Steve Woods released with immediate effect ??

5% of the average home gate may well be right. Possibly higher amongst certain groups (eg supporters living away from S Devon who attend away matches) and lower amongst others (eg those who live near Torquay and follow the club through the media but rarely attend games). All-in-all that's just what you'd expect in the context of the nature of people's interest in the game and their willingness to spend time in front of a computer (let's not forget that second point!). Surely it's more of a self-selecting activity than a mass-participation sport?

The purpose of a board, to me anyway, is adding another layer to the enjoyment of following a team. For sure, there may be times when things happen as a result of a message board - and all power to that process - but I'm not sure if that's the point. It seems forums hit the slippery slopes once they become full of their own self-importance. This site is important to ourselves which is really rather different.

What appears to be the release of Steve Woods is a case in point of how these boards operate. Our attention has been drawn in advance to something that, presumably, will soon be announced through the usual channels. That's fair enough but it's not an outrage for the club to have not yet made that announcement. That's up to the parties concerned.

As for the player himself well, as has been stated, players come and go. A few happen to stay at clubs for longer than the norm and become more symbolic and important in our minds. Why they stay longer is a moot point - loyalty to the cause? a liking for the locality? the glow of being a popular player? no better offers from elsewhere? a hefty pay packet? finding their level as a club goes up - or down - the leagues? Take your pick from those which are warm and positive explanations (reflecting what we value and wish to believe) and others which are down to inertia and reality.

If he's gone I'm a little surprised at Steve Woods' departure - at this particular stage - but can understand the dynamics if what Merse says is true. I half-expected Woodsie to go last summer and guessed he'd be on his way this year. We've always known his weaknesses and appreciated his strengths. He had wonderful spells of form when it really mattered - and periods when he was often off-the-pace. He's been a mixed bag but that tends to be the nature of players at this level. Indeed there's parallels with Hilly's Torquay career in many respects but - as I know neither individual - others can make judgements about their respective characters and personalities. Overall I'm far more positive than negative about Steve Woods' Torquay career.

So let's record that Steve Woods played around 270 games for the club including a number of highly-significant games. Looking back it's quite a little group - Hill, Woods, Bedeau, Hockley - who went through that period and each will be remembered in their own particular way. Will there be similar long-serving players in the future? I guess Lee Mansell is a potential candidate - a choice I'm basing more on gut feeling than hard evidence - as he appears to possess many of the qualities, strengths (and shortcomings) which make for a long-serving player.

It really is worth pondering the whys and wherefores that determine why certain players stay longer than others. And what makes for an exceptionally popular player? Bernie Slaven is apparently one of Middlesbrough's most highly-regarded players ever. But was he one of their most gifted? It's a conumdrum.

So why then is Woodsies name in the squad if he is gone?

Now thats a really interesting post Barton and its got me thinking about long serving players at all levels. Your theory about Mansell could well be right. His strengths are his fitness, his tackling (when he doesn't just dive in) his effort and his heart. You could argue that Kevin Hill had some of these attributes. As player in some respects he was quite limited but his effort, attitude and commitment were second to none. Not to mention the important goals he scored with his head. I wasn't there to see his overhead kick against Macclesfield but I would've struggled to believe my eyes! I guess Hilly found himself a home at Torquay United, but if he'd ever been released I wonder if he would've found employment at another league club.

As for other long serving players. The Case of Bernie Slaven is a very interesting one. He joined Boro in 1985 after refusing to re-sign for Albion Rovers (pre Bosman days eh) and he was a part time gardener before Boro bought him for £25,000. I guess that he had the knack of scoring important goals and that he stayed with the club through their really tough times during the mid 1980s which makes him a hero up there. He scored 146 goals in 381 games for Boro and he was the leading goalscorer for six consecutive seasons. His customary goal celebration at Ayresome Park was to jump onto the fence at the Holgate End. Apparently he actually has a piece of this fence in his back garden now! His skill was scoring goals. His record suggests that he was a man who was comfortable with playing at Boro.

You could also argue that Matt Le Tissier stayed at Southampton for exactly the same reason. It seems strange to an outsider why he never chose to join a bigger club but I doubt whether he has any regrets whatsover about staying at Southampton for his entire career. It seems criminal that a player of such quality should've been overlooked by two England managers who had a liking for technical football over a more physical game. Only 8 games for England. I wonder if he would've played more games if he'd signed for a bigger club.

From a long serving players perspective I guess its all about finding a niche or making a consistent mark at a certain club. As in the Bernie Slaven case, more talented players have played for Wolves and Leicester City than Steve Bull and Steve Walsh but few are respected more than them.

The same could be said of the group of players that came through together at Man Utd. Everybody respects Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs but you could also argue that David Beckham and Phil Neville are more respected now after leaving United and giving good service elsewhere than if they stayed at Man United like the others did. I guess Phil Neville had to leave in order to increase his chances of first team football and David Beckham was getting almost as big as Man Utd but they both could've stayed at Olf Trafford and been very comfortable. Alex Ferguson once said of Scholes in response to an Italian club wanting to buy him that "he'd only leave United for one club and that's Oldham Athletic".

I certainly have no need to calm down merse and I think you will find I'm always in a receptive frame of mind.

I simply do not buy the argument that because only X number of fans choose to use a website, that those who do, really don't represent the views of most fans. You only need to look at all the different views points made by members to see the views are a cross section of TUFC fans. the real difference is they are prepared to put their views down in writing, while so many others just use their feet to express their views.

I have gone on many times about the board of our club, yes they have put their money into their club and no one could say they have not improved many things up at Plainmoor. I would suggest that sadly it is they who suffer from some feelings of self importance. The reality is they own and run an ever shrinking small football club, that is a non league club in the BSP, in a seaside town where most people care not what happens to it.

A board who in my view has put an even bigger wedge between it and its fans, failure to have real communication with the very people it relies on for its survival, because with out paying fans the club will end up playing in the South Devon league.

Part of being a fan is the real feeling of belonging and being a part of the club, I have never felt our board has done anything to strengthen my feelings and I feel as I have for some time, that the very heart of the club is now so far away and has incased itself and I no longer feel its heartbeat.

Should a forum run the Steve Wood story? this has not been made up by anyone who uses the forum, it has come from the club itself, it has allowed the information to come out in public and surely it must take the blame for any leaks etc.

You and I both know Merse where so many of the leaks come from and who is so happy telling his friends and that they are then in danger of ending up on some forum.

Like I said before each and every person who posts on a forum is a fan and a customer and the club should value the views of all its customers, any business knows you have to look after your customers, if not you might as well call in the receivers now.

A woman who listens to reason??? Ye gods! ;D

lol might be!

well off to the game now se you all later i expect ;D

UP THE GULLS