TT BLOG
Steve Harris – @steveharris84
World Cup Gulls
With the 2026 World Cup now underway in the USA, Canada and Mexico, I will now look at the former Torquay United players, managers and other staff who have been involved in the tournament over the years.
One former Gull who played a part in one of the host nation’s previous World Cup campaigns was former manager Lubos Kubik, who worked as assistant manager of the USA national side in the 2010 tournament in South Africa. Kubik also featured at a World Cup as a player when he represented Czechoslovakia in Italia 90. His efforts helped them to reach the quarter finals and he was on target in their 4-1 second round victory over Costa Rica.
Another former Torquay United manager who played for his country in a World Cup is Bruce Rioch. Ex-Aston Villa, Derby and Everton midfielder Rioch captained Scotland during the 1978 tournament in Argentina under Ally MacLeod. He started Scotland’s opening fixture against Peru, which the Scots lost 3-1. Rioch then missed their draw with Iran before he was recalled for Scotland’s final group game, which saw them pull off a surprise 3-2 win over eventual finalists Holland.
Rioch would later join the Gulls, initially as a player, in 1980-81, before becoming player-coach in 1981-82 and managed the club between 1982 and 1984 at the start of a career which saw him manage Middlesbrough, Millwall, Bolton Wanderers and Arsenal amongst others.
Alan McLoughlin enjoyed two spells on loan with the Gulls in the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons from Swindon Town before going on to make two sub appearances for the Republic of Ireland in Italia 90 against England and Egypt. He also scored the goal that secured their passage to USA 94 in a 1-1 draw versus Northern Ireland at Windsor Park in 1993.
Paul Hall and Matt Elliott both featured in Torquay’s 1990-91 play-off winning side and were also involved in the 1998 World Cup Finals in France. Hall appeared in all three of Jamaica’s matches in the competition against Croatia, Argentina and Japan. His performances for the Reggae Boyz helped to earn him a move to the Premier League with Coventry City.
Meanwhile Elliott, who was plying his trade under Martin O’Neill at Leicester City at the time, was a non-playing member of Scotland’s squad, which was their last appearance at the World Cup finals prior to the current tournament.
Full back Len Graham found his way to Plainmoor after being a non-playing member of Northern Ireland’s squad for the 1958 tournament in Sweden. Graham made just 20 appearances for the Gulls before returning home to the province to manage Ards.
Former Gulls physio Norman Medhurst served as physiotherapist to the England side in the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cups. Medhurst was first persuaded to take on the role at Plainmoor by the late Cyril Knowles in 1988 and, after discussions with the then England boss Bobby Robson, made the move to South Devon. He left Plainmoor for a brief spell with Plymouth Argyle in 1995 before returning to the Gulls fold in 1998 where he remained until his retirement during the 2004-05 season.
Amongst the players that Medhurst worked alongside in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups was Chris Waddle, who had a short spell with the Gulls in the 1998-99 season. Waddle made four appearances for England in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, but was an ever-present at Italia 90.
Not to be overlooked, former Plainmoor apprentice Paul Balsom worked as assistant coach to the Swedish national side during the 2002 and 2006 competitions – at a time when Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson was managing the England national side.
Former Plymouth Argyle striker Rory Fallon had a brief spell with the Gulls in the 2017-18 campaign after featuring for New Zealand at the 2010 World Cup. Fallon was ever-present for the All Whites, as they drew all three of the group matches against Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay. He also scored the decisive goal in the All Whites’ play-off win against Bahrain, which sealed their place in the finals for the first time since 1982.
After featuring for Wales in the delayed Euro 2020, Torquay-born Kieffer Moore appeared in all three games for the principality in the 2022 finals in Qatar – which was their first appearance in a World Cup finals stage since 1958. Six years earlier, he had enjoyed a hugely successful loan spell at Plainmoor, which saw him score five goals in four appearances.
COYY – Steve
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Paul Balsom captained our youth team whilst a student at TBGS but was never an apprentice. His uncle played for United in the 60s.
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