Is Wotton the person for the job.

[Taelee73]

So if we don’t get promoted this season, then you’d want him gone? Ridiculous.
If he goes, then we have to start again, with a new manager, new players and on we go again.
From what I remember you wanted Johnson to have chance after chance, “give him time”, yet now you’re saying Wotton gets one chance and that’s it?

Not many people could build a promotion winning side on the hop in one season. People are deluded if they think that should be expected. He has proven he can build a decent footballing side, but he needs time.

[Dave]

So if we don’t get promoted this season, then you’d want him gone? Ridiculous.
If he goes, then we have to start again, with a new manager, new players and on we go again.
From what I remember you wanted Johnson to have chance after chance, “give him time”, yet now you’re saying Wotton gets one chance and that’s it?

Not many people could build a promotion winning side on the hop in one season. People are deluded if they think that should be expected. He has proven he can build a decent footballing side, but he needs time.

Two very good posts on this topic.

[Hereford Gull66]

I think we need to understand the difference between “aim” and “expect”.
We should aim for promotion and work to that target however personally I do not expect promotion but would expect continued improvement. The start to the season perhaps gave a false impression corrected by seeing the Bishops Cleeve game.
We are now a solid difficult to beat team, the early raking diagonal balls to the wing backs are known and teams playing us are reacting accordingly.
The next stage is to develop in the attacking half, if come February and March I see that with a play off place following I will think the manager has done a great job considering where we were at the end of last season.

Interestingly it appears this manager has played his hand well so far, not burning all the budget at the start of the season but kept some to deal with injuries and unexpected player availability. Key players are on longer term contracts, thinking long term not just this season. I suspect the board are thinking similarly long term for when Plymouth come to buy out his contract from us!

[dagglebert]

He is doing a lot better than Johnson, with a smaller budget. This squad is limited in many ways, but he manages it well, rotating and using subs effectively. We are lucky to have him.

[Dave]

My own take on this.

I know some get irritated by this, but this is a fact that shouldn't be used as an ongoing excuse, however is a fact that should never be forgotten. I, and about 800 others turned up at Taunton just a few short months with our great club needing a win, to avoid relegation to the Southern premier league South, and still not knowing whether our club had a future past the final game of the season

Had it not been for the Brynn consortium, there would be no football at Plainmoor this season, TUST would be working towards setting up a phoenix club, and before anyone says, oh but there was an original preferred bidder, you need to seriously ask the question, why were they asked to stand aside for the Bryn consortium ? Either they never had the funding, or their long term motives were not the best for the football club I'd suggest.

It hasn't escaped my notice those on the Yellow army Facebook group who were supportive of Edwards/Johnson and co, have also turned on Wotton, utterly ridiculous, not suggesting Wotton is the right man long term, but come on at least give the man a chance.

Once the endless Lee Johnson loan tap was turned off Gary Johnson was proven to be so far out of depth it didn't bear thinking about, it's was revealed at the fans forum GJ had an effective £1 million player budget, PW £525 k , although I'm guessing that's now been increased, how didn't GJ and his esteemed scout brother not know and about Dyer and Faulston , two defenders some way better than Tomlinson and Marshall who were right here in the South West on our doorstep, how did they not know about Dreyer and Carson two players who I can see fetching a transfer fee for the club down the line, Paul Wotton clearly knew about them .

Whilst I totally agree we, as a club can not settle for just being an NLS club, this is season 1 of the new ownership that are being faced with re-building the club from ground up, it's been chronically left to rot by the previous ownership, so there is an element of this season being one of consolidation whether some like or not, Rome was never built in a day..

Paul Wotton hasn't had 4 seasons of a £1 million to £1 million plus player budget to get us relegated to the NLS, in his 5th season GJ with what was by an absolute million miles the 2nd biggest budget in the NLS would have finished 12th without the points deduction.

PW came to this club in the summer and inherited a squad of 1 player, he hasn't had 5 seasons to build a squad, he had 8 weeks to build an entirely new squad, was going to say you'd be foolish to think he was going to nail down every position and hit the deck running, actually think 'thick as mince' is a more apt description if you think that way.

Yes we can see the squad's lacking in some areas, we can all see the team isn't firing on all 4 cylinders right now, but gord sake, we're 4 points off the top of the league, but for some real bad refereeing decisions ruling out 3 perfectly good goals in 3 different games we'd be top, what do some of our fans want ? FFS

I certainly wish GJ had the same ability to be pragmatic as PW, instead of sticking to his fire, blood, guts and glory kick and rush football, that saw us lose 17 points in 90th minute plus during the season our club was relegated back to the NLS, we might just still be an NLP club.

For all the opinion aside, the one thing I do know is, PW deserves the same backing from us fans, the same patience and the same time to show us what he can do, that's been afforded to every other TUFC manager.

[Dave]

Just to add to my previous post, whilst promotion should be the aim with out doubt, we should not be going down the road of, promotion at any or all costs once again putting the clubs future at risk.

I did join TUST and I did invest in the CSI , as I said all along it would be something I'd do, that was my choice, many chose not to for various reasons, that's fine also. TUST with the money from the forever yellow fund and the CSI have now secured two fan seats on the board. they're supporters groups up and down the country casting more than a jealous eye our way because of the fact we have fans on the board.

Not sure why any TUFC wouldn't be content with the club position, the future of the club is in safe hands, the future of Plainmoor is in safe hands now, if the club ever gets to a point where Plainmoor is no longer fit for purpose, the club will only move grounds for all the right reasons with the fans blessing, just the way it should be.

All that said, no the club isn't immune from criticism, but constructive criticism again for all the right reasons, and not moaning for the sake of it, which we see across social media and all forums.

[portugull]

I have to applaud your posts Dave as being absolutely spot on.

I joined TUST and became a Platinum Shareholder in the Community Share Issue because I was deeply grateful to the Bryn Consortium for coming to our rescue in our hour of need.

What they have achieved in a very short period of time is remarkable and deserves the highest praise from everyone who is a true supporter of Torquay United Football Club.

Sadly it is a fact of life that there are always people who question or criticise because they do not truly understand what goes on behind the scenes to get us where we are today just seven and a half months after the end of season 2023/24. It really is a miracle how far we have come and I know we are in good hands today more so than in decades to be honest.

[Bristol_Gull]

With all the issues the club has been through I think some leniency and patience is required, and I'm in support at present though I am sceptical early on based on what I have seen both tactically and in approach.

I'm not a fan of the constant barking at players, sure give direction but at some stage you have to empower your players to take agency on the pitch. If some of that barking turned to encouragement I think I'd change my tune.

Will be interesting how we get on with Wotton confined to the stands today!

[Southampton Gull]

So if we don’t get promoted this season, then you’d want him gone? Ridiculous.
If he goes, then we have to start again, with a new manager, new players and on we go again.
From what I remember you wanted Johnson to have chance after chance, “give him time”, yet now you’re saying Wotton gets one chance and that’s it?

Not many people could build a promotion winning side on the hop in one season. People are deluded if they think that should be expected. He has proven he can build a decent footballing side, but he needs time.

How do you deduce that I want him gone if we don't get promoted?

I've maintained all along that it should be the aim of our club to get promoted, I'm not demanding it in any way shape or form. Am I expecting it? No. Am I hoping for it? Yes, of course.

I really don't know why you find it so hard to comprehend something so simple. I didn't create the thread, I just repeated my view that promotion has to be the target for a club of our size, history and support. I definitely won't be calling for the managers head if we fall short.

[samuel]

Your summation yesterday Dave at 11.25 is probably the best I've seen on the situation at Torquay United. Yep, just think, Taunton away, not that long ago in the scheme of things. Pretty desperate times. We could have been playing Tiverton/Plymouth Parkway in league games this season. We are still 4th despite underwhelming performances, the ideal place for a launch at the title. This from a very low base where everything was up in the air, players who didn't know one another, Bryn dealing with drawn out massive financial issues etc. For me they have done a good job and I thank PW, Bryn, TUST and others too numerous to mention, for forming the club into a cohesive group where fans are cherished and welcomed. It could not be more different from the previous carpetbaggers who nearly destroyed our club and sought division amongst the fans. I agree, give these people, who have worked so hard, the time to see the fruits of their efforts. The atmosphere in Bristows is still buoyant even though recent performances have cured my insomnia. The fans are behind the club and I think the majority accept it is still early days. There is still plenty of goodwill around. Having said all that I want the club to strain every sinew to get out of this league which, after solvency and sustainability, must be the top priority.

[culmstockgull]

Your summation yesterday Dave at 11.25 is probably the best I've seen on the situation at Torquay United. Yep, just think, Taunton away, not that long ago in the scheme of things. Pretty desperate times. We could have been playing Tiverton/Plymouth Parkway in league games this season. We are still 4th despite underwhelming performances, the ideal place for a launch at the title. This from a very low base where everything was up in the air, players who didn't know one another, Bryn dealing with drawn out massive financial issues etc. For me they have done a good job and I thank PW, Bryn, TUST and others too numerous to mention, for forming the club into a cohesive group where fans are cherished and welcomed. It could not be more different from the previous carpetbaggers who nearly destroyed our club and sought division amongst the fans. I agree, give these people, who have worked so hard, the time to see the fruits of their efforts. The atmosphere in Bristows is still buoyant even though recent performances have cured my insomnia. The fans are behind the club and I think the majority accept it is still early days. There is still plenty of goodwill around. Having said all that I want the club to strain every sinew to get out of this league which, after solvency and sustainability, must be the top priority.

Agree with you and dave, that we have a club to critique is something many underestimate, as for playing parkway and tiverton this season that would have been an exceptional outcome if bryn hadnt stepped in, no disrespect, more like upton athletic. Fans by definition will turn up regardless as long as the product is digestable, win, lose or draw they demand as a very basic, 90 minute effort, players that raise the noise decibel,and goals, yes, we have to have goals, will this group produce that,the jury is rightly is still out, I believe wotton is more clued than some may think, the three recent additions are a definite improvement on what we had.