TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE

 1. Local boys done good. 

There was a decidedly local flavour to the Gulls' display against Havant & Waterlooville as a number of local boys made a big impact in the game. 

Austen Booth opened his account for his hometown club on 27 minutes with a stunning half volley, whilst Torquay-born Plymouth Argyle loanee Will Jenkins-Davies took his tally for the season to eight with a first half brace. 

Then in the second half, first year pro Callum Thomas made a steady cameo appearance after replacing Dean Moxey and sub Jacob Wellington, who has been a stand out player in United's Under-18 side, had a hand in Arkell Jude-Boyd's fifth (more on that below) and also went close himself with a shot that went wide. 

2. Arkell Jude-Boyd takes his tally to six. 

Since he joined the Gulls on loan from Queens Park Rangers, Arkell Jude-Boyd has shown that he has all the attributes of a modern day full-back, in terms of athleticism and his ability on the ball who is very similar in style to Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Jude-Boyd has also chipped in with a number of goals and he took his tally to six with seven minutes to go, as he found the target after Jacob Wellington had seen his effort blocked. 

He is the latest in a series of loan signings who have appeared for United in recent seasons, a list that includes Sinclair Armstrong, Stephen Duke-McKenna and Dillon De Silva, and he also won the club's young player of the season award. 

3. Dean Moxey wins player of the year. 

Veteran Dean Moxey capped a campaign where he has proved to be one of United's more consistent performers by being voted as the club's player of the season award. 

Moxey, who turned 38 in January, has rolled back the years on numerous occasions this season and his reading of the game befits a player who has played at the highest level (he appeared for Crystal Palace in the Premier League earlier in his career). 

The question is 'will we be seeing him at Plainmoor next season?' 

4. Aaron Downes. 

After stepping in as interim manager following the departure of Gary Johnson following the announcement that the Gulls would be filing for Administration, Aaron Downes has done an admirable job in helping United avoid relegation from National League South. 

Not only did Downes have to deal with the ten point deduction which came with Administration, he also had to contend with seeing the Gulls deducted an additional point for fielding an ineligible player. 

However, with a record of played 13, won five, drawn 3 and lost 5, Downes led United to safety with a win over Taunton Town in their penultimate league fixture. Now the question is: 'what part, if any, will the Aussie be playing for the Gulls going forward?'

5. A first double of the campaign. 

United's win over Havant and Waterlooville ensured that they completed the double over one of their National League South opponents for the first time this season, having beaten the Hawks 2-0 at Westleigh Park last November. 

It is the first time that the Gulls have completed the double over one of their divisional opponents on the final day of a campaign since they beat Barnet 3-2 on the final day of the 2000-01 campaign. 

6. The fans. 

In the past there has been suggestions that Torquay United fans lack passion, but to that I say those who accuse others of lacking passion are those without passion themselves. 

With a crowd of 3,379 to witness what was a 'dead rubber' - as the Gulls had retained their National League South status against Taunton in midweek - and an average attendance of 2,404 in a season where they haven't been able to consistently maintain a promotion challenge, the fans have proved they undoubtably care about their football club. 

BBC Radio Devon commentator Paul Mulhern probably summed up the club best live on air when he said: 'It's where strangers become acquaintances and acquaintances become friends and in some cases friends become family, and the fact that they've been kept at arm's length for the last few years needs to change and needs to change quickly.'

WHITTAKER CAPS MEMORABLE SEASON WITH TEAM OF THE YEAR INCLUSION

 The stand out figure in Plymouth Argyle's return to the Championship for the first time in 13 years has arguably been attacker Morgan Whittaker, who capped a memorable campaign by being named in the PFA Championship team of the season. 

Whittaker, who joined the Pilgrims for a club record fee of £1million from Swansea City in the summer of 2023, has scored 19 goals and chipped in with eight assists. 

Argyle won promotion after winning the League One title with a record 101 points in the 2022-23 season, and have experienced a season of transition after manager Steven Schumacher left for Stoke City before his successor Ian Foster was dismissed. 

Director of Football Neil Dewsnip is currently overseeing first team affairs alongside first team coach Kevin Nancekivell, with a permanent managerial appointment set to be made in the close season. 

 

 

COOPER CAN LEAVE GLOVERS LEGACY AFTER NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH TITLE WIN

 After over a decade of decline the future is looking brighter for Yeovil Town as they clinched their first promotion since the 2012-13 season, and their first league title since the 2004-05 campaign, by winning the National League South title.

For manager Mark Cooper it was also a personal milestone as he became the first manager to win National League South and National League North; he won the North with Kettering Town in the 2007-08 season and, of course, he led Forest Green Rovers to promotion into the Football League in 2016-17. 

However, aside from his time at Forest Green, Cooper has never created the kind of legacy that his father, the former Leeds United and England full-back Terry, left in his managerial career. 

Cooper senior played a key role in reviving Bristol City, leading the Robins to promotion from the 'old' Fourth Division before winning the Freight Rover Trophy in the 1985-86 campaign as they recovered from the financial turmoil which famously saw the 'Ashton Gate eight' tear up their contracts to save the club earlier in the decade. Then as Exeter City manager, he led them to their only league title to date when they won the 'old' Fourth Division title in the 1989-90 season - an achievement which sees him ranked as one of the Grecians' greatest ever managers.

If Cooper junior could build on winning National League South with the Glovers and lead the club back into the Football League, he would surely rank alongside Gary Johnson as one of the club's greatest ever managers. 

With the likes of Stockport County, Wrexham, Notts County and Chesterfield having won promotion from the National League in recent years, it looks set to be a more level playing field which could be to the Glovers' advantage in the 2024-25 campaign.

PREFERRED BIDDER IDENTIFIED FOR GULLS

 Torquay United's Administrators Begbies Traynor have announced that they have identified a preferred bidder to take over the National League South side.

After receiving a ten-point deduction following former owner Clarke Osborne's intention to place the club in Administration, the Gulls officially entered Administration last Thursday with Begbies Traynor appointed to the role. 

A statement on the club's website said: "“Out of the firm bids received by TUFC, one party has now been identified as the preferred bidder.

“Although the preferred bidder will remain confidential at this stage, this news is the latest and, perhaps, most significant yet towards securing the Club’s long-term future."

It also said that further updates will be made available in due course, although the club's Supporters Trust and a group of local businessmen have declared an interest in taking over the club.

FOUR CUP FINALS AWAIT THE GULLS

 For a club that has spent much of its 125 year history battling some form of adversity, Torquay United currently find themselves in new territory even for them. 

For the first time ever the Gulls are in Administration and the subsequent ten-point deduction has left them staring a second successive relegation in the face, which would see them relegated to Southern League Premier South. 

As a result, United are now facing 'four cup finals' between now and the end of the season which starts with a trip to Gloucester City's TigerTurf Stadium where they are due to face Paul Wotton's Truro City. 

Next up is another all Westcountry affair as they travel to Twerton Park to meet Bath City, who they beat 1-0 last November at Plainmoor thanks to a long range strike from Shaun Donnellan. 

The week after sees the Gulls on the road again to Gloucester City where Taunton Town lie in wait for a fixture that has been postponed several times and had been originally due to take place on November 21, 2023. It will also be a 'six-pointer' in the truest sense of the word, as the Peacocks are one of the clubs directly below United.

Then finally, the Gulls are home to Havant & Waterlooville, who could well have been relegated by the time they make the journey to Plainmoor, as they currently have 36 points but only have three games left to play. 

One slight plus for United is that they have a superior goal difference to the teams around them, so the teams around them need to overhaul their points total in order to over take them. 

In addition to this, hopefully there should be some positive news regarding the sale of the club, with a bid involving the club's Supporters Trust and local businessman and life-long fan Michael Westcott having been submitted.

REID ON TARGET ON NORTHERN IRELAND DEBUT

 Former Exeter City and Torquay United striker Jamie Reid became the latest South Devon born striker to score in international football, as he found the back of the net for Northern Ireland in their 1-1 draw with Romania. 

Reid, who hails from Torquay, joined Paignton's Kieffer Moore who has represented Wales and Newton Abbot's Ollie Watkins who, of course, has broken into the England squad. 

He only had to wait seven minutes until opening his account for Michael O'Neill's side after Liverpool's Conor Bradley broke down the right and then fed Southampton midfielder Shea Charles who squared the ball to Reid, who calmly slotted home. 

At the age of 29, Reid, currently with Stevenage in League One, also becomes the second oldest player to score on his debut for the province.

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH

 1. Asa Hall and Dean Moxey were immense at the back. 

For all of this season, Torquay United have been crying out for a wise old head at the back, but against Hampton and Richmond with Asa Hall and Dean Moxey, who have a combined age of 75, in the centre of defence, the Gulls kept their sixth clean sheet of the season in the league - and only their second in the current calendar year. 

Not only did skipper Hall convert United's 28th minute penalty, he also showed great leadership qualities throughout. In addition to this, he was a commanding aerial presence - winning numerous headers - allied with good positional sense. 

Meanwhile, Moxey once again proved himself to be excellent at reading the game and made a crucial goal line clearance to deny Hampton wide man Ruaridh Donaldson on 57 minutes. 

2. Brad Ash lead the line well. 

In the absence of Aaron Jarvis and Duane Ofori-Acheampong, it was left to Brad Ash to lead United's forward line as a lone striker. It's a role that requires a certain type of forward to play as the player in question has to play with their back to goal and rely on support from their attacking midfielders to make it work. 

However, Ash excelled in that position and went close to scoring on a number of occasions and it was a foul on him that won the penalty, which was converted by Asa Hall, that proved to be decisive.

3. Devon Day boosts attendance. 

With Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City not in action due to the international break, a number of fans of the Pilgrims and the Grecians headed to Plainmoor to offer their support to the Gulls in the light of the news of Clarke Osborne's intention to place the club in Administration.  

Their presence boosted the attendance, which stood at 3,029 - a figure that also included 66 Hampton and Richmond fans - which was the highest crowd of the day in the National League South. 

Also present was former United caretaker boss Neil Warnock, who would no doubt have been impressed by the resilience on display. 

4. Other results go in the Gulls' favour. 

The importance of United's win was further underlined by the fact all of the teams below them in the National League South table failed to win. Truro City, Taunton Town, Havant & Waterlooville and Dover Athletic all lost while Dartford and Eastbourne Borough both drew. 

This sequence of results leaves the Gulls five points clear of the drop zone.