Torquay United Fans Forum

Half the team pulled hamstrings last year. He played the first half of the season without a single injury, so we don't know it's anything to do with age. If we ruled people out for being injured a lot people wouldn't care about Jake going this season, and we'd be suggesting waving goodbye to Asa, Armani, perhaps Connor, and no-one would have cared about the losses of Cameron, Nemane and Whitfield. In fact we'd probably only have a team of Moxey, Wynter and Lewis as regulars who've not been injured

[quote=londongull63 post_id=260027 time=1639244829 user_id=18632]

What's with the negativity with Wright - maybe he had one or two bad games earlier this season, I don't know, as I didn't see them.
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It's to do with the fact he is at the end of his career. He's 37, his body can't take it any more, hence he is slow and injury prone. We'll never get a run of games out of him and we can't afford the luxury of a player who spends most of his time on the physio table rather than the pitch.

Nice to see Jake score on his debut at Eastbourne, remember him scoring an absolute screamer in the top corner there in one of Gary's first few games in a 4-2 win.

Thought Wright showed us his qualities today, was excellent in the time he was on. Holds the ball up, is very hard to shake off it, (3 of theirs tried to at once) and wins flick ons. Upfront with a quick player, he will hopefully form a great strike force.

[quote="North Curry House" post_id=259979 time=1639135309 user_id=24665]
We need to get rid of a lot more dead wood before we can move forward with some "decent" signings.
I can not see Wright, Omar or either of our back up keepers ever playing a significant part in our quest for the play offs. Send them out on loan or MC Donald's are always looking for staff.
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What's with the negativity with Wright - maybe he had one or two bad games earlier this season, I don't know, as I didn't see them. But he looked like the only person who could win or hold a ball up front against Altrincham. He was absolutely instrumental with getting us 12 points clear last year, was then hailed the lost messiah until he came back with a crucial goal, was out a bit again, and returned to instantly make a crucial impact with pretty much everyone agreeing we would have comfortably gone up with him and Whitfield fit.
The commentators today said him coming on and his know-how instantly improved us today and helped relieve some pressure, which doesn't surprise me at all. He always has a top striker's sense of where to be to score in the box - near post, far post - he loses his defenders.

Ok, he's not the quickest, but if he's not scoring, it's because a team doesn't have the quality in midfield or wide to make the most of him. As long as he's not alongside another slow striker I'd always have him. Much as I love CLE when he's up with or just behind the striker (Armstrong), he's still not as good at that as Danny - although he'd always be my first choice midfielder even though we now seem to have Armani and Asa on song.

No prizes who has just scored at Eastbourne

Think Sparkes loan is for a month, initially at least

Exeter City would not have given Sparkes another year on his Contract until June 2023 unless they rated him highly.

An excellent loan signing in my view.

A little surprised to see Jake go - I could think of 6 others who should have gone first, and thought him deserving of more first team football after he returned to full fitness. But GJ acknowledged the squad is not up to standard and guess this is the start of the 'clearing out' process with Exeter's left footed loanee Sparkes (21) as Jake's replacement for the season. Although he has only played 3 first team games since 2019 due to injuries. So now wait in anticipation as to whether Sparkes quality is over and above that of Jake's.

Always one of my favourite players as his raw talent was more than some players at this level will ever have. As he was injured in the play off final, he missed pre-season so lacks match practice. It is true he would be better if he ran like Usain Bolt but then he would be playing in the Championship.
He will be missed.
Good luck to him.

Good luck Jake and thank you for you years of service.
However I can only imagine the sentiment shown is down to him being part of our championship winning team rather than the last couple of seasons.
As others have pointed out he has rarely started over the last few seasons when all are fit. As much as we could us him for set pieces if we wish to progress we need more and I am glad GJ is striving for that and doesn’t share the same sentiment as some fans.

Disappointed that Jake has not been used this season we know he's had an injury and illness but there are players here who could not lace his boots. I hope he does well in his new venture but it is our loss. He has a good scoring record and a good assist record a great shame that it has come to this.
If it was a fitness problem I think this could have been explained a lot better for a player that has a lot of respect at our club. One post says it's for a month and another till the end of the season you don't get these things wrong if you want him at the club. :keepie:

We need to get rid of a lot more dead wood before we can move forward with some "decent" signings.

I can not see Wright, Omar or either of our back up keepers ever playing a significant part in our quest for the play offs. Send them out on loan or MC Donald's are always looking for staff.

I would like to go on record as thanking Jake for his work and commitment in helping get us promoted from national league south.

Sadly, he was not able to kick on and we did not see him at his best in the national league. This could be for a number of reasons; fitness, ability, luck. I guess the stats will show his goals and assists were mainly the the national league south.

I wish him well, but believe a move for him and the club was needed. Let the team building begin. COYY 💛

Shame about Jake , I was always willing him to push on and realise the potential and quality he had and showed in patches but guess he didn't quite have the pace , fitness, work rate and energy that Gary demands from his players. According to the matchday programme in his 87 starts and 31 sub appearances he scored 24 goals and had 27 assists which is impressive.