TT BLOG

Clive Hayward – @Byehorse

Clive says cheerio the former directors

GOODBYES

So, they’ve gone.

I’d like to give Clarke Osborne, George Edwards, and Mel Hayman my warmest wishes as they officially leave us on this most glorious of Good Fridays. But as anybody who has followed Torquay United in the last few years would tell you: that isn’t going to happen. In the club’s statement today – https://torquayunited.com/administrators-hand-over-control-of-torquay-united-to-bryn-consortium/ – Scott Kippax signed off by saying: “Special mention must also go to the outgoing directors, whose commitment in supporting us to achieve this outcome cannot be underestimated”.

Fair enough. Mr Kippax should know and I can’t argue with him, although it does feel a tiny bit like thanking an arsonist for ringing the fire brigade.

With a new board, new manager and new hope in the air at Plainmoor it is time to look forward. The club appears to be in safer and undoubtedly more caring hands and whilst we know that success is never guaranteed this does feel like the start of an exciting new chapter. Neil Warnock is reinventing himself as a jovial elder statesman. Think David “Bumble” Lloyd in flip-flops and a “kiss me quick” hat. But he’s been there, done it and got the t-shirt. A real asset for the club.

Even in the darkest days of last winter, pre-Administration and with the likes of Slough, St Albans and Truro embarrassing us on a weekly basis there were a few supporters who would mumble dire warnings of: “You won’t get any better than Johnson” and “If Osborne walks away that’ll be the finish.” I’ve never had an optimistic personality but I knew in my bones that was nonsense, and it’s lovely to have had the depression lifted.

So what does the future hold for the Three Amigos?

I doubt that Mel Hayman will become involved at another club. Whatever her shortcomings and however catastrophic her judgement has been in clinging to her directorship, she is clearly a fan whose family has had strong ties here and if she wants to keep watching the club I hope she will feel comfortable doing that.

Will George Edwards bring his executive skills to bear elsewhere? I expect so. He’s too young to retire and his unique talents in public relations will doubtless see him employed again somewhere else, perhaps working for a company nobody has ever heard of with a keen eye for property development or entertainment. He may struggle to get a reference from people he has had dealings with during his Plainmoor tenure- this article explains why- We Need To Talk About George Edwards by Clive Hayward – but I expect Uncle Clarke will vouch for him. Maybe one day he will pop up on Desert Island Discs and Lauren Laverne can find out what was playing through those earbuds.

As for Clarke Osborne himself, a comfortable retirement nowhere near professional sport might suit everybody. Not that anyone at the FA or the National League will care, but if he’s a fit & proper person to run a football club I am the Archbishop of Montevideo.