Torquay United Fans Forum

I imagine this is what it is like to discuss the merits of the V12 with Enzo Ferrari (not NOW, obviously).

Stefano, your encyclopaedic knowledge knows no bounds, if I had a sister, I'd let you marry her.

Matt.

highweekgull wrote:I think some of the new boys will be strong Crawley (grrrr) and Swindon to be sure but not sure about the Cornish blokes or Wimbledon.

Also some of the "bigger" clubs (Cobblers, Bradford, Port Vale) who failed to achieve last time might find it even harder this time but the odd one might bounce back.

I truly believe if we keep continuity at the back (with a much better keeper) and the wingers perform and the strikers take their chances, we could/should make play offs again.

Si

Ps have we ever been Champions of any league?

Yes 1926/27 the year before entering the Football League we won the Southern League Western Section (Bristol Rovers finished 5th). We have also in the early 1900's topped the Torquay and District League and (as Torquay Town) the Plymouth and District League. Not forgetting our reserves of course who have won the Western League and last season won their league whatever it was called. Our highest position since entering the Football League was 2nd in Division 3 (south) in 1956/57 to Ipswich Town who 5 years later were champions of the First Divison (now Premiership) under manager Alf Ramsey.

highweekgull wrote:I think some of the new boys will be strong Crawley (grrrr) and Swindon to be sure but not sure about the Cornish blokes or Wimbledon.

Also some of the "bigger" clubs (Cobblers, Bradford, Port Vale) who failed to achieve last time might find it even harder this time but the odd one might bounce back.

I truly believe if we keep continuity at the back (with a much better keeper) and the wingers perform and the strikers take their chances, we could/should make play offs again.

Si

Ps have we ever been Champions of any league?

Laugh like a drain if it's this lot.

I think it must be something in the Northants water. I've spend over an hour this morning trying to get evidence from a prosecution file in a case being dealt with by CPS Northants, none of them have a clue what's going on, idiots, to a man.

Matt.

I think some of the new boys will be strong Crawley (grrrr) and Swindon to be sure but not sure about the Cornish blokes or Wimbledon.

Also some of the "bigger" clubs (Cobblers, Bradford, Port Vale) who failed to achieve last time might find it even harder this time but the odd one might bounce back.

I truly believe if we keep continuity at the back (with a much better keeper) and the wingers perform and the strikers take their chances, we could/should make play offs again.

Si

Ps have we ever been Champions of any league?

ferrarilover wrote:Agree Camb, our squad is not really smaller than it was last year, but I feel it is deeper, with the likes of LRT proving himself to be an 'understudy' of equal standing to Nico.

Last year the first XI (say, as many as 13 players) were excellent and, at the very end of the season, may even have been marginally (VERY marginally) stronger than the equivalent we have today. However, what we now have is, effectively, two starting class players in every position, which we definitely did not have last year.

Its definitely a case of quality over quantity, as opposed to the approach taken up the M5 by a certain PB, who appears to have signed every player in the Football League.

Matt.

Totally agree. I suppose we probably have to thank Buckle for bringing in players like Lathrope, LRT etc who will hopefully go on to be big players for the club.

Agree Camb, our squad is not really smaller than it was last year, but I feel it is deeper, with the likes of LRT proving himself to be an 'understudy' of equal standing to Nico.

Last year the first XI (say, as many as 13 players) were excellent and, at the very end of the season, may even have been marginally (VERY marginally) stronger than the equivalent we have today. However, what we now have is, effectively, two starting class players in every position, which we definitely did not have last year.

Its definitely a case of quality over quantity, as opposed to the approach taken up the M5 by a certain PB, who appears to have signed every player in the Football League.

Matt.

In terms of a squad, I think what we have this year is better than the squad that Buckle had last year. Buckle then brought in loanees which boosted us but in terms of players owned by the club, I think we are in a better shape than the one that won the first 4 games last year. I'd be interested to see the difference in the budget spent between the two squads, I wouldn't mind betting Ling has amassed it with a smaller budget than Buckle.

As Matt has said, there are some teams in this league that are virtually guaranteed to be awful - they're poor every year and have no money to spend so won't have improved. The trouble is there are also quite a few that do have money, should have done better than they did last year, and might just have one year where they get all the pieces of the puzzle together and storm the division (could also be done by a surprise package with no money, you never know). There's no guarantee that will be this year for Bradford or the Cobblers (for example), they may be just as bad as last year and we'll fly by them, but given the squad turnover for a lot of teams in this division (ourselves included) it's very difficult to predict how everyone will perform year on year.

I've not seen any PSFs, but going on reports it seems as though we have a squad of a similar standard to last year, and with a more definitie formation and players playing where they're supposed to (including strikers as strikers) I think we may have more goals in us than last year. The difficulty will come when we have suspensions or injuries, and with our small squad I think we'll struggle to sustain a promotion push all season, so gone for just missing out on playoffs.

To be honest, I think until everyone's played a few games and worked out how good their players actually are it's nigh on impossible to work out who should be where in the division, so reserve the right to rejudge a couple of weeks into the season.

usagullmichigan wrote:I see Brucie has voted =D

Hee hee, I thought the same.

usagullmichigan wrote:I see Brucie has voted =D

Ferrari - I agree with your list of teams we should better. Add in vale, southend and crewe who are probably on a par with us, Rotherham who finished in free fall and have lost Taylor and gillingham who have just lost birchall for 6 months.

If Howe fires, o'kane shows he can influence week in week out and macklin finds his feet I think playoffs are more than possible.

I see Brucie has voted =D

Just had a look at the teams in L2 next year. We ought, without any doubt, be finishing above: AFC Wimbledon, Accrington, Aldershot, Barnet, Burton, Cheltenham, Dagenham, Hereford, Macclesfield, Morecambe and Plymouth.

That is to say nothing of the unknown quantities with the potential to fail completely, Bradford and the Cobblers top that list. Crawley could well be bust by Christmas. There is very little stopping Swindon going into freefall and nosediving into the Conference. Suddenly, we're ninth and that's without any of the big boys having a bad year.

Matt.

Fonda wrote:I don't think we've got too much to fear from Wycombe.

I don't think we've got too much to fear from Wycombe.