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Paul Dennis
@paulden2310
Paul talks about the Gulls’ first trip to Wembley
SHERPA VAN TROPHY 1989
Torquay United at Wembley, surely not! Have you seen a doctor about that?
Yes, it appeared that that a weird impossible dream was about to come true. I’ll say it again Torquay United at Wembley!
The way to Wembley certainly started in an unspectacular way with a group stage 0-1 defeat at Swansea but a 3-1 home win over Cardiff saw United through to the knock-out stage. Then an emphatic 3-0 home win over Gillingham was followed by two successive 1-0 away wins at Bristol Rovers and then at Brentford.
Next up it was the two legged South final against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The previous season they had knocked out United at Molineux by a goal to nil in the Semi Final South stage. Would history repeat itself? It looked that way after two strikes by goal machine Steve Bull gave them a 2-1 first leg lead. So confident were Wolves of reaching the final that they had booked their London hotel accommodation before the second leg was played. I don’t know if the United players were aware of that but if they did then what an incentive to shove that over confidence where the sun doesn’t shine,
So United knew that they had to win by two clear goals and in doing they would silence twenty two and a half thousand yam yams! Incredibly Dean Edwards put United ahead scoring against his home town club. Then a quickly taken free kick by Mark Loram gave United a two nil lead and made it 3-2 on aggregate.
Then the siege began! An injury to regular keeper Ken Veysey and his replacement Mark Coombe meant an unlikely comeback for veteran keeper Kenny Allen. He didn’t disappoint!
I listened to the radio commentary and all I can remember hearing is Allen making save after save after save. United hung on for a totally unexpected victory and we were off to Wembley!
Back in 1989 getting to Wembley was still a huge thing for any lower division club but after a further four visits, although welcome, it no longer holds the attraction it once did. Then again our little green friends at the other end of the A38 got ever so excited a few weeks ago when playing in the latest form of the Sherpa Van Trophy the Papa John Trophy. How satisfying it was to see the “Green Army “ make a rapid retreat as they were thrashed, ironically by Bolton Wanderers by four goals to NIL!
But back to 1989 and off to watch the first Devon team to play at Wembley.
I remember Lymington Road being full of coaches from all over Devon…and Cornwall all ready to transport a portion of the 20 000 Gulls to London. Our coach overtook a minibus of Bristol Rovers supporters with a sign in their window saying “Rovers support Torquay at Wembley” an especially great gesture as we beat them in a previous round. That just goes to show what a novelty it was for a small club to make it to the home of football. They all wanted to be there.
Once at Wembley my mates and I wandered around soaking up the atmosphere and met so many regular and many not so regular supporters. It didn’t matter today as we all just wanted to be a part of this surreal moment.
One of the fashions of the time was the “Flat Cap “and plastic inflatables. My inflatable Gull has long since flown the nest but other souvenirs are still with me. See the attached picture above.
Once inside the stadium I admit to having tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat as I was about to actually watch my beloved Torquay United play at Wembley, when just two years earlier its very existence as a Football League club was preserved in the last game of the season thanks to a police dog and a last minute equaliser!
It got even loopier when Dean Edwards put us a goal up early on from a corner! Surely this dream couldn’t last?
Of course I came back down to earth after Bolton put four goals in the back of our net. Most neutrals would have been in agreement though that the score-line flattered our Northern friends. This was the day when our famous chant “Have you ever seen a beach” was first heard. Whoever started that one deserves a medal!
After the game and as everybody milled about trying to find their coach I met so many Bolton fans and once the language barrier was broken down I found out that they wanted to swap shirts, I politely declined. Everybody was so friendly and the banter was perfect. Both sets of supporters were a credit to their clubs and everybody was just intent on enjoying an amazing and memorable day.
Four more Wembley occasions have followed with varying success but for me that first time will take some beating.
THE TROPHY FIXTURES
GROUP STAGE
29th Nov 88 – Swansea City 1-0 Torquay United
20th Dec 88 – Torquay United 3-1 Cardiff City
1ST ROUND
17th Jan 89 – Torquay United 3-0 Gillingham
AREA QUARTER-FINAL
22nd Feb 89 – Bristol Rovers 0-1 Torquay United
AREA SEMI-FINAL
21st Mar 89 – Brentford 0-1 Torquay United
AREA FINAL
12th Apr 89 – Torquay United 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
18th Apr 89 – Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 Torquay United
TROPHY FINAL – WEMBLEY
28th May 89 – Bolton Wanderers 4-1 Torquay United
HIGHLIGHTS
COYY – PAUL
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