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Dom Roman
@DomRoman
Skipper Asa Hall is comfortably our longest serving player, joining the Gulls in July 2018 as Gary Owers set about assembling a squad to tackle the National League South, let’s take a look at our Number 8’s five years at Torquay United…
2018-19
Gary Owers’ 2018 summer dealings were a real mixed bag, the incomings included the likes of Chris Regis, Samir Nabi, Bobson Bawling, Jason Banton and new skipper Brett Williams….but on a more positive note the list also included players like Kyle Cameron, Ben Wynter, Shaun MacDonald and veteran midfielder Asa Hall, who arrived after a season at Barrow.
With confidence low at Plainmoor the season started sluggishly, Hall doing his bit in midfield alongside Ryan Dickson, but the team lacked energy and forward aggression, and sadly United looked no better than mid-table. With results not improving United decided Owers’ time was up and in came Gary Johnson to fire up the Gulls squad and the Yellow Army. The impact was immediate, and Asa Hall soon replaced Williams as club captain.
With Bristol City loanees Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Jake Andrews buzzing around Hall in midfield and the likes of Kalala, Janneh and Reidy upfront, the United team had the right swagger to take the league by storm, and a long unbeaten run took them to the top. By now Asa was showing the Yellow Army all his qualities, breaking up play, starting attacks and chipping in some goals, including a 30 yard screamer on Boxing Day against Truro City.
In the end Torquay were unstoppable, a memorable draw at Woking put paid to the Cards’ chances and the NLS trophy was clinched with a home win over Eastbourne on 13th April 2019. Gary Owers had set the foundations for a title challenge with some key signings, but Gary Johnson’s influence changed everything around the club, with Hall very much a key man throughout.
18-19 STATS: APPEARANCES 36, GOALS 7, ASSISTS 4, YELLOW/RED CARDS 5/0
2019-20
United started 2019-20 in buoyant mood, and the skipper had a new partner in midfield in the form of ex-Woking man Armani Little. He played the first five games, but got a red card for a handball on the line at Dover and then after reappearing for 3 more appearances, disappeared from action with injury for a couple of months.
He returned properly at the end of the year in the Boxing Day stuffing at Yeovil Town, scoring 3 goals for United as the team struggled to find any consistency in the National League. It didn’t matter in the end as the league was stopped in March due to COVID, it had been a stop start season for Asa and a learning curve for many of the young United players. Time to rest up tired bodies and minds, and get ready for what would be a more eventful 2020-21 season…
19-20 STATS: APPEARANCES 20, GOALS 4, ASSISTS 2, YELLOW/RED CARDS 2/1
2020-21
After the COVID delay the Gulls 2020-21 season started in October behind closed doors. Hall had been only sparingly used in the Pre-Season Friendlies and found himself on the bench for the opener against Stockport. From November onwards Asa settled back into the line-up and set about finding the best form of his United career so far, starting with 2 goals in a wild FA Cup tie with Crawley.
There was goals against Halifax, Wrexham and Weymouth as the Gulls pushed to the summit of the National League, Hall forming a partnership with the exciting Adam Randell in midfield and getting forward more than ever before, whilst also leading his team successively into battle time and time again.
With United stuttering at the start of 2021, United’s skipper continued to play pretty much every minute of every game, scoring a massive goal away at Sutton United to give United hope in their title challenge. Two more strikes followed, Hall ending a fantastic season with 10 league goals, as the Gulls eventually finished 2nd in the NL.
In the play-offs Asa scored another crucial goal for United in an extra time win over Notts County. Then in a crazy and controversial play-off final, Asa Hall stepped up to score the 3rd penalty kick for United in the shoot-out against Hartlepool, but it wasn’t enough as we lost 4-5.
It had been a terrific effort from the midfielder, dispelling all doubts over his fragile fitness to play 44 games and score 14 goals to help take Torquay to the brink of an EFL return. His and everyone else’s pain was there for all to see at Ashton Gate, and unfortunately two years on the healing process has yet to begin.
20-21 STATS: APPEARANCES 44, GOALS 14, ASSISTS 6, YELLOW/RED CARDS 5/1
2021-22
With United losing key players straight after the play-off loss, it was reassuring that Asa Hall remained captain of the ship and hopes still remained high that the Gulls could challenge towards the top end of the National League. But with the final hangover lingering and new chaps struggling to settle in, United’s early season form was poor, and it didn’t help when Hall spent time on the side-lines injured around October/November.
By now it was clear, just in case supporters didn’t know, that despite the presence of Armani Little and CLE the Gulls team needed Asa Hall to make it tick. And his return to fitness came just in time, as a tremendous performance at Weymouth helped United to all 3 points and a week later the skipper tucked home a penalty to beat Stockport.
Torquay’s form improved, with two Xmas victories over Yeovil and a fantastic home win over big-spending Wrexham with Asa scoring a winner to give us hope of late play-off push. Asa suffered another injury and United just could not accumulate enough points to make the top 7, but it had been a valiant effort after a disastrous start. A frustrating campaign in many respects and even at the age of 35, it was clear that United still needed Hall more than ever in their midfield.
21-22 STATS: APPEARANCES 30, GOALS 6, ASSISTS 0, YELLOW/RED CARDS 3/0
2022-23
Back to last season and another summer shake up of personnel at Torquay. The season started with Asa mainly on the bench whilst the likes of Hanson and McGavin toiled and United struggled to win any games! The skipper did find two goals against Altrincham in a 4-4 draw at Plainmoor and with GJ reverting back to a 4-4-2, it was Hall and Lapslie who drove the team on around November time, beating Aldershot and gaining a replay in the Cup with Derby. By the replay Hall’s body had taken on too many minutes and he struggled throughout the game at Pride Park.
He managed some more games over Xmas and New Year, scoring another big goal at home against Halifax, but with underlying injury issues Asa then missed 9 consecutive National League games in a row, and the struggling team missed his presence. His next start was the 25th March at home versus the Daggers, with a 1-2 loss seemingly confirming United’s relegation.
But the story wasn’t quite over and with Frank Nouble arriving the team re-energized themselves in the following 5 games, Hall the match-winner again away to Boreham Wood and then scoring a goal and putting in a man of the match display to see off Eastleigh. This was the skipper at his best, pushing through the pain barrier and willing the team on from midfield.
With two games to go Altrincham away was a must-win for the Gulls, and with United 1-0 down the skipper yet again stepped up, hooking in an equaliser and then scoring one of his finest goals in a Yellow Shirt, a terrific volley from 25 yards out to send the Yellow Army wild. But then heartbreak at the other end, Hall taking responsibility for tracking an Alty attacker and giving away a cruel penalty. One point wasn’t enough, Asa understandably disconsolate at the final whistle…and one week later there was tears at Plainmoor. The 36 year-old had done everything in his ageing powers to save the faltering Gulls, but it wasn’t quite enough.
22-23 STATS: APPEARANCES 34, GOALS 9, ASSISTS 0, YELLOW/RED CARDS 5/0
TALKING ASA
Asa Hall could never be one of my favourite Gulls players of this or any era (my preference is skilful and technical players like Loram, Russell and Graham), but in the last five years I can appreciate how much he has brought to Plainmoor. His influence is there for all to see every time he steps out on the pitch, gently cajoling players on with reminders, unselfishly working for others and breaking up opposition attacks in any way possible. This is a guy who Gary Johnson and the Yellow Army trusts implicitly and wants in their team every week.
Of course it’s not just the defensive side we’ll remember Asa for. His intelligence around the box is perhaps under-rated. He’s never been the quickest but he’s been able to sniff out gaps and spaces over the years, and has found 40 goals for United in a variety of ways. Those goals have often come in big matches – when we’ve needed inspiration the skipper has stepped up and delivered.
One of Gary Johnson’s biggest errors as United manager is not finding another player of Hall’s ilk to step into his boots and share the load, maybe because there’s not many around like him and certainly not many that we can afford. He has given everything at Torquay, deserving better from those around him, and despite this relegation Yellows history will surely look back favourably on a man with great heart who has doggedly kept fighting the United cause, even if his body has been hinting continuously that it’s time to stop.
A career in coaching surely awaits for a person with his knowledge and wealth of experience in the game, maybe that will start at Torquay?But first a new one year contract and one more push to make up for 22-23 and get us back to the National League. Good luck Asa.
OVERALL STATS: APPEARANCES 164, GOALS 40, ASSISTS 12, YELLOW/RED CARDS 20/2
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