The Acid Test.

Merse
Surely the fact that many of us have moved away from Torbay (and Newton Abbot) is one of the problems with the lack of crowds and passion.
I first moved away to London and then returned more locally, but not back to "the Bay". A large number, like you, move away on a more permanent basis. Many people who move into the bay area have no connection with Torquay United and many will be unlikely to develop an attraction to or affinity for, what has historically been a pretty poor team and club. It would not be a stretch to say that the club may have been undeserving of support at times over the last 20 odd years.
In addition many of us, like you, have other responsibilities and indeed pleasures to occupy us rather than a football club that has lost "Football League" status - and yes that is still a big thing for many whatever your well reasoned arguments might seek to assert.
I cannot recall when you moved away, but even my rose tinted memories of Plainmoor in the seventies cannot mask attendances below 2000 and a virtually empty ground of a cold winters night witnessing, at times, some fairly insipid football (although the memory perhaps sometimes plays tricks regarding the quality of the play). The current malaise is nothing new. It has been a feature of the club for nearly as long as I have been attending Plainmoor.
This weekend saw the publication of statistics indicating that many parts of Devon were the least affordable in which to live in this country. As you point out the salary rewards tend to be lower than those available elsewhere yet the costs are often higher. Personally it's a matter of choice. I happen to love living where I do now, in the country free of excessive noise and traffic. In a village community where people talk to each other in the roads and lanes. Wave at each other when driving past someone you recognise walking a dog. The price I pay is less disposable income, so I do not get to the number of away games I might prefer, less access to headline sport, shows and concerts. But for me the price is well worth paying.
Many people, that have stood in the same area of the ground as I, have been gradually worn down over the years. The rare pleasures of success insufficient to make up for the successive decline. Last seasons ultimate failure and desolate disappointment the final straw. Weighing that up I cannot blame a single one of them for deciding not to attend any longer, particularly in the light of some pretty awful home performances.
Our new board have made a great commitment, but to change the culture and attitude to TUFC will demand consistent effort over many years AND most importantly a measure of success. At the same time existing supporters need to be encouraged to continue to attend.
I am afraid that some of your posts can be perceived as being overly critical of local supporters and given your connections and alignment with key parties may have an increased negative impact. It's not about implication it is about perception and anyone who has had the slightest responsibility for management or leadership will understand that how one is perceived can be very different from the way one imagines they ought to be perceived.
In amongst all your bluster and wind ups are some very astute observations and some very well constructed reasoning and argument. It would be a great shame if you so annoyed some on relatively minor issues that they ignore or miss some of the pearls of your wisdom