SEASON PREVIEW 2026-27: TORQUAY UNITED

In Jimmy Ball's first full season as manager, Torquay United will be aiming to go one better and finally win promotion back to the National League after two seasons of missing out in the play-offs. 

Over the summer, he has brought in ten new faces as he bids to freshen up the United squad that he inherited from Paul Wotton towards the end of the 2025-26 campaign. Importantly, Ball has also managed to retain the services of Deon Moore who found the back eight times towards the end of last season. 

One aspect which Ball has addressed is the shortage of pace within the squad, which is reflected by the additions of striker Isaac Westendorf, right winger Sean Robertson, right back Dom Bernard and left back Tyler Hill. 

Another area where Ball has strengthened the United squad is the forward line, as in addition to re-signing Moore and signing Westendorf, Ball has brought local boy Callum Morton back to the club over a decade after he left to join Yeovil Town's academy. Morton has since enjoyed a decent career in the lower leagues with the likes of Fleetwood Town, Salford City and Bristol Rovers, which has been punctuated by injuries. However, he will be looking to find the back of the net on a regular basis and help fire United back into the National League. 

The Gulls' former Yeovil Town quartet of Matt Worthington, Jordan Young, Dylan Morgan and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, who all won the National League South title with the Glovers in the 2023-24 campaign, has increased five with the signing of centre back Jake Wannell. 

Ball has also brought in two new goalkeepers following the release of James Hamon and Seb Stacey's return to his parent club, MK Dons, with the signings of Zak Baker and Toby Savin from Plymouth Argyle and Shrewsbury Town respectively. 

After missing out on the title on goal difference in 2024-25 and losing in the promotion final last term, Ball's signings 

In: Zak Baker & Harry Shield (Plymouth Argyle), Callum Morton (Worthing), Isaac Westendorf (Oxford City), Tyler Hill (Spennymoor United), Sean Robertson (Cliftonville), Kian Jenkins (Briton Ferry), Dom Bernard (Weston Super Mare), Toby Savin (Wigan Athletic), Jake Wannell (Yeovil Town) 

Out: Callum Dolan (Kidderminster Harriers), Jay Foulston (Merthyr Town), Ed Palmer (Tiverton Town), Matt Carson (Portadown), Matt Wonnacott (Exmouth Town), Sonny Fish (Dover Athletic), James Hamon

Player to Watch: Callum Morton

After over a decade after he left the club to join Yeovil Town's academy when the club disbanded its youth set-up in 2015, striker Callum Morton will finally get the chance to play for his hometown club that he grew up supporting. 

Morton has recent experience of scoring in League Two for Bristol Rovers last season before he was released by Steve Evans before joining eventual National League South champions Worthing for a short spell. He arrives at Plainmoor with a point to prove, and if he stays fit he will surely be amongst the goals. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS CARDIFF CITY UNDER 21S

 1. Deon Moore at the double. 

Aside from the host of new signings made by United manager Jimmy Ball over the summer, the retention of the signature of striker Deon Moore on a new deal was the one piece of recruitment that the United faithful wanted to get over the line. 

He showed glimpses of the form that he showed as he netted a brace in the Gulls' 5-0 win over Cardiff City Under-21s. First of all, he tapped home in the eighth minute after Sonny Blu Lo-Everton had seen his initial shot parried by young Bluebirds keeper Jake Dennis. Then, on 22 minutes, he found the target after strike partner Callum Morton cushioned a ball into the box from Tyler Hill, after the Bluebirds had failed to clear a Jordan Young corner, into his path and he duly slotted home. 

If Moore can replicate his form towards the end of last season, which saw him find the back of the net eight times, he could become the first United player to net 20 goals a season or more since Jamie Reid in the 2019-20 season. 

2. Matt Worthington shows the fans the 'real' Matt Worthington. 

After his arrival as manager last March, Jimmy Ball declared that he wanted to see a different Matt Worthington to the one that they had previously seen. Worthington was a figure who was well known to Ball, who signed him as a schoolboy with Portsmouth at the age of 13, and the Plainmoor faithful are now starting to see the version of Worthington that Ball believes that he is capable of being. 

Worthington opened the scoring for the Gulls and he nicked the ball off the Cardiff backline before drilling a low strike into the bottom corner in the seventh minute. Through out the game, he was always on the move up and the down the pitch, instead of being pigeon-holed in one position as he produced a display that was akin to a 'non-league Bryan Robson.'

3. Competition for places. 

With 23 players available to him for selection, as well as trialist A, Jimmy Ball was able to field virtually two different XIs against Cardiff City Under-21s in each half. Only Matt Worthington and Sam Dreyer featured for the entire 90 minutes, as Ball looked to experiment with different formations. 

For example, in the second half, he went with a front three of Jordan Young on the right, Deon Moore in the centre and Dylan Morgan on the left, after starting Moore up front alongside Callum Morton in the first half. 

The left-back spot has the potential to be hotly contested between Tyler Hill and Kian Jenkins, who both played one half each. 

Friday's final friendly promises to be an interesting one. 

4. Cody's back. 

Saturday's friendly also saw the return from injury of Cody Cooke as he came on as a sub in the 76th minute for Deon Moore in what was his first appearance since he sustained a dislocated shoulder in Paul Wotton's final game in charge against Chelmsford City last February. 

It was the first time that Jimmy Ball would have seen Cooke in action, and his experience will be of huge benefit to forward line that currently includes Callum Morton, Isaac Westendorf and Deon Moore as well as Sonny Fish. 

ALAN BALL: THE EXETER CITY DIARIES

 The youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning side, Alan Ball's managerial career was at a crossroads when he was appointed as Exeter City manager early in the 1991-92 season. 

After a successful playing career with Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal and Southampton and England, Ball's time as a manager had seen a number of ups and downs. He had led Portsmouth back to the top-flight in the 1986-87 campaign. However, Pompey were relegated during the 1987-88 season and he was dismissed in January 1989. Ball then had a spell as an assistant manager to Jock Wallace at Colchester United and to Mick Mills at Stoke City, where he replaced the latter after his departure - but was later sacked himself in February 1991. 

Ball arrived at St James Park as the successor to his former England teammate Terry Cooper, who like Ball was part of Sir Alf Ramsey's England squad for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Cooper had previously led the Grecians to the Fourth Division title in the 1989-90 season before successfully keeping them in the third tier in 1990-91, making him a tough act to follow. 

At this time, City chairman Ivor Doble was also suspended from football, which saw the return to the role of former chairman Gerald Vallance, and financial issues at the club were starting to mount. 

However, after losing his first game in charge - a 6-3 defeat to West Bromwich Albion, Ball oversaw a Rumbelows Cup exit against Birmingham City, then managed by Cooper, before he won his first game in a 1-0 Devon derby victory over Torquay United at St James Park. 

As well as bringing through young players through the club's youth policy, Ball also used his contacts to good effect, as he made Steve Moran, a former teammate of his at Southampton and an ex-England Under-21 international, one of his first signings. Moran would finish 1991-92 as the Grecians' top scorer with 20 goals as Ball guided the club to safety. 

In the 1992-93 season, Ball once again kept the Grecians in the newly rebranded Division Two, following the creation of the Premier League, and he guided the club to a memorable league double over arch rivals Plymouth Argyle, who were managed by another of Ball's former international colleagues in the form of Peter Shilton. He also led them to the Southern Area final of the Autoglass Trophy, where they were beaten by Port Vale. 

Whilst with the Grecians, Ball was also part of Graham Taylor's England backroom staff at the 1992 European Championship in Sweden. 

In January 1994, Ball eventually left St James Park to manage Southampton, who he successfully kept in the Premier League by getting the best out of the club's talisman Matt Le Tissier, who scored six goals in his first four games in charge. 

After guiding the Saints to a tenth place finish in the Premier League in 1994-95, Ball was tempted away to Manchester City by his former England teammate Francis Lee, who had just completed a takeover of the club. Sadly, his time at Maine Road proved to be unsuccessful as the club were relegated from the Premier League in the 1995-96 campaign, and he resigned early in the 1996-97 season. 

Whilst in charge of Manchester City, Ball returned to St James Park to pay £500,000 to the Grecians for Martin 'Buster' Phillips - a young player who he had handed his professional debut to, and predicted that he would become the country's first '£10 million player.' 

Ball would return to Portsmouth for a second spell in January 1998, which would last until December 1999, after which he decided to retire from management. 

He also formed part of a family managerial dynasty, as his father Alan senior took charge of Halifax Town, Preston North End and Southport and his son Jimmy had a caretaker spell in charge of Forest Green Rovers in 2021, and is currently managing Torquay United. 

Ball sadly died of a heart attack in April 2007, whilst attempting to put out a bonfire at his home in Hampshire, which made him the first member of England's 1966 team to pass away since Bobby Moore's death from Cancer in 1993. 

ALAN BANKS 1938-2026

 After starting his career with Liverpool, where he played under the great Bill Shankly, Alan Banks later become synonymous with football in the South West following spells with Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle. 

He marked his debut for the Anfield club with a goal on his debut in a 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion, but he would drop into non-league football with Cambridge City. 

Banks scored 129 goals in the Varsity which alerted the Grecians to his potential, as he joined them in November 1963 and he netted 18 goals in the 1963-64 campaign and helped City to win their first ever promotion from the Fourth Division. 

In 1966, he moved to Home Park after the Grecians were relegated from the Third Division, but only remained with the Pilgrims for just over a year before returning to St James Park. 

Over the next six years, Banks topped the Grecians' goal scoring charts three times and became the club's record goal scorer - which he held until it was beaten by Tony Kellow. In addition to this, he scored in their FA Cup third round tie with Manchester United in 1968 at St James Park, which the Grecians lost 3-1.

Spells with Poole Town and Tiverton Town followed before he retired from playing. 

He later owned a Sports Shop in Exeter and also returned to St James Park as a matchday host. 

BALL'S SIGNINGS SHOW UNITED'S NEED FOR SPEED

 Pace has long been considered one of the most important assets in modern football, whether it be in attacking transitions, in defensive pressing, in one versus one situations or when manipulating space. 

It was an asset that Torquay United utilised fully in their National League South title winning campaign in 2018-19 under Gary Johnson. 

The Gulls' side was packed with pacey individuals, including full-backs Ben Wynter and Liam Davis, French winger Kalvin Kalala and the strike pairing of Jamie Reid and Saikou Janneh, who scored 51 goals between them.

Then you also had wide man Opi Edwards in reserve, and that's not to say anything of centre midfielder Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and centre back Kyle Cameron, who both possessed the ability to accelerate quickly when required to. 

And it's an approach that current United boss Jimmy Ball has looked to adopt with his recruitment ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. To date, Ball has signed Callum Morton and Isaac Westendorf to play up front and former Forest Green winger Shaun Robertson. While Morton may not be a lightning fast as Westendorf or Robertson, he does possess the ability to run in behind and stretch defences, as evidenced by the goal he scored for Bristol Rovers against Crewe Alexandra which can be found on YouTube. 

This was something that the Gulls used to good effect last season following the signing of Deon Moore, a player who may yet still sign a new deal with the club, who demonstrated the ability to run in behind and stretch opposition defences on numerous occasions towards the end of the 2025-26 campaign. 

As well as offering United the opportunity to stretch opposition defences, quick players also offer the option of being able to speed the game back up again if your opponents try to slow the game down. 

In addition of his attacking plans, Ball hasn't limited himself searching for pace in his defensive players, as shown by the acquisition of left-back Tyler Hill from Spennymoor United. 

One thing that will be guaranteed at Plainmoor will be that the Gulls are likely to have speediest team that they have had for a good few years. 

ENGLAND VETERANS WIN NINTH TITLE WITH SOUTH WEST INFLUENCE

 England Veterans secured a record ninth Seniors World Cup in Thailand against their French counterparts with significant contributions from several players who have previously plied their trade in the South West. 

The senior Three Lions triumphed 4-0 in the final with former Plymouth Argyle and Truro City striker Barry Hayles netting the opening goal, with ex Exeter City striker Jamie Cureton and one time Pilgrims central midfielder Karl Duguid also finding the target. 

Hayles and Duguid were part of a quartet of former Argyle players in the squad which included goalkeeper Luke McCormick and midfielder David Norris. They were joined in the squad by former Torquay United, Exeter City and Yeovil Town central midfielder Alex Russell, who was appearing in his sixth tournament at the age of 53, and came off the bench in the final.

They ended the tournament with a 100% record as they beat host Thailand 2-0 in the opening game before defeating Taiwan 4-1 and ended the group with a 3-0 victory over USA. A thumping 5-2 triumph over Australia in the semi-finals followed which set up their meeting with France in the final. 

This year, they were joined in the squad by former Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton and England midfielder Gareth Barry, who appeared for England in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and ex Aston Villa winger Lee Hendrie, who was also capped by England. 

FORMER SOUTH WEST STARS SET TO SHINE FOR ENGLAND VETERANS

This summer all eyes will be on the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer for the 23rd FIFA World Cup, a number of Football League favourites will be playing out their own version of the game's greatest show in Thailand for England Veterans. 

Whilst Thomas Tuchel's side will be aiming to end 60 years old of hurt across the pond, the Senior Three Lions will be looking to secure their ninth Seniors World Cup. 

Amongst their number will be former Torquay United, Exeter City and Yeovil Town midfielder Alex Russell, who will be looking to lift the prize for the fifth time. Russell spent four years at Plainmoor between 2001 and 2005, during which time he won the club's player of the season award in 2002-03, automatic promotion under Leroy Rosenior in 2003-04 and was named in the PFA Division Three team of the season twice. 

In addition to Russell, there will also be a quartet of ex-Plymouth Argyle players in the form of goalkeeper Luke McCormick, midfielders Karl Duguid and David Norris and striker Barry Hayles. McCormick and Norris were both part of the Pilgrims Division Two title winning side in 2003-04 under Paul Sturrock, and then Bobby Williamson. 

This year, they will also been joined by a duo who graced the Premier League and received England senior honours in the form of the ex-Aston Villa pair Gareth Barry and Lee Hendrie. 

In order to reach the final, England will need to negotiate a group that includes Iran, Taiwan and the USA before a potential semi-final with hosts Thailand, France, last season's runners-up Australia and New Zealand.