[OS] Michael Westcott: Why Torquay United Matters More Than Ever

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Players come and go. Managers move on. Even owners are temporary. But the badge stays. The club stays. And in a world that feels increasingly disconnected, that matters more than most people realise. This is our first season at Torquay United where the six of us in the Bryn Consortium have the honour to be custodians of our beloved club. And over these past months—standing in the rain, singing in the sunshine, riding the highs, feeling the heartbreak—I’ve come to understand just how much this club means to people. Because it’s not just about football. It’s about identity. It’s about belonging. It’s about us. I think back to August 10th—our new team, under our new manager, walking out at Plainmoor for the first time against Enfield. The first day of the season. No one really knew what to expect. But there was hope. There was pride. And there was that unmistakable hum of a home crowd willing this new chapter to begin. That day felt like a beginning. There have been moments of grit and glory along the way. That Weston-super-Mare game, for one. A monsoon. Horizontal rain. And a team that refused to give in. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t easy. But it was heroic. A statement—not just from the players, but from the fans, soaked to the bone and still singing. Of course, not every moment has been glorious. Chelmsford away, Slough away, Boreham Wood at home —those last five minutes. A gut punch, each time. It’s those lows you carry for a while. But that’s football. That’s life. It’s not the defeat that defines you—it’s the fact you keep turning up. Keep believing. Keep travelling. And then there was Easter Monday. More than 5,500 of us packed Plainmoor, the biggest crowd of the season, with everything still to play for. The noise. The colour. The energy. The belief. That win gave us more than three points—it gave us permission to dream again. It reminded us what this club can be when it comes alive. A full house, a winning team, a united community. That afternoon will live long in the memory. And now, here we are. One game left. Hemel Hempstead away. As we evoke memories of Southend away 20 years ago, more than 2,000 of us are heading up the road—not out of expectation, but hope. Because that’s what we do. That’s who we are. Whatever happens tomorrow, this season has proven something important: Torquay United is alive and kicking. Its heart is beating loud. I think back to last weekend at Truro—fans drenched and joyful, singing through the wind and rain. That’s when it really hit me. This club isn’t just about results or leagues. It’s about people. It’s about shared experience. It’s about a badge that means something, regardless of who’s wearing the shirt. We may not attach ourselves to the players like we did when we were kids. They’re not all boyhood heroes. But we are attached to the shirt. The badge. The history. The journey. Whoever wears it, we want them to understand what it means. Because this club doesn’t belong to any one person—it belongs to all of us. Football gives people something they’re struggling to find elsewhere. Structure. Identity. A reason to get up and show up. Saturday at 3pm isn’t just a habit. It’s home. It’s a place to feel, to shout, to be part of something. And when we travel, we’re not just going to a match—we’re a travelling army. Loud and proud. United by yellow and blue. It cuts through class, status, background. On the terraces and in the stands, everyone’s equal. That’s the magic. That’s the power. And that’s what we need to protect. Because this club is more than a business. It’s more than a badge. It’s community. And it’s ours. We’re not just supporters. We’re custodians of something to be nurtured and to be cherished. And I wouldn’t trade this season—its chaos, its heart, its absolute beauty—for anything. Whatever tomorrow brings, we can be proud. Proud of this team. Proud of our fans. Proud of our club. Because Torquay United matters. Now more than ever.The post Michael Westcott: Why Torquay United Matters More Than Ever first appeared on Torquay United.

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