Barrow(H).07/02/70.

I'm always impressed by the candid nature of Allan Brown's programme notes. They really do provide a significant insight into Torquay United c1970. Here Brown talks of three players he was keen on signing: Tony Read (Luton Town); Dennis Thwaites (Birmingham City); John Barnwell (Nottingham Forest).

None, of course, joined the club. Tony Read, who we learn had business interests close to Luton, was unusual in that he had played as a forward as well as a goalkeeper. He carried on with Luton for another couple of years playing a fair number of first-team games in the process. Allan Brown signed Mike Mahoney later in 1970 but did, in time, bring in a 'keeper from Luton. This was Alan Starling - by then reserve to Read - who was briefly on loan in the early months of 1971.

Wiki tells us that Dennis Thwaites was a footballer often afflicted by nerves. He'd made his debut for Birmingham when very young but never established himself as a regular. After Brown's interest Thwaites was only to play a handful of Football League games before his professional career finished a year or two later.

John Barnwell was altogether better known; over three hundred games for Arsenal and Forest followed by managing several clubs. As a player he was, by February 1970, coming towards the end and was gone from Nottingham Forest within a couple of months. This was to Sheffield United where Barnwell actually played a few games in a promotion-winning team. Until the arrival of Trevor Hockey that is.