TT BLOG

Andy Ealey

@andy_ealey

Andy picks his Gulls dream team

GOALKEEPER – BOBBY OLEJNIK

Important player in a season that saw us fall short in the play-offs v Cheltenham Town, deservedly in the EFL League Two team of the season that year and a summer move leaving for Peterborough in a 300k deal gets him my No 1 jersey!

OLEJNIK STATS – TUFC: 2011-12, APPEARANCES 51, GOALS 0

LEFT BACK – KEVIN NICHOLSON

A fantastic left foot on him (I’ve never met a left footer without one!) but an even better person who was with us through the good and the bad times. Had great delivery, also the ability to execute a decent set piece, whilst he could defend too.

NICHOLSON STATS – TUFC: 2007-2014 & 2015-17, APPEARANCES 350, GOALS 13

RIGHT BACK – ARKELL JUDE-BOYD

Brave choice here but I’m going to go with it…. 17 games played for the Gulls since arriving in February 2024 and after picking up various Player of The Month awards ending with the Young Player of the season accolade with 6 goals in 17 as a Full Back/Wing Back I think his stats back it up!

JUDE-BOYD STATS – TUFC: 2024, APPEARANCES 17, GOALS 6

CENTRE BACK – GUY BRANSTON

Player of the year for the 2010-11 season and was in the EFL League Two team of the season too. An absolute animal of a defender who just loved to defend, a dying breed of centre back in the current climate!

BRANSTON STATS – TUFC: 2010-11, APPEARANCES 69, GOALS 2

Guy Branston – Photo courtesy of Herald Express

CENTRE BACK – ANGUS MACDONALD

Less said about the antics against Wrexham but an ex-club captain and a cultured defender who has made a good living out of the game playing in the Championship for the likes of Barnsley. We received a tidy profit for him when he left for pastures new but feel Gus/Guy would compliment each other nicely as a pairing.

MACDONALD STATS – TUFC: 2012 & 2014-16, APPEARANCES 98, GOALS 3

LEFT WING – KEVIN HILL

One of my most earliest games was attending Kev’s testimonial game vs Plymouth, and for a winger of average size stature for his position, I can’t remember him missing a header! Making an unequalled 474 appearances for Torquay and being my all-time favourite player, he’s naturally the first name on my team sheet!

HILL STATS – TUFC: 1997-2008, APPEARANCES 474, GOALS 57

MIDFIELD – EUNAN O’KANE

Don’t think I’ve seen many a better passer of the ball in a yellow shirt and could also contribute with a goal or two like the Devon Derby! Of course when you’re that good, you know their tenure may not be as long as you want, which saw Eunan go onto play for clubs such as Bournemouth and Leeds.

O’KANE STATS – TUFC: 2010-12, APPEARANCES 122, GOALS 14

MIDFIELD – LEE MANSELL

An all action midfielder making just shy of 400 appearances over an 8 year period and became club captain from 2010 in League Two, the fact he was so vocal during our in-different season on social media just past, shows he has a dear love for the Gulls still to this day same as we have for him!

MANSELL STATS – TUFC: 2006-14, APPEARANCES 391, GOALS 25

Lee Mansell – Photo courtesy Andy Styles

RIGHT WING – DANNY STEVENS

Instrumental in the late noughties and similar to Kev one of the smallest adults I’ve ever seen grace a football pitch, featured heavily in strong teams under Paul Buckle and Lingy and could net a goal or two as well.

STEVENS STATS – TUFC: 2007-13 & 2014, APPEARANCES 230, GOALS 28

STRIKER – JAMIE REID

Delighted to see him recently net for Northern Ireland on his international debut v Romania. Mad to think he initially started out as a winger for us before a Gary Johnson masterstroke (Yes I know!) switching him to a striker was rewarded by 29 league goals. The photo in front of the away end at Twerton Park with the flare is class!

REID STATS – TUFC: 2015-20, APPEARANCES 176, GOALS 63

STRIKER – RENE HOWE

Still proving to be a right handful to this day playing this season at Kings Langley and in my personal view everyone needs a strong physical front man who loves a battle with opposition centre backs. Not just a physical presence however, skilful with the ball and had an eye for goal to match.

HOWE STATS – TUFC: 2011-13, APPEARANCES 89, GOALS 30

SUBSTITUTES

Shaun MacDonald – TUFC: 2018-22, Appearances 114, Goals 0

Mark Ellis – TUFC: 2007-12 & 2023, Appearances 153, Goals 14

Nicky Wroe – TUFC: 2008-11, Appearances 130, Goals 23

Asa Hall – TUFC: 2018-PRESENT, Appearances 192, Goals 45

Chris Zebroski – TUFC: 2007-08 & 2009-11, Appearances 141, Goals 40

PLAYER MANAGER – KEVIN NICHOLSON

Nicho can do a job for me as Player-Manager, done a fantastic job with two great escapes under limited resources therefore, he gets my vote. Worth mentioning Lingy and Buckle for their work when we were involved in the dizzy heights of the EFL but Nicho gets my vote as it seems very “Current” to what we are currently experiencing right now!