A hard fought season nears it’s conclusion, with just the 5 games to go. The Gulls host the penultimate home game of the season as Plainmoor prepares to take it’s summer break. I take a look at the upcoming week.
What’s happening this week……..
Saturday – TUFC v Maidenhead (15.00 KO) @ Plainmoor
Maidenhead become the 21st team from the National League to visit TQ1 this season, as we draw ever closer to the season finale. It seems an age ago, but United grabbed their first win of the season in dramatic fashion back in September, as they held on for a 4-3 victory.
The Magpies haven’t pulled up any trees this season, but survived relegation comfortably enough, with the likes of former Gulls Nathan Blissett and Dan Sparkes amongst their roster.
Sunday – TUFC Women Development v Activate Ladies (14.00 KO) @ South Devon College, Sports Centre
It’s the semi finals of the League Cup as United host a strong Activate side with 14 league wins from 14 this season.
Birthdays
Opi Edwards – 23
Opi celebrates his 23rd birthday on Saturday, just as United prepare to take on Maidenhead. The winger returned to Plainmoor on loan last month from FGR. Have a good one Opi!
Ryan Clarke – 40
The former Gulls stopper will turn 40 on Saturday. He is currently with Bath City in the NLS.
On this day……
27th April 2021 – Scott Boden scores deep into injury time to secure a crucial 2-1 home win over Aldershot.
27th April 2019 – Kalala scores after just 10 seconds for the already crowned champions away at St Albans.
29th April 2017 – A 2-0 home win over North Ferriby completes the great escape with goals from Verma & Myles Anderson.
26th April 2014 – Despite a 3-1 away win at Mansfield, Torquay are relegated to the National League once more as results go against them.
1st May 2009 – Tim Sills & Nicky Wroe help secure a first leg advantage with a 2-0 win over Histon.
25th April 2006 – Torquay secure a huge win in their bid for survival with a 4-0 thumping of Stockport. Lee Thorpe with the pick of the goals as his overhead kick nestles into the net. Relive the game below….
26th April 1958 – Sammy Collins makes his final Gulls appearance, having scored a club record 219 goals. A record which still stands.
28th April 1965 – Ernie Pym makes his final appearance for Torquay, in a final day win away at Wrexham.
27th April 1957 – The Gulls go the season unbeaten at home as they beat QPR 3-0. They had won 19 of their 23 league matches at Plainmoor.
30th April 1949 – Tommy Northcott makes his first Gulls appearance.
30th April 1927 – Torquay United secure the Southern League Western title with a 3-1 win over Newport County Reserves. This would be the last season before election into the Football League.
30th April 1921 – Torquay Town play their final game before merging with Babbacombe to become Torquay United.
1st May 1899 – Meeting at Torre Abbey Hotel, at which former members of the Torquay Public College Association Football Club agreed to form Torquay United Association Football Club for the upcoming year (1899)
As it stood…….(1st May)
2013: A dramatic 3-3 draw with Bristol Rovers a few days earlier ensured Torquay would be playing in League Two next season. The Gulls finished 19th, 2 points outside the drop zone.
2003: Leroy’s men entered the final game of the season in 10th position, knowing a play-off berth was out of reach.
1993: With just one game to go, Torquay had avoided the drop as they sat third bottom, 4 points ahead of safety.
‘A trip down memory lane’
Carlisle 1-2 Torquay
Saturday 29th April 2006 – League Two
Venue: Brunton Park
Attendance : 13,467
United line up: Marriott, Villis, Woods, Taylor, Reed, Phillips, Garner, Hollands, Hill, Thorpe, Kuffour
Subs: Hockley, Robinson, Sako, Lloyd, Connell
The huge win in midweek against Stockport meant the Gulls travelled to Cumbria level on points with third bottom Oxford, and three clear of Rushden. Torquay had just two games to go to secure survival starting with their longest trip of the season.
Carlisle, under Paul Simpson, had enjoyed a marvellous season, sitting pretty at the top, 3 points clear and with a game in had over others. The Cumbrians had a chance to seal the title in front of a 13k+ crowd, and all expectations it was to be a formality. The Champagne was on ice, but the Gulls, backed by an incredible 1,000+ support of their own, did not read the script.
The game was just 8 minutes old when Jo Kuffour’s cross was met by the trademark leap of Gulls legend Kevin Hill. And it got even better for the Yellow Army, as 4 minutes before half time, provider turned goal scorer. The ex-Arsenal trainee took the ball out of the air exquisitely, before slotting past the keeper for 2-0.
Any thoughts of a comfortable second half were quickly extinguished when Zigor Aranalde pulled one back, but against all odds, the Yellows held on to record result of the season, and perhaps their most important win in their history.
Those 3 points propelled the Gulls to 19th, meaning a point at home to Boston on the final day would probably have been enough to secure Football League status for another season!
TORQUAYTALK 
I think the dates for Sammy Collins and Tommy Northcott have been transposed. I saw Tommy Northcott play, and I wasn’t born until 1953!
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