Torquay United v Shrewsbury Town.21/03/53.

Many thanks Timbo, so keen today you got the programme up before I did the match day thread. ;D

So 57 years ago we were to play Shrewsbury Town and just like this weekends game, one we needed to win to help in the clubs efforts to steer clear of the then dreaded re-election bogey. The message is loud and clear, when the boys come out let the whole of Torbay know about it with a good lusty Devon roar.

They would have stood a far better chance of doing that for that game with a 6305 crowd inside Plainmoor, yes far better than the 2500 who might be there for the 2010 game.

No forums back in those days and did fans even contemplate such things as protests? Were there big calls for the manager’s head and chants to match their demands? With all we have been talking about the last day or so it makes you wonder just how much information the fans back then would have got.

It makes you wonder if some fans would be the ones to go and find in the ground because they would be in the know, the ones with the hottest gossip and rumours and conspiracy theories.

I expect back then it was just about going to the game, maybe talking with a few other fans after the game over a pint and waiting for the Herald Express to pop through the letter box for any news at all.

Dave, none of these things mattered back then. People were just happy to have football back after six years of war.

This outlook on the part of our own supporters is probably epitomised by the fact that Eric Webber lasted so long as manager, despite one relegation and one bottom four position.

I should add, though, that I never had anything but the greatest respect for him, and regard him as one of our best ever managers.