TT BLOG

Dom Roman

@DomRoman

Players come and go at Plainmoor, many stay for a while, but many stay for only a short time (especially during 2022-23). Using the alphabet and Torquay Fan Stats as my guide, I take a look at some ‘Forgotten Gulls’ who have represented Torquay United, and see what they’ve been up to since. Our list ends at W, due to a lack of suitable X, Y and Zs!

W – MARVIN WILLIAMS

UNITED CAREER: Marvin Williams was loaned to United by Millwall in March 2007, as Keith Curle desperately tried to find a winning formula in a horrible season at Plainmoor. The impact of the striker was immediate as the Gulls won only their second game out of 28, a 3-0 victory over Wycombe at home with Williams nodding in the second goal. The striker only played one more game for United (1-0 loss at Accrington), before returning to his parent club. He then left the Lions for Yeovil in 2007 and also played at Brentford, returning for a second spell at the Riviera in September 2009. By this time Paul Buckle was in charge and the striker only made four appearances (with no goals), leaving in December 09.

AFTER UNITED: With Williams having already played for two UK teams during 2009-10, he had to find football elsewhere that season and this took him to Ostersund in the Swedish 3rd Division, where he made 9 appearances. After one season in Sweden he moved between Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Salisbury, Eastleigh, Sutton United and Tonbridge Angels. Angels proved to be his final club due to an achilles injury in 2015. Outside of playing Marvin started coaching in 2011, and in 2014 he established a partnership with then Conference South team Sutton United to launch their first Youth Academy, with Williams named the U21 Head Coach/Academy Director. He remained at Sutton until November 2022, when he took up the position of Assistant Academy Manager at Ipswich Town.

MW SPORTS ACADEMY: Marvin is also Managing Director of MW Sports Academy which does sports sessions for kids in Carshalton. Busy guy!

FAMILY: Marvin has two children and had this message on Twitter last NYE: 2022 – you’ve taught me to stick up for what you believe in – no matter what! I’m raising my children to understand this & I’ve needed to prove this by my actions, not just words. 2023 – good energy & people only over here please! Let’s go…

OTHER: TUFC XI for Marvin’s first game: Rayner, Hockley, Andrews, Gordon, Robertson, Robinson, Cooke (Smith), Kerry, Mansell, Thorpe (Oliver), Williams (McPhee).

WILLIAMS STATS: AGE: 35, BIRTHPLACE: SYDENHAM, HEIGHT: 1.73M, POSITION: WINGER/STRIKER

TUFC STATS: SIGNED IN MARCH 2007 AND SEPTEMBER 2009, APPEARANCES 6 GOALS 1

W – DANNY WRING

UNITED CAREER: Midfielder Danny Wring was released by Bristol City in the summer of 2007, and was snapped up by new United manager Paul Buckle. He made his debut as a 2nd half sub for Danny Stevens in a 3-1 away win at Northwich in August, and only played six more times for the Gulls (all as sub) before leaving in January 2008.

AFTER UNITED: Wring’s football career after United saw him yoyoing between a number of non-league teams, including Team Bath (where he won promotion to the Conference South), Newport County, Mangotsfield, Clevedon, Chippenham, Bath City, Bideford, Weston-super-Mare and Larkhall Athletic, retiring in 2019. Outside of Football he has taken up a number of jobs since 2009, starting as an Exercise and Lifestyle Coach, Personal Trainer and Sports Coach/Support Worker. In 2015 he moved into the world of Recruitment, working his way up to Principal Property Consultant at Panoramic Associates in Bristol, and then Executive Property Consultant at TristoneNash, where he remains now. Additionally to that Wring has also found time to be Assistant Head Coach at Bristol Advanced Development Centre.

QUALIFICATIONS: Wring has Level 2 in Football Coaching, plus Level 3 in Advanced Personal Training and Sports Massage Therapy.

AWARDS: Danny won the Rookie of the Year at the RDLC Awards in 2017. RDLC is the ‘leading global network for recruitment CEOs, MDs and Directors’…just in case you wondered!

GULLS LINK: The U15s at Bristol ADC are coached by ex-Gull Paul Hirons, who scored an FA Cup winner against West Ham in 1990.

OTHER: TUFC XI for Wring’s first game: Rayner, Robertson, Woods, Todd, Nicholson, Stevens (Wring), Mansell, Hargreaves, Zebroski, Sills (Welsh), Phillips.