Your best ever XI.
Posted: 11 Jun 2011, 16:38
Just a little thing to think about; what would you say is the best 11 you've ever seen in a Torquay shirt? It doesn't have to be the 11 that played together at one time, just through all of your time following the Gulls. I think it'll be quite interesting to see peoples opinions, although I wasn't around to see a good number of the players that will be mentioned!! I started following Torquay in 2003/04, so heres mine:
GK: Andy Marriott - He was outstanding in the years he played for us, a top quality keeper, I thought. Played a big role in the Great Escape season of 2005/06, aswell as almost helping us to stay in League One. Others considered include Michael Poke, Kevin Dearden and Nathan Abbey.
RB: Reuben Hazell - He was calm, had a turn of pace to him, and was strong. I really liked Reuben, I'll always sweetly remember him scoring for us against Oxford in the run in of our promotion year at Plainmoor, as we hammered them 3-0. Quality player, shown by where he is now.
CB: Steve Woods - Woodsie was quality. His partnership with Craig Taylor was excellent, possibly the best central defensive partnership I've seen in a TUFC shirt. He could score goals and he was very good at keeping them out at the other end. I'd like to see him back at the club in one way or another sometime soon.
CB: Guy Branston - I can't believe how much of a revelation he's been for us, since joining 18 months ago. I thought we'd signed a nutcase, but it seems that he's curbed his behaviour, as the one red card shows. Very, very solid, integral part of the 998 minutes last year. Others considered were Mark Ellis, Craig Taylor.
LB: Brian McGlinchey - Outstanding full back. It was such a shame to see his career ended by injury, but Glinch was one of my early heroes. He really was a coup for the club, and he helped massively as we got promoted. Kevin Nicholson was considered.
RM: Martin Phillips - He was a class act too, but unfortunately he's another who's career has been ended by injury. He didn't play for us for long, but whenever I saw him he looked like he could do something special. Quality player on his day. Others considered are Chris Zebroski and Liam Rosenior.
CM: Alex Russell - Aggy. What a fantastic player he was. I have never seen someone look so composed on the ball, and be able to pass the ball around so majestically. He was an incredible footballer, who played a key, key role in getting us up to League One.
CM: Chris Hargreaves - Another key player for us in a promotion year. It looks like TUFC has a firm spot in Hargreaves' heart, and he has a spot in the heart of many fans of TUFC too. That goal at Wembley, I can remember it like it was yesterday. He was a huge part of our success under Paul Buckles stewardship. Others considered were Eunan O'Kane, Lee Mansell and Jason Fowler*.
LM: Kevin Hill - Loyalty if I ever saw it. Fully deserved to become our holder of the 'most appearances', and Wembley as the location was fitting too. I've so many memories of Hilly; hiding behind the keeper before nipping the ball off him to score, and of course, that unbelievable overhead kick against Macclesfield in 2004. That still remains the best goal I've ever seen.
ST: Tim Sills - Again, a key role in our promotion back to the League. Never have I seen such a dominant centre forward play for Torquay. 90% of aerial challenges, he won. A fantastic goalscoring record over the two seasons says it all, for me. Always be remembered for the "clincher" at Wembley too.
ST: David Graham - DG. Another excellent goalscorer, who should have gone onto bigger and better things, and stayed there. I'd imagine that if he didn't have problems with alcohol/smoking, he'd still be playing in the Football League now, after enjoying the peak of his career in the top two tiers. Still, it wasn't to be, but he remains one of my favourite players in a yellow shirt.
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Cor, this was a bit harder than I expected, to try and think of people in some of the positions, so I'd imagine it'd be even harder for people who've watched TUFC for decades!!
*Fowler would probably have edged out Hargreaves, had I seen in when he was at his peak, a few years prior to when I started watching the Gulls. However, I never saw him at his best and he was fighting his injury, before retiring, hence why Jesus gets in there instead.
GK: Andy Marriott - He was outstanding in the years he played for us, a top quality keeper, I thought. Played a big role in the Great Escape season of 2005/06, aswell as almost helping us to stay in League One. Others considered include Michael Poke, Kevin Dearden and Nathan Abbey.
RB: Reuben Hazell - He was calm, had a turn of pace to him, and was strong. I really liked Reuben, I'll always sweetly remember him scoring for us against Oxford in the run in of our promotion year at Plainmoor, as we hammered them 3-0. Quality player, shown by where he is now.
CB: Steve Woods - Woodsie was quality. His partnership with Craig Taylor was excellent, possibly the best central defensive partnership I've seen in a TUFC shirt. He could score goals and he was very good at keeping them out at the other end. I'd like to see him back at the club in one way or another sometime soon.
CB: Guy Branston - I can't believe how much of a revelation he's been for us, since joining 18 months ago. I thought we'd signed a nutcase, but it seems that he's curbed his behaviour, as the one red card shows. Very, very solid, integral part of the 998 minutes last year. Others considered were Mark Ellis, Craig Taylor.
LB: Brian McGlinchey - Outstanding full back. It was such a shame to see his career ended by injury, but Glinch was one of my early heroes. He really was a coup for the club, and he helped massively as we got promoted. Kevin Nicholson was considered.
RM: Martin Phillips - He was a class act too, but unfortunately he's another who's career has been ended by injury. He didn't play for us for long, but whenever I saw him he looked like he could do something special. Quality player on his day. Others considered are Chris Zebroski and Liam Rosenior.
CM: Alex Russell - Aggy. What a fantastic player he was. I have never seen someone look so composed on the ball, and be able to pass the ball around so majestically. He was an incredible footballer, who played a key, key role in getting us up to League One.
CM: Chris Hargreaves - Another key player for us in a promotion year. It looks like TUFC has a firm spot in Hargreaves' heart, and he has a spot in the heart of many fans of TUFC too. That goal at Wembley, I can remember it like it was yesterday. He was a huge part of our success under Paul Buckles stewardship. Others considered were Eunan O'Kane, Lee Mansell and Jason Fowler*.
LM: Kevin Hill - Loyalty if I ever saw it. Fully deserved to become our holder of the 'most appearances', and Wembley as the location was fitting too. I've so many memories of Hilly; hiding behind the keeper before nipping the ball off him to score, and of course, that unbelievable overhead kick against Macclesfield in 2004. That still remains the best goal I've ever seen.
ST: Tim Sills - Again, a key role in our promotion back to the League. Never have I seen such a dominant centre forward play for Torquay. 90% of aerial challenges, he won. A fantastic goalscoring record over the two seasons says it all, for me. Always be remembered for the "clincher" at Wembley too.
ST: David Graham - DG. Another excellent goalscorer, who should have gone onto bigger and better things, and stayed there. I'd imagine that if he didn't have problems with alcohol/smoking, he'd still be playing in the Football League now, after enjoying the peak of his career in the top two tiers. Still, it wasn't to be, but he remains one of my favourite players in a yellow shirt.
------------------
Cor, this was a bit harder than I expected, to try and think of people in some of the positions, so I'd imagine it'd be even harder for people who've watched TUFC for decades!!
*Fowler would probably have edged out Hargreaves, had I seen in when he was at his peak, a few years prior to when I started watching the Gulls. However, I never saw him at his best and he was fighting his injury, before retiring, hence why Jesus gets in there instead.
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