TT BLOG

Luke Hunter

@gullsgullsluke

Luke and the team compile their closing thoughts on a turbulent 2023/24 season.

Luke’s Summary…

I do not recall ever wishing a season away quite like that – simly awful, from start to the very near end. Thinking back to the sunny, summer terraces of St Albans – were an uninspiring United slipped past one of the better teams in this league – reminds me that even when it was good, it wasn’t really that good.

It was an autumn and winter of discontent – protests aplenty as clearly the health of the club deteriorated. Gary Johnson proved to be an incendiary character – surely one of our worst ever managers, a legagcy he could have easily avoided – meanwhile, supporter relations fractured in every direction. TUST rallied, and emergency meetings were watched closely by the club – whether the writing was on the wall at this point, we’ll never know, but as spring approached, Clarke retreated as George and Mel continued to haunt the corridors.

It is damning to all concerned that all my personal positives followed Clarke Osborne’s plug pulling (or his property developing partners’ plug pulling) – Aveley (H), Weymouth (A), Hampton and Richmond (H), Truro (A), Bath (A), Taunton (A) – all matches that reminded me I can enjoy watching this club again – I have personally felt guilty about paying money into it for the CO regime and finally those clouds have parted, we have our club back.

Most of my 23/24 memories will be reserved for the off field drama – but I hope if nothing else it can be remembered as the start of a new beginning. At the time of writing, we are no nearer to finding out who our future custodians will be – but they need to understand that this is an incredibly special club, with an incredibly special fanbase.

TT have been here every second of yet another season – and im so proud that from the very offset we have vocally supported TUST and questioned the commitment of an ownership that has largely overseen the darkest period of our history. As always, our absolutely incredible team of volunteers have helped bundle all our 23/24 thoughts and feelings into a nice little package – sit back, relax, enjoy it, and then lets never, ever talk about this season ever again.

* The sister piece to this – our 23/24 predictions – is available here, but is so tragically depressing I won’t mention it again…

Thank you to the contributors!

Andy Charles (AC).
Chris Wade (CW)
Clive Hayward (CH)
Danny Burnell (DB) ..
Dominic Roman (DR) .
Jonny Jones (JJ).
Mark Hirst (MH).
Matty Hayward (Mha).
Rachel Malloch (RM).
Rich Heesem (RH)
Rob Dand (RD) ..
Sam Jones (SJ)
Sam Swann (SS)..
Steve Harris (SH).
Thomas Kelly (TK).

PLAYER OF THE SEASON 23/24: DEAN MOXEY

RD: “I abstained in the official vote. I truly didn’t think anyone was remotely deserving. But I suppose they don’t cancel the Oscars when all the films are rubbish do they? Dean Moxey was among the least worst and I did rudely call him 400 years old this season, so I wouldn’t passionately disagree.”

SS: “Dean Moxey. He was consistent all season and made vital blocks and clearances in the end of season run in. His performance against Taunton was immense and showed why he has had such a good career. It was lovely to see how much the POTS meant to him.”

TK: “Dean Moxey. Considering he’s at the end of his playing career, he still gives it his all and has shown his class in numerous outings in a defence which was struggled for most of the season.”

MHa: “Arkell Jude-Boyd: has won us games on his own – moreso than anyone else. He’s comfortably the most talented player we’ve had all season.”

DB: “Dean Moxey – Only player who consistently performed in a dire season. Probably didn’t expect to play 40+ games, but always gave it his all.”

DR: “Arkell Jude-Boyd – a ray of light and determination, on a different level to the rest, who only disappointed us for the majority of the season.”

AC: “Arkell Jude-Boyd. I know he was only here for 15 or so games but his energy and goals were among the keys in our survival.”

SH: “Dean Moxey – consistently the best player at the club over the course of the campaign.”

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE SEASON 23/24: ARKELL JUDE-BOYD

RM: “Will Jenkins-Davies. filled a gap in a previously porous ponderous midfield.”

RD: “I voted for Arkell Jude-Boyd, probably the most talented individual with bags of energy, willing link-up play and footballing intelligence. Pleased to see he won it. Couldn’t bring myself to go for a half-season loanee in the main POTY vote though.”

JJ: “AJB. Instantly looked a cut above and easily the stand out player since he arrived scoring some vital goals.”

SS: “Jude Boyd : A superb a few months on loan. I get frustrated when players are hit with the ‘inexperienced’ title as an excuse, you are either good enough and have the right attitude, ir you don’t. Jude Boyd is a technical, hard working and energetic individual who has a bright future in the game. We need to sign similar players in the future, to rebuild this club.”

TK: “Jude Boyd. The impact he has made in his short spell at the club is noticeable and some of his goals he has scored for us have been quality. Hard to disagree with the Yellow Army’s choices this season.”

DB: “AJB – No contest. Not unreasonable to say that without him, things could have been even worse, relegation and all that!”

MH: “Arkell Jude-Boyd – he deserves to have a go in a much better side than the rabble we became”

GOAL OF THE SEASON 23/24: BOOTH V HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE (H)

SJ: “McGavin has scored some screamers, but it’s Booth against Havant. The audacity to volley it first time from 35 yards was just obscene.”

CH: “Booth v Havant. Because it was such a crazy shot to take on and because of what it meant to him.”

RH: “McGavin’s goal against Taunton (a). Kept us up and it was a sweet strike.”

AC: “Austen Booth vs Havant. Just a great strike and very unexpected.”

SH: “Brett McGavin vs Chelmsford – first volley which the Chelmsford keeper stood no chance of saving.”

CW: “Booth is the answer but one of the McGavin goals for me. The goal at Taunton was incredible but I will go for the free kick at home to Weymouth. Technically absolutely superb.”

TK: “Austin Booth v Havant. Just wow. McGavin v Dover probably would have had my vote but at the last, Austin pulled put something simply incredible. I’m still to be decided on Booth, but that goal was top quality from him and you could tell what that goal meant to him being a Torquay lad through and through. Sorry Brett.”

DB: “McGavin vs Dover – great strike from distance, keeper had no chance.”

MH: “McGavin’s free kick against Weymouth was my favourite in a remarkably wide selection. It’s a shame we don’t score tap-ins”

RM: “Austen Booth v Havant one of our own scores 40 yarder.”

GAME OF THE SEASON 23/24: TRURO CITY (A)

SJ: “The 2-2 home draw with Aveley. The result didn’t matter, but the love and support shown to the club by the fans was staggering. It showed that the yellow army are the best fans in the world, and football in the Bay will thrive.”

DR: “Taunton (a). Not many to choose from, this was such an important result.”

RD: “This is tough to answer. It certainly wasn’t our best performance, but on an emotional level the Aveley home game was special, after the news about Clarke Osbourne broke. Once again, as they’ve done a million times before, the fans showed up and backed their club when it mattered. Of course, we threw away a 2-0 lead, but the fans did their bit.”

CH: “Beating a weak Yeovil in the Trophy was an unexpected bonus.”

SS: “Taunton (a) A huge game in our history and a celebration that this awful season was practically over.”

SH: “Truro City away. It was a result that surely would have given the side a confidence heading into the final three games, which included the Taunton Town away game which secured survival.”

MHa: “I’m absolutely sincere when I say I don’t think I’ve enjoyed any of the fourteen Torquay matches I’ve attended this season. I’ll have to go for the home victory over Havant, but even that really rankled. We can all play well under no pressure!”

DB: “Truro away – a decent performance when we needed it most, and a crucial win.”

BEST AWAY DAY OF THE SEASON 23/24: TAUNTON TOWN (A)

RM: “Taunton. Safety!”

SJ: “I only did 3 but I thoroughly enjoyed Frome away in the Trophy. Wonderful little ground, nice town and lovely locals. Oh, and we scored 4 goals.”

DR: “Taunton (a) – Great atmosphere and most importantly the right result.”

RD: “I’m going to go with Taunton. Not just because it’s the only time I saw us win away, but because of the huge wave of relief that followed. We made it hard for ourselves, naturally, but there was something in the clear Somerset air that night that made me feel it was all going to be okay – I maybe it was just the cider.”

CH: “Chelmsford. Nearly Christmas. Quality time with my son and a pint with Charlie Baker. Nice running track and an Osman Foyo masterclass.”

RH: “Taunton (a) massive game that with so many away fans as well. The yellow army are amazing, simples.”

JJ: “Bath, purely on the day out. Not for the football match that attempted to break out.”

TK: “Weymouth (a). There’s not been much to cheer about but Weymouth away sticks out because it showed all the good in football. Weymouth’s kind offer of donating £5 to the TUST for every adult ticket sold to be given to the club, the turnout from the Yellow Army, being surrounded by friends you’ve known for donkeys years and the atmosphere created by the Torquay fans showed that we won’t let our club die without a fight. Weymouth have been there before and got through it and it was such a kind offer from them to ensure that players and staff would continue to get paid in such dire times at our club. It won’t be forgotten.”

MHa: “Obviously, as always, this is about the day. Therefore there are so many contenders. The Hampton Beer Spill, Moretti at Tonbridge, Hemel Havoc, Gloucester! It’s got to be Bath, though. A superb day out, and I didn’t lose my phone.”

UNSUNG HERO OF THE SEASON 23/24: JULIAN GOULDTHORPE

MH: “The grounsdman, for getting every game played as scheduled (take note Taunton & Truro)”

CW: “Has to the Julian the grounds man and his team. To not lose a game to the weather after the winter we have had is extraordinary.”

DR: “Julian the Groundsman – no games called off, well done that man.”

SJ: “Might be controversial but Ollie Tomlinson. In and out of the team but showed composure and maturity beyond his years. If he bulks up, he could be a cracking NL player.”

RD: “Hero is a strong word! Ethon Archer was unsung in the sense that he didn’t get an end of season award, but clearly growing in popularity with the fans and one of the few I wouldn’t mind keeping hold of next year. I’d also give a modest nod in the direction of Tom Lapslie and Brad Ash who basically have either been running their arses off or injured for the last 8 months, with nothing in between. At times the skill wasn’t there, but you could rely on both to put in a shift.”

CH: “Anyone with a Johnson Out bedsheet.”

JJ: “Brad Ash. Played up top on his own for an extended period and managed a decent total considering the poor service.”

AC: “The supporters for continuing to go to games when I would have given up”

SS: “Callum Dolan. He was absolutely superb on loan and lifted the squad during his brief spell.”

BEST MOMENTS OF THE SEASON 23/24…

MH: “The final whistle v Taunton, ending weeks of believing we’d go down”

DB: “The moment the full time whistle blew against Havant. A end to a truly forgettable season for TUFC, and the hope that a bright future is ahead of us”

MHa: “Even though it’s landed us in a position of precarity, cost us ten points, and leaves us with crippling uncertainty, the departure of Clarke Osborne is the best thing to happen to our club this season. We’ll look back on that day, on those feelings, with nothing but gratitude and joy in years to come.”

SS: “The final whistle at Taunton. Pure relief.”

AC: “Horrible to say but beating Taunton to stay in this Godforsaken league.”

RH: “Staying in the league, getting rid of Johnson, getting rid of our owner and realising what a fan base we have.”

CH: “Frank “conversations” with George Edwards.”

DR: “Tough one! The Yellow Army coming together to fund the club in Feb was fantastic, and really showed our commitment to the cause.”

FINAL SHOUTS 23/24…

RM: “Jack Stobbs. A tough season for him with a time on the sidelines but one of a few players who played with heart.”

SJ: “Big shout out to TUST for doing a fantastic job. Also to TorquayTalk for being the only proper journalists reporting on TUFC.”

DR: “Aaron Downes did well enough after taking over as manager in Feb, credit to him for how he conducted himself and raised the morale of the dressing room.”

RD: “I don’t know where I heard this quote. Possibly it was in the TT group chat, but I think it was in a Facebook group for my ‘American team’ Austin FC (who also had a terrible year on the pitch). I’m paraphrasing, but it went along the lines of “the point of sport isn’t to watch your team win all the time, it’s to find other people to be sad with”. This year, I felt that.”

CH: “TUST for stepping up, firstly to support overdue protests and then to put forward a vision for our club’s future.”

RH: “GEV team and everyone that has appeared on Radio, television to talk about our plight. Well done all.”

JJ: “Edwards out.”

SS: “Thank you for all of the support we have received across TorquayTalk. It has been a privilege to meet and speak to so many great people along the way.”

SH: “Dean Moxey’s late winner to secure a 3-2 win over Hemel Hempstead in December, which sealed a fifth successive win in all competitions at the time.”

CW: “The work, humour, diligence and passion for our club of all at Torquay Talk. Gulls Eye View has been like therapy most of the season. An incredible group and a pleasure to be involved.”

TK: “The Yellow Army. Through all we’ve gone through this season, our support of this football club has never wavered. Clarke Osborne didn’t care about us, Gary Johnson overstayed his welcome for a long time and most of us saw over his waffle and arrogant demeanour. We kept turning up in the thousands at home and hundreds away because we support Torquay United, not Gary Johnson FC. If there is one bright spark to what has been a dreadful season, it’s you.”

DB: “Hall at CB – not getting any younger, but Hall’s switch to CB was a big reason we got over the line. Thought he was very hood that last month of the season.”

MH: “We really should have employed a new manager when we were relegated from the National League, rewarding failure is rarely a good idea”