Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2009 21:18:20 GMT
A few years later I moved to Sheffield for Uni and found my new mates tended to be genuine Leeds, Man U, Everton, Liverpool and Halifax (?) supporters.....At the same time I adopted Sheffield United as my second team and attended their games, home and away, as long as Torquay were not playing within striking distance. Bloody hell, this sounds familiar! I was at Sheffiled 1974-77: lots of Evertonians and Sunderland supporters and - yes - I too showed more interest in United than Wednesday. I've had a few "local" teams in my time and three of them - Sheff U, Burnley and Preston - are in the Championship play-offs. I'll pick the Blades out of that threesome. Then, after living in Taunton for years, I muttered something about wanting to live again in a town with a Football League club. I moved to Exeter in 2007 so - clearly - it's all my fault!! |
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wigstongull68
TFF member
Posts: 366
Favourite Player: Lee Mansell
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Post by wigstongull68 on May 9, 2009 9:57:18 GMT
Became a gull, unfortunately for me the world has a wicked way of deciding for you where you will be born and raised. Which was Leicester, I have lived here all my life (so far). My first team ever supported was Forest (still goes down well with foxes fans in these parts!), who I started "armchair" supporting in about 1977. Then I went through a stage of about 2 seasons of actually paying money to watch Leicester play! Came to my senses at the end of the season where they avoided relegation on the last day, thanks to a 1-0 win over Luton (I think).
Anyway, it was a family holiday way back in 1980/81 that I first encountered the town of Torquay, and fell in love. Didn't see a game, but started looking for the results in the paper and on saturday afternoon telly. Back in those days it seemed (as there was no trapdoor) that they stayed in or around the bottom 3 every season, with the whole police dog incident a major talking point. My time-line may well be muddled but please excuse me that. Then as I got older I managed the odd short break with friends solely for the purpose of watching the mighty Gulls. Unfortunately on one birthday visit in particular my mates where not exactly taken with my new passion as we got tonked 4-0 by Preston. On a happier note they where pleased enough for a day out to Wembly when we won the thriller against Blackpool.
By this time I was well smitten and my passion was only to grow in the coming years. As time went on I got my own car, and it opened up a whole new world to me... the away game! Been to some games in my time (again time-line not in order), Oldham (won 2-1), Barnet (salvation, although we didn't get in to see...) Colchester (lost 2-1, and doomed, bloody Milton Keynes), Northampton (they were big money-spending favourites and we won 1-0) and countless trips to Rushden, Mansfield, Boston, Lincoln and Shrewsbury. Last year the Trophy final was a great day out, but ultimately disappointing. Even the pre-season friendly a few years back against Forest, 2-2, what joy!
Forest have been for a long time firmly classed as my 2nd team, and the nerves before and during a gulls match can be unbearable (just ask the wife). With stepkids aged 6 + 9, who have at least chosen the Forest way of things (it's a start), they came to the Woking game (1st home game this year) saw a win and I caught the ball after the equaliser when Sillsy booted it into the crowd. A proud moment and I was happy for the rest of that holiday.
I feel Torquay through and through, the ups and downs, the turmoil when we had strange goings on with directors/managers a little while back. As much as I hate seeing them lose (sometimes even draw) the elation of a win is worth everything. All in all I love Torquay, from the town to the club and I'll be eternally grateful to my parents for that initial holiday, without whom, what would I be doing next sunday??
Geography, smeography, it's definitely where your heart is , not where you're from.
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