Torquay United Fans Forum

kevgull wrote: ↑22 Feb 2024, 15:27Done

Clarke Osborne's statement

In light of today’s announcement that Clarke Osborne is unwilling to continue his financial support for the club and has applied to appoint an administrator, Saturday’s proposed yellow card protest has been suspended.

Instead TUST would encourage every supporter to get along to Plainmoor to get behind the team and the club’s staff and to show their support for the future of the club.

We can assure all supporters that the TUST board will be working tirelessly to do everything it can to secure a long-term future for the club. We thank those who have already offered their assistance with either practical help or financial support. We are already in discussion with a number of individuals and organisations that can advise us.

Now is the time to join TUST and to fight for our wonderful football club.

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

WHY PROTEST?

There need to be immediate changes in the way that the club is run.

We would ask the owner to immediately hold an open fans’ forum, as promised in December at the ‘Ask the Board’ online forum.

At this we would like to ask a series of questions about the running of the club as our concerns are for its long-term sustainability along with protecting its heritage.

In order to pressurise those running the club TUST, along with other Torquay United supporter groups, have decided to take action in the form of a campaign of protests.

In the meantime TUST continues to prepare for any future scenario while hoping for a positive outcome.

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

Culmstockgull - TUST Official posts are made on behalf of the TUST board and reflect TUST policy. TUST Official is not a single person. Thank you for raising this point which we are happy to clarify.

Further details of Saturday's protest and how to get involved will follow this week.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - YELLOW CARD PROTEST AT PLAINMOOR NEXT SATURDAY

Torquay United supporters have been very patient as the club plummets to its lowest league status in its history. A once proud Football League club is now plying its trade in a part-time regional league and not very successfully; today losing its 15th match.

Performances this season have been dire with even the right kind of fans losing confidence in the manager.

The time has now come for all fans to show their feelings about the way the club is being run.

To this end TUST has been joined by the TalkingTorquay podcast, TorquayTalk, the Away Travel Club and representatives of the Tom Lapslie Appreciation Society.

As a first step together we are organising a peaceful, Yellow Card Protest - ‘We Want OUR Club Back’ - on Saturday February 24th for the National League South fixture with Aveley at Plainmoor. This will be the beginning of a campaign where further protests will follow as we increase the pressure for change.

Cards will be handed out at various points outside the ground.

Will you join us?

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

You would think if that ever came to pass, a phoenix club would make an ideal new tenant.

Are YOU happy with the way YOUR football club is being run?

So many aspects of the running of our wonderful football club are causing concern among the fan base. It is worrying to hear of so many long-standing supporters staying away from games because they are so disillusioned and others threatening not to buy a season ticket next year unless things improve.

Rising levels of dissatisfaction are evident from declining attendances, recent matchday protests and the number of critical views posted across social media. Yet those in charge of the club from owner to CEO to manager give the impression that everything is fine and we should all be positive or not express our views.

Well things are not ‘fine’ and now is the time for concerned supporters who have the future of the club at heart to unite and make our voices heard.

TUST is working with other interested groups to bring supporters together to press for change. Further details will be released very soon.

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

Are YOU happy with the way YOUR football club is being run?

So many aspects of the running of our wonderful football club are causing concern among the fan base. It is worrying to hear of so many long-standing supporters staying away from games because they are so disillusioned and others threatening not to buy a season ticket next year unless things improve.

Rising levels of dissatisfaction are evident from declining attendances, recent matchday protests and the number of critical views posted across social media. Yet those in charge of the club from owner to CEO to manager give the impression that everything is fine and we should all be positive or not express our views.

Well things are not ‘fine’ and now is the time for concerned supporters who have the future of the club at heart to unite and make our voices heard.

TUST is working with other interested groups to bring supporters together to press for change. Further details will be released very soon.

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

WestLondonYellow wrote: ↑12 Feb 2024, 21:12 ok, so when is the lease up? have we agreed with the council that they won't renew with Osborne? What is the councils stance on this?

What good do you think will come from the fans forum? do you mean the online one where the four of them sat on the sofa, 3 nodding along while Osborne lied through his teeth and gave his modus operandi away without realising it? are you referring to that forum and the good work TUST did to make that happen. Well it certainly did the trick didn't it, things have massively improved since then.

Please drop the ego and listen to us.

Long lease, decades left, he won't be around.

Are YOU happy with the way YOUR football club is being run?

So many aspects of the running of our wonderful football club are causing concern among the fan base. It is worrying to hear of so many long-standing supporters staying away from games because they are so disillusioned and others threatening not to buy a season ticket next year unless things improve.

Rising levels of dissatisfaction are evident from declining attendances, recent matchday protests and the number of critical views posted across social media. Yet those in charge of the club from owner to CEO to manager give the impression that everything is fine and we should all be positive or not express our views.

Well things are not ‘fine’ and now is the time for concerned supporters who have the future of the club at heart to unite and make our voices heard.

TUST is working with other interested groups to bring supporters together to press for change. Further details will be released very soon.

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

Are YOU happy with the way YOUR football club is being run?

So many aspects of the running of our wonderful football club are causing concern among the fan base. It is worrying to hear of so many long-standing supporters staying away from games because they are so disillusioned and others threatening not to buy a season ticket next year unless things improve.

Rising levels of dissatisfaction are evident from declining attendances, recent matchday protests and the number of critical views posted across social media. Yet those in charge of the club from owner to CEO to manager give the impression that everything is fine and we should all be positive or not express our views.

Well things are not ‘fine’ and now is the time for concerned supporters who have the future of the club at heart to unite and make our voices heard.

TUST is working with other interested groups to bring supporters together to press for change. Further details will be released very soon.

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

WestLondonYellow

We have sent you a PM but if you have not received it could you let us know by mailing [email protected]

Thanks

WestLondonYellow wrote: ↑12 Feb 2024, 18:39 Advice from ExeWeb member;

"Your Trust needs to open dialogue with the Council pronto. You need to establish the remaining lease that the Club has on the ground, and make sure that it is not renewed. It is one of Osborne's remaining bargaining chips, and could impede progress in TUST/phoenix club taking over the Plainmoor lease."

This would be an example of a bit of Venom and fight, but TUST would rather roll over and let Edwards tickle it's belly in the form of an online fans forum and a pathetic Steering Group.

Good idea - so good that we have been regularly talking to all sides of the council about this for years. Pretty sure we organised an in person fans forum and protest last year.

9th February 2024

FAN ZONE

TUST's Chair, Nick Brodrick's column in this week's Herald Express - updated for the latest news.

SATURDAY’S DEFEAT TO ST ALBANS WAS A NEW LOW IN TORQUAY’S HISTORY

FANS VENT THEIR ANGER AT THE MANAGER AS HUNDREDS WALK OUT

NEW MANAGEMENT SEES TORQUAY WOMEN WIN THREE CRUCIAL POINTS

“You’re not very good, we lose every week”, sang three 7-year olds as they ran behind the St Albans goal mid-way through the second half as those in the Family Stand sat in stunned silence as a dreadful defeat unfolded in front of us.

It might have been semi quiet in front of the Directors’ Box but those on the Popside and many in Bristow’s vented their fury at mostly the manager but owner Clarke Osborne and CEO George Edwards came under fire too.

With the Gulls 0-2 down two bright yellow tennis balls found themselves on the pitch and a couple of ‘Johnson Out’ banners were unfurled before stewards were seemingly sent in to confiscate them.

Talking of the Directors’ Box, sat in there watching and listening were Gary Johnson, serving his touchline suspension, son Lee, recently sacked from Fleetwood and Mrs Johnson. When matters ramped up during the second half - there was a 60th minute walk out from over 100 from the Popside - Johnson son and mother left, probably advised to do so for their own safety.

*****

Johnson Snr made the post match press call and whilst repeating that “the boys didn’t play well”, he unfortunately didn’t apologise for what was an abject performance. The defeat making the ambition to finish second that much harder as Worthing stretched their lead over Torquay to eleven points.

There were a number after the game who felt there should have been a club statement to address supporters’ concerns, all this ironically on the day when the outline details of the promised steering group were announced.

The fans’ anger didn’t stop inside Plainmoor as a large group assembled outside the club’s offices and entrance chanting for a good twenty minutes. It was enough for the club to shut the Gulls Nest early as there were concerns for the safety of club employees.

The majority of United supporters are usually the type that just shrug their shoulders when things are bad but we now live in an age where demonstrations are becoming the norm. Fans around the country have seen what angry people can do with examples this season at Everton, Southend, Scunthorpe and Reading not to mention marches in London over the Israeli war.

*****

What about the match itself? It was a joy to see a high octane side entertain with fast, slick football, great awareness on and off the ball and with players who know how to score - all reminiscent of those heady United days only a penalty kick away from an EFL return - but sadly the team turning in a match winning performance were St Albans. That the score was only 4-0 masks what really should have been an even worse scoreline. This from a part time side without a manager after David Noble moved on to take over at Wealdstone.

And what a missed opportunity to gain new younger fans as the club’s praiseworthy Community Day for Years 7, 8 & 9 had to witness such an abject display.

Final thought on Saturday’s debacle, there was no leadership on the pitch although as the senior pro, keeper Mark Halstead was given the armband until Asa Hall took over late on. It was not a heavy defeat local lad Austen Booth would have dreamt about the night before as he made his debut after buying out his contract at Taunton.

*****

Where does the club go from here? Based on evidence so far it will be ‘business as usual’ no matter what supporters feel.

The steering group has the potential to bring supporters and the club closer together but only time will tell if it’s going to have any positive influence.

*****

What do National League Kidderminster and Torquay Women have in common? Back on January 14 Kidderminster were bottom and changed their manager appointing experienced Phil Brown while Torquay Women appointed their own new management team last week with player Tracey Cross and Jake Ellis taking over. Result? Kidderminster have now won their last four games and look as if they could climb out of the bottom four. Meanwhile, the Torquay Women, one league win all season, defeated visitors Southampton Women 2-1 at Coach Road with a stoppage time winner from Emily Eaton.

United’s Under-18s had a comfortable 4-1 league cup win over Swindon Supermarine to take them into the semi-finals.

*****

Non-League Crowd Watch: Southend 6,372, York 4,667, Kidderminster 3,298, Scunthorpe 3,285, Maidstone 3,119, Bromley 3,026, Macclesfield 3,005.

*****

So, on Tuesday night it was a daunting trip to FA Cup giant killers Maidstone United who have been transformed by a rooky manager George Elokobi. Before their sweet victory at Ipswich in the last round Elokobi addressed the fans before the match with a rousing speech - that’s the way to get supporters on your side. Whilst it was a spirited performance with new addition Arkell Jude-Boyd from QPR showing how to play at right-back, it was yet another disappointing loss.

For those who felt the need it was possible to watch the match on the National League streaming service but from this month they have said, due to a low take-up, only selected North and South fixtures will be shown live on a match to match basis.

United have another home match on Saturday with Slough Town the visitors. They sit twelfth only two points behind.

What are your thoughts on the current situation at Plainmoor? Send to: [email protected].

COYY

JOIN HERE - www.tust.co.uk

SUPPORT TUST - SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY