Torquay United Fans Forum

Vincent - need to keep him on today's form. Thought he was outstanding
McDonald
Davis
CLE
Niate

Luer was pretty good for Woking last week, but often he's not picked so it may have been a freak one off

What about beating Division One leaders Wolves 2-0 at a packed Molineux to clinch a never before dreamed-of Torquay trip to Wembley

I agree it's not the greatest standard opposition, but on the other side of the coin first it's hard arresting a slide of lack of confidence, doom and gloom and disinterest. We've done that. And secondly, even if they were smaller inferior opposition, for many of these teams playing us was their big game and they would have raised their game like division one clubs must do when Sunderland visit, or Man City when they were there. And even Man C and Liverpool slip up if they're taking it easy and the opposition are on their game (Woking beat Swindon remember). yet this Torquay team under GJ has still won almost every game.

Ultimately, I think the owners have to get their new stadium complex with extras for us to progress as to do well and punch above our attendances we need revenue on top of gate money, and it's what will keep the owners interested and keep investing money in as they have no emotional reason to. BUT, only if Plainmoor remains our home until the first game at that new stadium

Why, with all the gossip and comments/opinions normally on Facebook and here, has hardly anyone reacted to Osborne's interview answering fans' questions
Do people not believe what he says, or have they seen this and he's winning the critics over.

Much as I admire NIcho for his dedication, hard work, passion, love and loyalty to the club if Osborne is telling the truth and TUFC's budget was among the top half of those in the National League, the money hasn't been spent well if we're languishing down at the bottom because we shouldn't be - the implication being Nicho's team has underperformed.

And if the budget is better than half our league now, what was going on before Xmas that led to us being so destitute that we were on the brink of going into administration.

I was with Barrow fans on the train back to London and they said they've not taken less than 100 to any Saturday game, so duff intelligence to say 20.
Even if it is franchised someone should tell them as ultimately the club would still benefit. If the caterers make only a small profit from small attendances the club can't charge much for the franchise. If they start raking it in from good attendances they will be happier and the club's negotiating position is better. It works the same with Costa coffees which are owned by Whitbread and people have to decide what they're willing to pay for the franchise.

Really enjoyed yesterday, but just have one gripe.
How come the club is not smart enough to realise that with big crowds at big games they can make more money from the food/drink canteens as there will be more demand?
This has now happened at least half a dozen times as I tend to come down from London for bigger cup games/derbies/end of season promotion/relegation/Bank Hols. Surely anyone can tell if the gate is 500 bigger they can sell more!
They don't just partially get it wrong. Pastie at half time when there's big demand and big queues - no chance.
Just before kick-off, sorry no.
Yesterday they had no pasties as early as 2.36pm when only half the crowd was in. Don't know what else they ran out of, but I bought nothing when I would have put money into the club coffers.
I wonder if at the away end it's equally dopey...they have the same supplies for 50 travelling fans as 500.

Gerring - not only commanding in the air and strong, but at times showed football skills and composure you don't often see in centre halves at this level.
Verma - admittedly based on 2nd half as I couldn't tell who was doing what in that corner first half, but again showed quality and never put a foot wrong
Richards - great goal, won a lot of headers for his height and some beautifully timed tackles back second half.
Blissett - I just like someone who wins so much in the air and showed real determination to finish that second.
5th - too many candidates.
Was on the train back to London with Barrow fans who thought we just about deserved to win and said they couldn't believe how on earth we had been near the bottom (mind you not all performances have been as good as today's entertaining game) ps hope we keep quite a few of the loanees, but getting Blissett, Moore and Verma would be a massive boost

Absolutely delighted and absolutely devastated. Was on the way to the game when I discovered I'd lost my wallet with all money, credit cards, train ticket so couldn't go and spent afternoon on a cold street cancelling cards! Please, please if anyone has any video footage I can watch of the atmosphere and goals PM me the link or PM me and I can give you my email address. The atmosphere must have been unbelievable

I thought my love for this club might be waning this year after 48 years - how wrong I was. Well done Nicho, especially Steve Breed and Dave Phillips and everyone else connected, and the amazing fans. If there's money from the sale next year too hopefully this was a crucial great escape for the dawn of a great new era

People are hitting the nail on the head with THE question those who have run the club need to answer - why are we pleading hopelessness because we are more impoverished than many teams with smaller gates who do better without these excuses. I accepted it as reality in Div 2 (although Dagenham, Morecambe, Accrington survived there with smaller gates) & as an excuse for not being Conference promotion contenders, but it no longer washes against some tiny clubs above us now. A few weeks back we had the 2nd best gate in our league.
It also begs the question about Nicho's FB statement: he says we have players on peanuts, yet says his predecessor splashed out the budget for 1,800 break-even gates. Which is it? Are our players' wages peanuts compared to other less well-supported teams above us, (if so why?) or have they all been handed contracts worth at least what those clubs pay, leaving Kevin hamstrung because the players are not worth the contracts they were given (or they're underperforming)

Added in 3 seconds:
People are hitting the nail on the head with THE question those who have run the club need to answer - why are we pleading hopelessness because we are more impoverished than many teams with smaller gates who do better without these excuses. I accepted it as reality in Div 2 (although Dagenham, Morecambe, Accrington survived there with smaller gates) & as an excuse for not being Conference promotion contenders, but it no longer washes against some tiny clubs above us now. A few weeks back we had the 2nd best gate in our league.
It also begs the question about Nicho's FB statement: he says we have players on peanuts, yet says his predecessor splashed out the budget for 1,800 break-even gates. Which is it? Are our players' wages peanuts compared to other less well-supported teams above us, (if so why?) or have they all been handed contracts worth at least what those clubs pay, leaving Kevin hamstrung because the players are not worth the contracts they were given (or they're underperforming)

I presume Goodwin's signing completely rules out Marquis returning (assuming Marquis is over or soon to be over his injury). Was hoping now that Millwall have an ex-Torquay player as manager in Ian Holloway he might have done us a favour and let us have him back.
It will be hard to get another player who has so recently played so many first team Chamionship games already and is young and improving. Bit worried Stockley's complete lack of match practice/fitness will mean we need to wait a few weeks for him to get up to speed too. He certainly faded in the second half today but there again he was on his own dealing with punts out of defence so that might be a bit unfair on him. And he did make a goal and score one today.

Downes
Hawley
Poke
NIcholson
Labadie

Can't believe the stick being dished out for yesterday. We were all over Exeter for most of the game and played far better football. Admittedly the first goal was hit well - I was in line and 6 inches either side and Pokey would have had it or it would have hit the post, then granted they showed a bit of pace to get away from a defender diving in and a hesitant defender for the second and third, which I think sums up our seasons. Everyone has gone on about the attack, but they're having to work really hard for a goal or 2 and then the opposition seem to be handed cheaply 1,2 or 3 goals which makes it impossible. But the effort was there yesterday and there was some good football - far more than Exeter could offer. If Billy hadn't been tripped for the penalty he was 15 yards out with a clear sight of goal and time as no-one was in front of him, hence the City defender's despairing lunge.
I also think the criticism of Hawley is unfair as he gave his all. Ok, I was wishing Marquis was there instead of him when the game started, but Hawley can't go much about his size and although he didn't get much change in the air first half against a bigger bloke, in the second he won more in the air than their strikers did against Downes and he held the ball up reasonably well. I've only seen Marquis once, and people may think he's better, but if Hawley is in the time giving his all, any player at this level can only play to the best of their ability. He got in front of his defender to finish his goal well too and struck the shot that their keeper saved well late in the first half firmly and on target. Getting on his back isn't going to help if injuries elsewhere mean he's in the team.
I went with 3 neutrals who thought it was a very good game and Torquay played the better football and were unlucky. Indeed Tisdale admitted they were battered. If there was a shambles it was a few moment in defence, but certainly not the rest of the performance

Regardless of whether Nico should or shouldn't currently be in the team, he should always have a place in the heart of Torquay fans. Not only has he been a fine servant, given years of loyal service on the pitch, and been Torquay through and through, I believe he and Manse have offered more than just what they offer on the pitch. Over the years at Plainmoor they seem to have fostered a real happy squad spirit in the club which was a big factor in the team really performing above itself and reaching the play-offs twice ahead of teams that spent far more money. Their banter on Twitter and I guess in the dressing room and training ground seems to have really gelled the squad and you only have to look at how they interacted with players like Eunan, and how well they got on, and it may well explain why Torquay has been a pretty happy ship for most of the time and even stars like Eunan were in no hurry to leave. And from the outside, it didn't seem that there were many really disenchanted or disruptive players even if they weren't in the starting 11 which takes quite a bit of bonding from management and senior players.
While Nico may not be the quickest, he has made up for that in other areas of know-how and even this season that left-foot delivery has led to goals. Fellow pros didn't name him the Div 2 left-back of the year for nothing. The only way I could see anyone could ever criticise him is if he's turned players against the manager at this crucial time, and no-one has any evidence to suggest that to be the case. Just being unhappy and having a bit of a moan about losing your place would just constitute a natural reaction in a game where players have different attributes and different people will have different views on who should be first choice. And most Torquay fans hold Nico in similar high regard.