Torquay United v Barnet.FA Cup R1 .16/11/63.

I'll always hold a vivid memory of this game until I die.

Firstly was the excitement of drawing a team from the unknown, and to me as an eleven year old; the first mystery was "where is Barnet?" The second was the novelty of drawing a team with the same name as one of my Penn Inn Park football crew ~ Trevor Barnet and the third was that when I arrived "Dave Style" on my bike at gate opening time at Plainmoor there were hundreds of colourfully dressed opposition fans milling about Marnham Road...............this, in an age where (apart from games with Exeter) one hardly saw a visiting fan at Plainmoor!

Both teams used to change in the event of a colour clash in the F.A. Cup in those days, so United wore their old style white shirts and black shorts whilst Barnet gave up the amber and black of their fans for plain blue shirts and white shorts.

I see the line up now and realise that Eric Webber used the game to give young locals Frank Austin and John Rossiter outings (John came along as a guest to a CG function at Plainmoor a few years ago and actually posted on another site for a while; whilst Barnet striker Roger Figg proved to be way and above the usual standard of player on view in Division Four. Also in the Barnet team was Tony Brimacombe who later moved to Devon as a school teacher and played for Argyle in the Second Division as an amateur before becoming a well respected coach and manager of their Third Team and other assorted South Western League sides as well as a long association with the Devon F. A if I recall correctly.

Of course the overriding stand out though was goalkeeper Terry Adlington (no subs in those days) re-appearing after breaking his wrist to play on the right wing and actually scoring one of the United goals in their 6-2 victory...............a great day and as I say; a memorable one!

When I later went to live in London for the first time round (in 1969) one of the first grounds I sought out was Barnet's Underhill where I was shocked to view the enormity of the famous slope (far steeper than today's rather anaesthatised version) and the huge and noisy crowd they attracted to what was after all, still amateur football.

I used to love that club until they got themselves into the Football League when they became somewhat "Tin Pot" and lost their soul with the departure of those rogues Chairman Stan Flashman and Manager Barry Fry. Flashman, the Arsenal ticket tout from Kings Cross, surrounded by heavies and the original "brown paper envelope gangster" by then living in a nice mansion on Totteridge Common and Fry, the perceived "Cockney Spiv" yet in reality a country boy from Bedford and if you ever got the chance to meet him, a charming and engaging guy before the game and once the final whistle blew. Whenever I see "Bas" I recall the wonderful way in which he once entertained some of us at Peterborough's facilities and his trade mark putting of his arm around you and saying "know any good players son? Send 'em to me and make yourself a bit of money"

The way the little club up on the hill in posh old Barnet Fayre has recreated itself in much the same way as our own Gulls have had to do, has earned them my respect once more and under Director of Football Paul Fairclough, I can vouch first hand just how dilligently they trawl the estates and football venues around Kings Cross and Islington for raw young talent.................after all you won't find much football potential in leafy Herts!

Absolutely correct....................I was confusing him with Frank Arundel ~ who was a local (Tavistock) lad.

Old age and rapidly increasing dementure taking it's toll I'm afraid!

The programme from our December 1971 FA Cup game at Barnet mentions the 500 supporters who travelled to Plainmoor in 1963, including severn coachloads who left Barnet at midnight and arrived at 7.30 on "a glorious sunny morning".

Tony Brimacombe was a Plymothian who - by what was said in the 1963 programme - moved away to train at Loughborough. When I helped arrange school football fixtures, as a sixth former, I'm pretty certain Tony Brimacombe was working at one of the Plymouth schools (Sutton High, Devonport High and Plymstock were all regular opponents).

Great work from Dave in setting up the programme room - I nearly called it the "programme box" (how does that sound?) - and for Timbo for continuing to find 'em and post 'em.

And to celebrate the new section - and a Torquay United FA Cup hat trick - here's an addition to our cup history against Barnet. My first FA Cup away trip (although others of my generation had already "ticked" off places such as Tamworth and Chelmsford):

On the right page, however you have deleted your account so not sure how anyone will be able to contact you.

Way before my time I am afraid.