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With our run in the F.A Trophy the gulls now face playing games Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday for the next three weeks. This Tuesday evening will see another re-formed and fan owned club in the form of Chester FC visit Plainmoor, whilst not all re-formed clubs recover, Chester FC are living proof of how it's done gaining promotion from the 8th tier to the conference premier, tier 5 in successive seasons.

Although relegated on goal difference last season, as we all know Chester gained a reprieve, under the guidance of non-league hardened manager Steve Burr who took up the post in January 2014. Steve Burr gained his reputation as manager of Kidderminster, Steve Burr managed the Harriers for 206 games with an impressive 47% win rate, turned down the chance to take over at Grimsby and FGR, also named as 2013 conference manager of the season, has turned out to be fantastic appointment for Chester FC who are enjoying a much better season this time around and appear already to be safe from relegation with 49 points to date.

Head to head; although we played Chester City 44 times, with the gulls coming out on top with 16 wins, our only previous meeting with Chester, was this season with Torquay coming out on top with a 0.2 victory.

Chester's current away from reads; W-L-D-W-W-L overall current form reads; W-W-W-W-L-L

Last time out Chester were beaten away at deadly rivals Wrexham 1.0 and lined up as follows;

01 Worsnop
23 Higgins Booked
22 Heneghan
06 Charnock (Brown - 60' Booked )
03 Roberts
07 Mahon Booked
10 Rooney
18 Abbott (James - 61' )
27 Hughes
16 McConville (Hobson - 73' )
17 McBurnie

From a Torquay point view, and heck where do I start. Cruise I'm sure is still unavailable do to injury, so Ives who desperately needs taking out of the team will have to continue, and as Angus Macdonald was suspended picking his 10th yellow card I think he will also miss this game.

Torquay's current home form reads; W-L-W-L-D-L overall current form reads; D-D-L-D-W-L.

Last time out Torquay lined up for the home loss 0.1 to Telford as follows;

01 Rice
29 Dawson Booked
04 Downes
05 Pearce
25 Ives
12 Chapell
08 Young
22 McQuilkin (Yeoman - 83' )
32 Campbell (Ajala - 55' )
20 Reid (Briscoe - 66' )
09 Bowman

To concede a win double to Telford is with out doubt embarrassing, I talked about the need for a reaction in this game, and by all accounts it didn't happen. Chris Hargreaves has publicly stated he kept the team locked in the dressing post the Telford defeat and CH has certainly said all the right things in his own reaction. http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... 21517.aspx

Chris Hargreaves is right when he says we don't have the divine right to win, but come on Chris, I've read elsewhere a post stating we've only won 5 of our last 24 league games, and our last home win in the league was the 9th of December, divine guidance is needed from somewhere, that's for sure.

Chris Hargreaves says there's another game Tuesday where we can get a reaction, my message to the players, for the sake of your careers you have to pull it out of the bag, and Chris, two games, Chester home, Nuneaton away, actually going to change my mind about performances, stuff that, it really is about results now, and Chris, for the sake of your management career whether some think we're stuck with you or not, six points is needed from these two games, lose them both, really don't bother coming back Saturday.

I feel for you TUFC fans.

It just shows what a topsy-turvy league this is....

We've done the double (Wrexham) on the once champions-elect, Barnet...and yet lost at home ... 4-0...to the 'no-hopers' of Telford FC!

Chin up - EVERYONE's beatable in this crap league!!

You'll do it.... and prolly end up just outside the play-offs

Good luck for the rest of the season....

Rex_Ham wrote:I feel for you TUFC fans.

It just shows what a topsy-turvy league this is....

We've done the double (Wrexham) on the once champions-elect, Barnet...and yet lost at home ... 4-0...to the 'no-hopers' of Telford FC!

Chin up - EVERYONE's beatable in this crap league!!

You'll do it.... and prolly end up just outside the play-offs

Good luck for the rest of the season....

Well, thanks for your encouragement. We certainly need it - the club is at a very low ebb at present.

2 "Bang tidy average Conference teams". Although the away team are showing slightly better form than we are.
I'll take any sort of result thank you.
Crowd 1451 which includes me.

kevgull wrote:2 "Bang tidy average Conference teams". Although the away team are showing slightly better form than we are.
I'll take any sort of result thank you, but we'll be lucky to get away with only a one-goal defeat.
Crowd 451 which includes me.

There, fixed it for you..

Barnet, an ex-league club have been struggling to break to 2000 mark and they're 2nd in the conference. Saturday they managed just 2070 at home to FGR in a big clash. Macclesfield are 4th (5 points off Rovers with a game in hand) and only managed 1671 at home to Aldershot on Saturday! 1500 odd, given our league position and form and the FA Trophy and Telford disappointment wouldn't be as catastrophic as made out.

We need a win, any win. It's a results business and although CH supposedly kept the players locked in on Saturday, there were still hints of the same excuses. On a BBC article he claims the team is inexperienced, however 10/11 of Saturday's starting XI had FL experience, albeit not much.

I wouldn't like to call it. Chester's play-off push looks to have been halted for this season. As for the team, who knows? Part of me says 'f**k it let's play the kids' and part of me wants to go all-out for the win and play our strongest XI. Trouble is, I don't know what our strongest team is.. the senior side or the youth team.

The tactics board is broken as is Greavsies' hand after smacking it in anger after the Telford match,so team will have to be verbally advised on" Plan A" for tomorrow,

1500, may not be that bad but to out it into context, it's not much more than Plymouth Albion rugby club get in a part-time league, where they lose most weeks.

That is how tinpot we have become.

We're going to win this one 3-1.

The turnaround starts here

hector wrote:1500, may not be that bad but to out it into context, it's not much more than Plymouth Albion rugby club get in a part-time league, where they lose most weeks.

That is how tinpot we have become.

I am sure that there would be a break even figure regarding homes gates, possibly using figures based on our last visit to the Conference.
ST money has aready been factored in, the only unknown is how many will be paying cash on night?

I did not renew my ST last year however I will be going to every home game possible until the end of the season, no matter what. This may seem strange to some, especially as I have not been shy coming forward with my views. But hey,if I pay my way I will have my say!

Call me, stupid, stubborn, loyal, thick, sadistic, sad, I don't care, Im still going!

Admiral wrote:Barnet, an ex-league club have been struggling to break to 2000 mark and they're 2nd in the conference. Saturday they managed just 2070 at home to FGR in a big clash. Macclesfield are 4th (5 points off Rovers with a game in hand) and only managed 1671 at home to Aldershot on Saturday! 1500 odd, given our league position and form and the FA Trophy and Telford disappointment wouldn't be as catastrophic as made out.

Don't know the situation at Macclesfield, however Barnet do not rely on attendances for income, they have a gym and 14 training pitch's open to the public, a restaurant open all week, conference facilities at the Hive, the London Broncos and London Bees ladies team play there, international teams and European teams also train at the Hive whilst in London, Barnet I believe are showing a profit. Lessons to be learnt there for TUFC.

We on the other hand do rely on attendances for income, so yes a sub 1500 gate, and attendances falling further would be catastrophic, that said, I'm in two minds whether to go tomorrow night or not, my faith is being sorely tested at the moment, ashamed to admit it, but have to be honest.

Behind-the-Gulls wrote:The tactics board is broken as is Greavsies' hand after smacking it in anger after the Telford match,so team will have to be verbally advised on" Plan A" for tomorrow,

? So Hargreaves has broken his hand in anger, or are you saying it in humour

No he really did. http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/T ... story.html

forevertufc wrote:No he really did. http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/T ... story.html

Blimey. I guess he's frustrated as us fans. If the players can't react to that, then the clear out in the summer is going to be immense(but it will be anyway).

If they come down with the same bad feeling that existed in the game at their place it could be a bit of a rough night.