TORQUAY UNITED SUPPORTERS TRUST

18th October 2023

FAN ZONE

TUST's Chair, Nick Brodrick's column in this week's Herald Express - updated for the latest news.

WHAT’S HAPPENING TO OUR FOOTBALL CLUB MR OSBORNE?

NO LOANS - HAS THE MONEY RUN OUT?

BREAKING NEWS: FANS’ FORUM ON THE WAY

Saturday’s second match with fellow relegated Maidstone, this time an FA Cup tie, was another shocker despite Torquay having a decent opening 40 odd minutes. The first half performance was certainly a big improvement on the previous week and the underwhelming second half against Hungerford but no end product.

But inexplicably somehow the ever reliable Mark Halstead and fall guy Shaun Donnellan contrived to allow the Maidstone forward a simple tap in. Gary Johnson claimed it was a foul but the referee gave a goal and the video of the incident confirms it was legitimate.

The second half showed, once again, that United’s players are incapable of playing for a full ninety minutes. The squad seems to be made up from predominately players discarded by their previous clubs and there appears, alarmingly, little prospect of any loans coming in.

The fear is that the money has run out.

*****

So, I ask the question, “What is happening to my football club?”

We have an owner, Clarke Osborne, who pays the bills but as he once told me, the only person who is responsible for running the club is his employee George Edwards who acts as the club’s CEO.

The owner will have agreed a sum for the players’ wage bill after relegation and it’s either the manager who has spent it all - Johnson told us this earlier in the season - or it’s the CEO who has signed off all the use of it. Could this be the reason for no loans?

*****

Here we are in regional football, nowhere near a promised return to the Football League, and those running the club appear satisfied with what’s happening.

Yet in similar circumstances the previous manager Gary Owers was relieved of his duties. So what is the difference this time?

Like it or not, supporters are the life blood of any football club so the manager, as a result of comments he made at last week’s press call has, rightly, been called out for stating he only wants “the right supporters” to attend. Well, 800 of the ‘wrong’ supporters chose not to return after the league game against Maidstone the previous week.

It is a sad fact that there’s a growing number of long sanding fans who are refusing to attend matches at Plainmoor under the current ownership.

And where is the communication from the club to the supporters? Yes, in a fashion the manager communicates but when did we last hear from the owner? And the two directors remain silent too.

*****

It gives me no pleasure to report that due to no words from those in charge that there is concerning speculation about the state of this wonderful club. Many supporters are beginning to question what is happening to the football club they have supported for a lifetime.

Whilst we do not have the right to think we should win every game in this league, we should be going into every game expecting to. To have now lost three in a row to fellow National South sides does not bode well.

If social media is a barometer of current feelings then momentum of dissatisfaction is growing not helped by the manager’s jibe at dissenting supporters. These are just a few of the printable comments: ‘The disrespect the club has to the supporters at the minute is disgraceful’, ‘This club has never been so disconnected with the fans ever’ and ‘There are no right or wrong fans in supporting Torquay. We do it out of passion and love for the club we adore’.

*****

Last week’s Yellow Army podcast asked whether the club is going through a managed decline.

There’s certainly a decline but whether it’s a managed one is open to conjecture. What there is though, is denial as no one running the club or picking the team is taking responsibility.

It’s time the owner spoke up and addressed the increasing unrest. And perhaps he would like to share with us his exit strategy as surely a second season in this league is unsustainable. The likelihood of a new stadium faded long ago when the preferred site at Nightingale Park was chosen as a solar farm. So, what is Mr Osborne’s plan?

*****

FA Cup Crowd Watch: Chesterfield v Kettering 5,153, Altrincham v Oldham 3,874, Hartlepool v Chester 3,205, Hereford v Rochdale 2,817, Yeovil v Southend 2,697.

Compare Torquay’s attendance with two sides in the Isthmian Premier on Saturday: Torquay 1,636, Dulwich Hamlet 3,191 and Chatham Town 1,758.

*****

Torquay Women had no game on Sunday having played in mid-week going down to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Bridgwater Town ladies.

National League South manager of the month for September was announced as Rob Dray of Taunton Town having led them to the top of the table.

Maidstone’s 2-0 win was their sixth league and cup victory in a row conceding just once; Lucas Covolan keeping five clean sheets. If only… Their reward is an away First Round tie at either Braintree or Chesham.

*****

Thanks to readers Lee Cross and Dave Sellman for responding to last week’s question. As Dave says, “We are far enough into the season to be very concerned about the progress of the club.”

So, is this a managed decline? Send your views to: fanszone.tu@gmail.com or X (Twitter): @fanszonet

The Plainmoor faithful will be willing the team to defeat Welling, who sit in the relegation zone, on Saturday which is another of the club’s community days.

Finally, I can announce that TUST is to hold a Fans’ Forum open to all supporters with details coming soon.

COYY

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

SUPPORT TUST - SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY

25th October 2023

FAN ZONE

TUST's Chair, Nick Brodrick's column in this week's Herald Express - updated for the latest news.

CLAMOUR FOR ACTION GROWS AFTER WOEFUL WESTON DEFEAT

FOOTBALL FANS ALL OVER RIGHTLY MOURN SIR BOBBY CHARLTON

DILLON’S GOOD DEEDS RECOGNISED


“We want six” chanted the youngsters in the away end amongst the 850-odd in the club’s first community day of the season. Their presence helped swell the attendance to a healthy 2,510 on a day when Torquay finally managed, for the first time, to put on a decent performance for two halves.

It has to be said that a bizarre penalty in the first half changed the outcome of the match, not just for United’s fortunes but also for James Holden the on-loan Welling keeper from Cambridge United who ended up getting himself a second yellow and so sent off. With five goals by this time many hoped that total would be increased, certainly the youngsters behind the goal United were attacking. But stand-in outfield player Tristan Abrahams who took over the green jersey had, in truth, little to do in the final fifteen minutes.

Cynics would question whether the way this squad are playing are champions in waiting especially as they have allowed rivals Yeovil a four point advantage. Whilst four points doesn’t seem too much it does make the home clash with them on November 7 vital if Torquay have any aspirations of winning the league to avoid the play-offs.

*****

For the first 30 minutes Torquay huffed and puffed allowing Welling to dictate and it was not surprise when the visitors went ahead but in a moment of madness the Welling keeper turned the game on its head.

Dean Moxey and Aaron Jarvis both made the Non-League Paper’s Team of the Day while Jarvis and Tom Lapslie featured in the Vanarama Team of the Week.

*****

Prior to the match there had been a growing swell of unrest on social media with threats of a half-time pitch protest. But Torquay’s CEO who has all social media monitored had beefed up security particularly on the Popside so in the end nothing transpired.

Whilst TUST has called the club to account, no way does it support protests or boycotts. TUST would much prefer to have a civilised conversation with those running the club. But all attempts to do this have fallen on deaf ears. So, as the club has turned down requests for a fans’ forum with club officials, we have organised our own to be held at the Livermead Cliff Hotel on Wednesday November 8 with a Zoom option for those who cannot be there in person. We have sent an invitation to owner Clarke Osborne to be there too.

Now, following the abject showing at Weston-Super-Mare on Tuesday the clamour for the club to act is growing stronger by the day.
It was a woeful performance and rightly the 850 who stood in the rain have every right to be angry. Defeat now leaves United a massive seven points behind leaders Yeovil who have now won five in a row, last night in front of a record National South crowd of 6,289.

*****

Non-League Crowd Watch: Rochdale v Oldham 6,722, Southend v Solihull Moors 6,356, Bury FC v Wythenshawe Town 3,195, Hereford v Curzon Ashton 2,932, Chester v Scunthorpe 2,676.

*****

Those readers of a certain age will recall with fondness and a hint of nostalgia where they were watching England win the World Cup in 1966. Whilst Geoff Hurst grabbed the headlines with his hat-trick, the others in the team shone too, no more than Bobby Charlton who sadly died on Saturday.

Charlton, a most unassuming person, became Sir Bobby but his last years were spent with dementia from which all his teammates except goalkeeper Gordon Banks died. Only Hurst remains of that side.

Did Bobby Charlton ever play at Plainmoor? Yes, for Manchester United on July 29 1972 with his photo on the front of the programme.
15,000 turned up to watch this pre-season friendly with Manchester United’s team boasting Denis Law and George Best amongst others and managed by none other than Frank O’Farrell. It ended in a 0-0 draw. The programme must be a treasured collectors’ item especially if it has any autographs on the cover.

Were you there? Send me your memories to: fanszone.tu@gmail.com or Twitter/X: @fanszonet.

*****

Torquay United Women’s FA Cup journey came to a swift end on Sunday going down 7-0 to a strong Exeter City. Time to concentrate on the league and pick up some much needed points.

Better news for the Under-18s who remain unbeaten in the league following a 4-0 win over Wimborne.

*****

Torquay are proud to be involved in a variety of community projects as Gary Johnson told us recently but here is an unprompted example of the public spirited way a United player went out of his way to help some elderly train passengers. Reader Mark takes up the story, “We were travelling back from watching England at Wembley (last Tuesday, England beat Italy 3-1) we realised we were sitting next to Dillon de Silva. Due to problems at Dawlish when the train arrived at Exeter St David’s quite late there was some chaos
and Dillon immediately started helping elderly passengers with their luggage”. Well done Dillon.

*****

On Saturday Torquay travel to Hampton to take on Hampton & Richmond for whom this is only their fifth at home following their pitch improvements taking longer than planned. On Tuesday they had a comprehensive 4-1 win over Worthing who remember embarrassed Torquay earlier.

Meanwhile leaders Yeovil have two home games, a local derby last night against Weymouth winning 2-0 and on Saturday Braintree are the visitors. With the arrival of Sonny Cox on loan from Exeter he gives them four strikers in their squad. If only.

COYY

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

SUPPORT TUST - SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY

Can we just join on the night or do we need to register first?

Thanks

Now on tonight!

Yes - should be able to ask questions online as well.

Utterly scandalous lies posted on the club's website.

A new low for the football club we all love.

The club should retract this libel immediately and post an unreserved apology to Nick for this ridiculous misrepresentation of what was said.

Seeing as the club obviously had spies watching proceedings, it would have been nice if they had actually listened to the universal discontent at the club's refusal to communicate with supporters and done something to improve things.

Somebody is hoping to divide the fan base by spreading this nonsense. Let us hope he fails.

Yes, with the technology revolution we have had these last few years, many more people attended on-line. To this end, it was frustrating that we were unable to get sound for virtual participants but lots of comments made on the online chats which were visible on the screen and with the session recorded we will be able to go through these and take note. I did not realise we were capped at 100 attendees on our zoom subscription, so that will be something to look at in the future I’m really sorry that you were unable to login. Hopefully a summary of the various points discussed can be posted in the next day or two.