesbrough for the penultimate game of the season. Well over 1000 Torquay supporters were in the 27160 crowd at Ayresome Park, to see us comprehensively thrashed 4-0 by Middlesbrough, who were to take the 2nd promotion spot behind QPR. Strangely we were still mathematically in with an outside chance at the final game, but we managed to lose that 4-2 at home to already relegated Swansea Town. Anybody looking at the league table now and seeing that we finished 7th probably would not realise how close we were to promotion. It was all very tight at the top, and had we won the last 2 games instead of losing them we would have gone up.

The following season was in some ways worse. Top of the table virtually from the off and throughout until the very end of the season. Then another collapse, finishing 4th behind promoted clubs Oxford and Bury, and once again winning our last 2 games instead of losing them would have seen us promoted.

I suppose it was never meant to be!

Remember this one;two,or it could have been three, full" Football Special" Devon General double-decker buses from Brixham didn't stop for me and my dad as we waited at Churston Ferrers.We got there late on a normal service bus.It was a tense match but we were capable of beating anyone then and playing with a lot of confidence.The collapse in form was devastating and hard to fathom really-the fact that the defeats in the last few games were so heavy,does make you wonder what happened and as you say,we were even more consistent in the following season,and "choked" once again,with promotion in our grasp.

gateman49 · Post by **gateman49** » 01 Mar 2016, 18:08

Thanks for the write up Stefano, you've brought the memories flooding back. I remember standing in the packed Popside for that game and it was indeed sad that we fell away so badly at the end of the season. Does my memory serve me right in thinking that the Swansea Town match was one of the last with old cow shed still standing or was the mini stand already there?

Of course, after being so successful, we couldn't hang on the Frank O'Farrell and that was the last consistently good team that we had. It seems that since then we've been like a damned cactus, flowering every 10 to 15 years and lying 'dormant' in between times!

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