The Board. Really good thread, highly recommended.

[Gulliball]

I'm surprised by this thread - this board of directors has been the most popular in my time as a supporter, and I don't see what they've done recently to change that? Without them I dread to think what would have happened back when we first dropped down to the Conference. We would in all probability have gone down the road of someone like York, who have now lost all of their football league reputation and are starting their 7th season in the non-league with the most pessimistic, depressed and downtrodden supporters I've ever seen (online).

We're a club on the up, with a group of talented young players that could be basis of a promotion winning side. On top of that, we're building the new grandstand, have new training facilities and have the new youth setup to give us hope for the future too (Northampton were gutted to lose Geoff Harrop, who brought a lot of great youngsters through there).

Colin Lee was a popular signing when he came, and the board were only listening to the wishes of pretty much 100% of the fanbase when they got him to come back. He played his part in rebuilding the club after Roberts too.

The people you don't want running your football club are the self-interested and the incompetent. Neither of those can be applied to our board, who I personally hope continue to own and run us for the forseeable future.

[Fonda]

Mmmm

Controversial topic that seems to divide those that believe that after Bateson they were the second coming and those of us that believe that MikeB wasn t all bad.

I for one cannot reconcile the joy of automatic promotion in 2004 with the belief that Mike Bateson was a bad un.

I also believe that the new board did seem to instil a new professionalism into TUFC during our Conference years.

However our return to the promised land of league football seems to have been a mixed bag. That being said when you look at the ex-league teams plying their trade in the Conference we are blinkin lucky to be out of it.

On the whole they seem to be doing OK to me.

As for the thoughts of Thea. Who knows?

It might be shite creek, but I am grateful to be in it....

What about the relegation in 2005?

The promotion was all about Leroy and the players. Rather in spite of MB i'm afraid.

[Trojan 67]

Something has been overlooked here, I m sure someone will correct me if I m not accurate.

The Board came in with a 5 year plan to bring League 1 football to Plainmoor. Thus far then we are on schedule. This amongst the backdrop of building the club infrastructure back up from a pile of rubble and also during a recession which we are not out of yet. If this plan is not achieved within the 5 year timescale then I for one will not complain, for the reasons mentioned above.

During THAT game against Crewe, before muttface (Bryn) met Jim with a love bite, if you had said don t worry, we ll see two separate promotions to Division 3 with five trips to Wembley in proper competitions thrown in as a bonus and all within a timescale of a little over twenty years from this date, then you would have been thought of as a complete nutter, or more likely to have been knocked clean out for taking the piss.

The rest, as they say, is history. Let us all be grateful for our recent successes.

To this very day, I still reckon it s a miracle we got our League status back so quickly and you know what s said about a miracle ? While the missing Wembley thousands are on their knees PRAYING for one to happen, we the few, we precious few including the hard working board, are up on our feet watching our team and shouting, singing, chanting MAKING one happen.

And hopefully, all within the original 5 year plan.

[HRG]

To this very day, I still reckon it s a miracle we got our League status back so quickly and you know what s said about a miracle ? While the missing Wembley thousands are on their knees PRAYING for one to happen, we the few, we precious few including the hard working board, are up on our feet watching our team and shouting, singing, chanting MAKING one happen.

And hopefully, all within the original 5 year plan.

Some of us have our reasons for not being able to make it to Plainmoor to help with your miracle making.
I don't live as far away as some others but it is far enough, we have one below the national average income coming into our household and two children under 5. I've looked up train prices, it's extortionate as is petrol. I don't drive, my husband does but is not a Torquay supporter (though I'm working on it) and we'd have to take the kids who are too young for such a journey, especially since my son is only seven months old. A trip to Plainmoor means an overnight stay for us and due to the all the snow earlier this year my money trees failed to thrive as hoped.

I realise I'm being a bit tetchy with this, but if I could be at Plainmoor every home game I would.

Rant over. Some of the other stuff you said I agree with by the way. And apologies for the life story

I have avoided commenting on this thread because, as a distance supporter who can't make games, I don't know what's been going on and am not privy to the same information some of you are. All I know is that we regained our league status quicker than we could have hoped and the return of youth and reserve squads can only be positive for the club, which may not have happened without this board. Right now I'm happy to wait and see if these positive noises are turned into actions.

[Trojan 67]

Some of us have our reasons for not being able to make it to Plainmoor to help with your miracle making.
I don't live as far away as some others but it is far enough, we have one below the national average income coming into our household and two children under 5. I've looked up train prices, it's extortionate as is petrol. I don't drive, my husband does but is not a Torquay supporter (though I'm working on it) and we'd have to take the kids who are too young for such a journey, especially since my son is only seven months old. A trip to Plainmoor means an overnight stay for us and due to the all the snow earlier this year my money trees failed to thrive as hoped.

I realise I'm being a bit tetchy with this, but if I could be at Plainmoor every home game I would.

Rant over. Some of the other stuff you said I agree with by the way. And apologies for the life story

I have avoided commenting on this thread because, as a distance supporter who can't make games, I don't know what's been going on and am not privy to the same information some of you are. All I know is that we regained our league status quicker than we could have hoped and the return of youth and reserve squads can only be positive for the club, which may not have happened without this board. Right now I'm happy to wait and see if these positive noises are turned into actions.

No problem HRG. We each do what we can. Because at the moment I can go to home games I do.

As the saying goes : did and do are more convincing than can do.

I urge anyone who can support the Club to do your best to support the team at home.

To those who follow the team away and give your support, well, er, um, that s something I don t do, at this present time. Wembley trips being the exception.

[tommyg]

Not quite sure on the timing of this 'really good, highly recommended' thread (talk about Sonya Jackson's trumpet). We're sitting pretty in the play-offs, have a decent playing squad for this level and are enjoying our most successful season for some time. There is no suggestion Thea Bristow is about to pull out, and we've shown that we won't accept peanuts for our star players. Is now the time to be questioning our board?

I'm not quite sure what some people expect. Without the Bristow's money we wouldn't be in the Football League, but the whole board deserve great credit for the progress we have made together, both on and off the pitch. We are for more professional now than we ever were under MB. Mistakes have been made, but that was always likely to happen given their inexperience. It's always going to be a struggle due to the size of our club and there will be plenty of downs along the way. But I'm happy with the direction of the club and the job that the board are doing.

That said, if we could just draw Man Utd away in the FA Cup 3rd round...

[Gulls10]

Long time reader, but first time poster on this site due to this thread.

I am not going to start making personal attacks on posters as I realise that the nature of this type of message board is about stimulating debate and expressing opinions, but I must say that the OP is probably the victim of what many fans are experiencing in this internet age – false expectations and a We want it today attitude.

As others have said the board took over when the club was on its knees and turned it round to a respectable, playoff chasing team. Have they made mistakes along the way? Yes of course they have but have the good points outweighed the bad? By a country mile!

They have a vision to get back into the league and then consolidate and push on. The first stage was build from the bottom and create a solid foundation so that the mistakes of the past won t happen again. We have been lucky that a generous, United supporting lottery winner was part of the board as this sped things along and maybe created a false expectation amongst some. Building from the bottom – getting the facilities, people and revenue in place – is a long process. You only have to see some clubs who seem to be in long-term decline to thank our lucky stars that we have not gone the same way.

Harsh times are upon us economically and our attendances and income have been hit the board must cut back and spend accordingly. Some may say it is lack of ambition, but it is sensible long term planning. There could be many clubs from across the divisions who carry on spending regardless of their income and pay for it 1, 2 3 seasons down the line. If you spend beyond your means there will be a payback time. I don t want my club to be part of that, thank you.

The board must be applauded for hiring a young, ambitious manager who can get results, spot a player to develop and improve the team each year and then, when times were tough, back him. It would have been easy option to go for an experienced manager after relegation and many trigger happy chairman would have sacked Buckle after the slow start to the second conference season or when we are in danger last season before the great run took us clear. Was the board proved right? Empathically yes as we have built on that and now have a young, hungry team who can play good football and win games. Are they the finished article? Will they win every game? No, but will they give total commitment and we now have some saleable assets. When was the last time we had scouts looking at 1 of our players let alone 3 or 4. Progress is being made every season and that is all we can ask.

I thank the board for what they have done, they have achieved a lot in less than 3 ½ seasons. Where we are to where we were is mind blowing and while they are in control I wont worry about the long-term future of the club. I may get frustrated about things, but I know they have the best intentions of the club at heart.

[doogull]

Great post philgull, I love the fact that we will always have the financial issues and we have to find rough diamonds to keep us going, and with the youth set up moving along nicely also the cup runs however long they are will always be what a club like ours survive on and the board are doing what they can with what they have and anyone who thinks they can do better can either put up or shut up as it ain't easy.

[Trojan 67]

Long time reader, but first time poster on this site due to this thread.

I am not going to start making personal attacks on posters as I realise that the nature of this type of message board is about stimulating debate and expressing opinions, but I must say that the OP is probably the victim of what many fans are experiencing in this internet age – false expectations and a We want it today attitude.

As others have said the board took over when the club was on its knees and turned it round to a respectable, playoff chasing team. Have they made mistakes along the way? Yes of course they have but have the good points outweighed the bad? By a country mile!

They have a vision to get back into the league and then consolidate and push on. The first stage was build from the bottom and create a solid foundation so that the mistakes of the past won t happen again. We have been lucky that a generous, United supporting lottery winner was part of the board as this sped things along and maybe created a false expectation amongst some. Building from the bottom – getting the facilities, people and revenue in place – is a long process. You only have to see some clubs who seem to be in long-term decline to thank our lucky stars that we have not gone the same way.

Harsh times are upon us economically and our attendances and income have been hit the board must cut back and spend accordingly. Some may say it is lack of ambition, but it is sensible long term planning. There could be many clubs from across the divisions who carry on spending regardless of their income and pay for it 1, 2 3 seasons down the line. If you spend beyond your means there will be a payback time. I don t want my club to be part of that, thank you.

The board must be applauded for hiring a young, ambitious manager who can get results, spot a player to develop and improve the team each year and then, when times were tough, back him. It would have been easy option to go for an experienced manager after relegation and many trigger happy chairman would have sacked Buckle after the slow start to the second conference season or when we are in danger last season before the great run took us clear. Was the board proved right? Empathically yes as we have built on that and now have a young, hungry team who can play good football and win games. Are they the finished article? Will they win every game? No, but will they give total commitment and we now have some saleable assets. When was the last time we had scouts looking at 1 of our players let alone 3 or 4. Progress is being made every season and that is all we can ask.

I thank the board for what they have done, they have achieved a lot in less than 3 ½ seasons. Where we are to where we were is mind blowing and while they are in control I wont worry about the long-term future of the club. I may get frustrated about things, but I know they have the best intentions of the club at heart.

Great post Gulls 10, best on this thread so far. I hope you become a regular contributer to the forum.

[yellow]

What about the relegation in 2005?

The promotion was all about Leroy and the players. Rather in spite of MB i'm afraid.

If a man is to be pilloried for his failures, then he should also be credited with his successes.

There were more downs than ups under MB but the fact remains that he was the chairman when we got auto-promo.

We were desparately unlucky in 2005 but our return to the basement level was inevitable under that regime.

Equally if we got promoted this season I doubt that we would last long in Div 1.

In that sense the gradual building of an infrastructure is the right thing to do. As others have said we are ahead of the '5 year schedule'at the moment.

[Fonda]

If a man is to be pilloried for his failures, then he should also be credited with his successes.

There were more downs than ups under MB but the fact remains that he was the chairman when we got auto-promo.

We were desparately unlucky in 2005 but our return to the basement level was inevitable under that regime.

Equally if we got promoted this season I doubt that we would last long in Div 1.

In that sense the gradual building of an infrastructure is the right thing to do. As others have said we are ahead of the '5 year schedule'at the moment.

I've lost track of which side of the fence you're sitting on Yellow?

If the regime in control of the club at that time had been prepared to make a real effort to stay up, we'd have done so. It was a miracle we got as close as we did to surviving, and it was thanks to the manager and players that we got up and made a fist of it.

Don't get me wrong, i don't feel as stongly about MB as many do, but i don't think he warrants any credit for that achievement.

[yellow]

I haven't climbed off it Fonda.

As for MB - what other options were there?

We achieved 2 promos along with numerous scrapes with the Conference.

I am just glad to be back in the league. My loyalty is to the club, not to any particular regime.

[Fonda]

It's impossible to argue with that sentiment. So even i won't try.

[Fletch]

Unusually, im with Yellow on this one Fonda. You can hardly point the finger at MB for relegation and yet say the promotion the season before was down to the manager/players and yet MB warrants no credit for it. A tad unfair matey. Bear in mind that the players/management probably had promotion rises in their contracts and the resultant rise in the running costs was not covered by an increase in attendances. Wasnt it something like an increase of 50 on the average gate over the previous season? And thats with the likes of Sheff Weds, Hull, Bristol C, Huddersfield, Ballmouth etc visiting us.

[Trojan 67]

I haven't climbed off it Fonda.

As for MB - what other options were there?

We achieved 2 promos along with numerous scrapes with the Conference.

I am just glad to be back in the league. My loyalty is to the club, not to any particular regime.

With this post yellow I agree. Am I accurate in saying MB is the only chairman to date to get us promoted twice ? Ok, I accept he is the only chairman to get us relegated thrice. The third time after the Chris Noberts reign. That is not a typo error.

MB also developed three sides of the stadium.

MB was more than a chairman, he was the owner who put a lot of his own money in, but the enthusiasm then drained away. As the saying goes : nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Thank you Mr Bateson for all you did for Torquay United.

Now we have a Board that truly is a Board. Lets give them the support they deserve.