Friday 27 May 2011

GULLS AIM TO FINISH JOB

At the start of the season, Torquay United were written off by many observers and few expected them to mount a serious challenge for promotion.

However, the Gulls now stand on the brink of clinching a place in League One for the 2011-12 campaign if they beat Stevenage in the League Two Play-Off final at Old Trafford.

To be in a position where they are now is an incredible story as four years ago, the club was relegated from the league for the first time in their history and only had four players under contract and things looked bleak at Plainmoor.

Since then, Torquay made a swift return to the league after winning promotion from the Conference and now manager Paul Buckle has assembled a young,vibrant squad who will be hoping to clinch what will be their second promotion in the space of four years.

The fact that they have come so far so quickly is testament to the character of the side, many of whom have experienced the pitfalls of the game and overcome adversity.

For example, goalkeeper Scott Bevan overcame a serious kidney injury when playing for Tamworth against Forest Green Rovers in 2006 and was forced to have a kidney removed.

Central defender and current player of the year Guy Branston joined from Burton Albion in the close season after a successful loan stint during the 2009-10 season. Whilst with the Brewers, he had seen his career tally of red cards rise to 18, but he hasn't been dismissed during his time at Plainmoor and was nominated in the PFA League Two Team of the Season.

Northern Irish midfielder Eunan O'Kane arrived at Torquay in January 2009 after he looked to be heading towards obscurity after he was released by Everton and then returned home to sign for Coleraine. He is now a regular in the Gulls' midfield after being handed a second chance in the game by Buckle.

Leading scorer Chris Zebroski was dismissed by the Gulls' devon neighbours Plymouth Argyle earlier in his career for an attack on the then Pilgrims' skipper Paul Wotton.

Earlier this season, he was convicted for assaulting a soldier, which saw him sentenced to 150 hours community service and pay £300 to the soldier.

Nevertheless, Zebroski has scored eight goals in 21 appearances since early February, making him the Gulls' leading scorer overall with 15 strikes in all competitions.

All four players could all have key roles in the outcome of tomorrow's game.