NLS: Weston-super-Mare v Torquay United 7:45 pm 24/10/23

link - TUFC match report

This really was the nadir of my 44 years as a Torquay supporter.

And yet, I wasn’t surprised. The portents were as dismal as the endless rain and just thank goodness the dreadful vantage points, at the pub-league stadium we were getting outclassed in, meant I couldn’t see half of what was going on, especially the goals at our end.

Before the game started, I was pondering on how Torquay United have played league fixtures at places like Molinuex, Hillsborough, Bramall Lane, Craven Cottage, St Andrews, The Hawthorns and Turf Moor etc in my time as a fan but also places much earlier like Villa Park and yet here we were stood in the pouring rain at Weston-super-Mare, a team our reserves used to play or we’d go to when we needed a small localish team to play in a Pre-season friendly (in fact the first time I went there was when Buckle’s 2010/11 team easily won 3-0 with Zebroski, Benyon and Gritton getting the goals in a game where we also had Billy Kee who impressed - four decent forwards at the time, what have we now?).

At least when we went here 5 years ago, it felt like a rebirth of the club. The away fans chanted “Gary Johnson’s yellow army” all night and we could see the signs of revival. So somehow it’s especially telling that the same fixture, like last time, on a wet Tuesday in October with another huge away following, ended up in complete contrast, with an angry, toxic volley of vitriol aimed at the same man everyone was cheering 5 years earlier.

It’s time for him to go. I’ve wanted it to work for him and I will always enjoy remembering the day away at Woking and the team that nearly got back to the EFL but last night especially was beyond the pale.

Not that I think changing the manager will make any difference but we might as well try it, as there is nothing to lose and it might change things but more so that the penny will drop for everyone and they will see that Clarke Osborne is the real issue here. Gary Johnson gets the grief and deservedly so at the moment but why aren’t the same questions being asked of George Edwards, Mel Hayman and Clarke Osborne? Perhaps Gary Johnson has spent all of his budget or perhaps his budget is so minuscule that the stellar bench we had is all he can offer? Managing that team would be a challenge for anyone but then he built it, he chose to waste money on players like Kevin Dawson who can’t even walk yet. There is plenty to speculate on but we all know that the team that loses on Saturday will be whatever 11 players are left. This shocking team picks itself every week because there are not any other options.

A full time NLS side, attracting gates of around 2500, charging the same prices as EFL clubs for what is turning into lower table NLS football. Clarke Osborne, George Edwards, Mel Hayman, Gary Johnson etc are taking us all for mugs.

I feel for you guys who still have faith in the football club. Im fortunate. The denial period for me is past. I have come to accept the owners dont give a toss and have there own agenda far far away from being an ambitious football club. Im not a fan of personal or aggressive insults towards managers or staff but in reality its the supporters only way of asking questions and showing their feelings so impossible to condemn . Garry has volunteered to front the club so must expect and accept the abuse especially if he fails to reveal the honest reasons for his lck of action in addressing the many problems in the squad. We can only guess while we watch the continued demise and inconsistency of a poor squad.

I've just summoned up the courage to watch the post match interview. Credit where credit is due, at least Aaron Downes had the guts to take it on the chin and then directly face the camera to apologise to us.

Yes, I’d agree and appreciate that some are trying to ask questions of them but it feels like most are just lambasting Gary Johnson as though he is the issue and all will be solved if/when he goes. For all we know, even if people get their wish and Johnson goes, we’ll get another Gary Owers type appointment anyway.

The local media I think are a bit lily-livered when it comes to dealing with Osborne et al. It’s like “we’ve sent him an email and he hasn’t replied, what can we do?” and the press have just left there. No real digging into his modus operandi, his past etc. They have no cosy relationship to lose so they may as well go to town on him. Likewise, the majority of supporters seem intent on shouting at Gary Johnson (not that I’d disagree with their frustrations or feelings) but seem to neglect vexing their anger towards George Edwards. The local media is made up of people who are TUFC fans. They’d serve the club better by promoting TUST and joining forces in furthering the aims of a supporters organisation in the face of nefarious ownership.

So when I suggesting questions are not being asked of CO/GE/MH to the same extent as GJ, I’m not necessarily meaning actually asking questions to them but raising the questions about their culpability and role in the demise of this club.

As I watched that, I thought Downes was desperately back-tracking from his boss’s stupid remarks about supporters.

I think he realises that if the awful recruitment and terrible performances are not enough to earn them both the sack, then Johnson’s attempts to alienate fans could be the final straw.

But then again, I don’t think George Edwards cares much about what fans think.