GULLACTICO
Tony McHale
Tony looks back at one of TUFC greatest players
DON MILLS
My first big match at Plainmoor aged 11 was an F A Cup 4th Round Tie against Huddersfield Town on 29th January 1955 before a record crowd of 21,908 which we lost by the only goal. I still remember to this day being packed like a sardine in a tin at the Babbacombe End and being so excited by the occasion.
Don Mills was our best player at the time and he had scored one of the goals on the 12th January when we beat Leeds United 4-0 in a 3rd Round Replay at Plainmoor before a mid-week crowd of 12,000 having fought out a 2-2 draw at Elland Road the previous Saturday in front of 28,150 fans. Jack T Smith scored both United goals. I believe Leeds played the great John Charles in that game but we came away with a draw in one of our most famous FA Cup games. Winning the replay for a place in the 4th Round must be our finest result in the FA Cup bar none.
Don, who was born in South Yorkshire in 1928, was an inside forward wearing the number 10 shirt when Football was played with a formation of 2-3- 5 with 2 Full Backs, 3 in the middle, Right half, Centre half and Left half and 5 Forwards namely 2 Wingers 2 Inside forwards and a Centre Forward.
Don Mills joined Torquay United on 19th December 1952 having played for Queens Park Rangers, Cardiff City and Leeds United. By the time he retired in 1962 he had racked up 367 games and scored 84 goals for United. This included 34 games and 13 goals when on loan to United from QPR in season 1949-1950.
Don was a very classy player to be in a Division 3 South Team and it showed. He stood out so much so that when the Herald Express ran a poll in 1998 entitled “Local Hero” Don Mills was voted the Torquay United’s greatest ever player.
Don Mills was recognised as the most talented player outside the top 2 Divisions when he was selected to represent Division 3 South against Division 3 North in 1955. Unusually for the time the match was on TV not that my family had a telly at that time!
In that era the Manager was Eric Webber who went on to manage Torquay United for 14 years from October 1951 to March 1965. He managed 680 games with a win per centage of 40%.
In season 1956/57 United travelled to London to play Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the final game of the season knowing victory would see them promoted to Division 2 now called the Championship. The game ended 1-1 and United lost out to Ipswich Town managed by Alf Ramsey on goal difference. A bitter disappointment for Don Mills and all the players and fans.
In that season when we finished 2nd to Ipswich Town, Bournemouth were 5th, Brighton & Hove Albion 6th, Brentford 8th and Crystal Palace 20th. All are now in the Premier League!
When Don retired from playing he continued with United as a coach and a scout until 1970. In addition to being a great player he was a real gentleman and much respected. He died in 1994.
*Next up in this Series of Players from the Past for me is Sammy Collins, our all time highest goal scorer with 219 goals between 1948 and 1958.
COYY – Tony
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Yes, Don Mills was something special and I had the privilege of watching him many time as a youngster.
After he retired from football I remember seeing him in Union Street in his traffic warden uniform (who remembers those odd parking rules when the parking signs had little fold down flaps showing that you could park on one side of the road for half of the week – excluding Sundays – and the other side for the rest)
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My first sight of Torquay United came in the afore mentioned Cupmatch against Leeds in 1955 aged 7.
Sadly my memory of that match didn’t highlight a particular player or any of the four goals we scored!
I as a small boy was overwhelmed by the floodlights,not on pylons in those days but on posts especially individually placed at intervals on the main Grandstand Roof and the amazing light they generated to illuminate the game on,I believe ,either a Tuesday or Wednesday evening!
To this day I feel ashamed that I retained no recollection of the goals or knowledge of the players on that evening!
Thankfully since that time I have improved and can remember being fascinated and proud of my first hand recollection of players such as Tommy Northcott, Robin Stubbs,Colin Bettany,Alan Smith,Geoff Cox, Ernie Pym and RegJenlins……I could go on for ever 🤗😂
Tony Counter
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Tony I believe the FA Cup Replay with Leeds United on 12 Jan 1955 was on a Wednesday with a 3pm KO.
Floodlights were needed as in mid January it was dark by 5pm.
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Reg Jenkins and John Smith, apologies for spelling🙄
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Apologies of mis spelling Reg Jenkins
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A great read uncle Tony I only saw Don Mills playing for the reserves towards the end of his career but still displaying his skills. My first season at Plainmoor was when the fourth division was formed 1959/60.
Those days our midweek games were played Tuesday afternoons which meant bunking of school. Later when the new floodlights were installed Wednesday was the night for mid week matches.This meant when the school had its prize giving ceremony at the Town Hall on Wednesday nights it meant signing in on the attendance record and then sneaking out and then rushing up to the ground to make kick off !
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Tony I believe the F A Cup Replay with Leeds United on 12 January 1955 was played on a Wednesday KO 3pm.
Floodlights were needed because being early January it was dark before 5pm.
I was at school!!
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