2013-14 SEASON PREVIEW # EXETER CITY

Last season's league finish: 10th in League Two

Promotion Odds: 40-1

Following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson and the appointment of David Moyes as his successor at Old Trafford, Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale starts the 2013-14 season second only to Arsene Wenger in terms of managerial longevity.

He will also be facing one of his biggest challenges during his seven-year stint in charge of the Grecians.

Economic realities, which have been affecting Exeter as well as many other football clubs up-and-down the country in these current times, have meant that Tisdale was limited to making only one summer signing.

With his choices limited, Tisdale opted for former Swindon Town striker Sam Parkin who arrives on a free transfer from Scottish Premier League side St Mirren.

It is hoped that his wealth of experience will help to compensate for the loss of last season's leading scorer Jamie Cureton- who found the back of the net 21 times- to Cheltenham Town.

If Parkin, or any of his fellow strikers John O'Flynn, Jamie Reid or Elliot Chamberlain, can fill the void left by the departure of Cureton, then there is every possibility that the Grecians could emulate last season's top half finish.

They will also need luck with injuries as they will also be operating with a smaller and more youthful squad as, whilst Parkin and Doug Bergvist were their only arrivals, seven players left St James' Park in the summer.

However, the majority of their defensive from last season are still at the club and the return to fitness of midfielder Liam Sercombe.

Any future success the Grecians may enjoy could also depend on their ability to perform in big games against their local rivals as they failed to beat either Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle or Torquay United last season.

Nevertheless, they will presented with the opportunity to put that record right when they play the Pirates on the opening day of the season. 

In: Doug Bergvist (Aldershot Town), Sam Parkin (St Mirren)

Out: Jamie Cureton (Cheltenham Town), Elliot Frear (Salisbury City), Steve Tully, Mark Molesley, Kevin Amankwaah (Northampton Town), Rhys Evans, Guilleum Bauza, Doug Bergvist (Welling United) Loan

 

2013-14 SEASON PREVIEW # TORQUAY UNITED

Last season's league finish: 19th (League Two)

Promotion Odds: 50-1

After steering the Gulls away from relegation last season as interim manager, Alan Knill has now taken over the reigns on a permanent basis and will be looking to improve on their 19th place finish.

With popular forward mid 1990's Plainmoor loanee Chris Brass installed as his assistant- the pair worked together at both Bury and Scunthorpe-Knill will be looking to do things his own way, as he aims to repeat the success he enjoyed during his time at Bury-where he led the Shakers to the brink of promotion before taking charge of the Iron towards the end of the 2010-11 season.

However, many of the most Torquay United successful sides have taken time to build.

In 1998, the team that Kevin Hodges guided to the Division Three Play-Off final, which they lost to Colchester United, had evolved out of the side that had finished bottom of the league two years earlier.

The 2003-04 promotion winning side under Leroy Rosenior that had taken three years to build from the team that had beaten the drop on the final day of the 2000-01 campaign by beating Barnet. The work of Rosenior and his predecessor Roy McFarland ensured that the Gulls looked like a completely different outfit three years on.

More recently, the Torquay side that reached the League Two Play-Off final under Paul Buckle, prior to his departure to Bristol Rovers, had taken two years to assemble following the Gulls' return to the Football League in 2009.

Nevertheless, Knill does have a reasonable squad of players currently at his disposal, including two capable goalkeepers in Michael Poke and Martin Rice.

In defence, new signing Dale Tonge looks to set to make the right back slot his own following the departure of Joe Oastler. Recent signing from Notts County Krystian Pearce should compliment last season's Player of the Year Aaron Downes in the centre of defence and soften the blow of the loss of Brian Saah to Dagenham & Redbridge.

At left back, the experienced Kevin Nicholson will be expecting to face increased competition from former Arsenal starlet Thomas Cruise.

Knill will be plenty of options in the centre of midfield where he has new signing Ben Harding, who played for Northampton Town in their League Two Play-Off final defeat against Bradford City last season, and skipper Lee Mansell to choose from as well as Damon Lathrope and Nathan Craig who will both be looking to stake their own claims for a starting berth.

With Knill preferring 4-4-2 to the 4-5-1 system favoured by Martin Ling, wide players will play a key role for the Gulls this season, with summer signings Jordan Chapell, who joined from Sheffield United following a success loan spell at Plainmoor last season, and Courtney Cameron looking to make their mark.

Knill can also call upon home-grown youngster Niall Thompson and Billy Bodin, who has been used as a striker during pre-season.

If Torquay are going to emerge from the pack this season, they will need players who can find the back of the net on a regular basis, which means that strikers Elliot Benyon- who made a permanent return to Plainmoor during the summer after he was released by Southend- Ashley Yeoman and Bodin will need to find the scoring boots.

Knill may need to acquire a tall, powerful forward to can provide something different to what he already has available to him and he may acquire such a player in time for their opening day fixture on Saturday against AFC Wimbledon.

All in all, the Gulls have what it takes to better last season's 19th place finish but they have been written off before in the 1997-98, 2003-04 and 2010-11 campaigns and emerged amongst the league's front-runners.

So who's to say they won't cause another surprise this season.

In: Elliot Benyon (Southend United), Dale Tonge (Rotherham United), Ben Harding (Northampton Town), Courtney Cameron (Aston Villa), Jordan Chapell (Sheffield United), Krystian Pearce (Notts County)


Out: Ryan Jarvis (York City), Rene Howe (Burton Albion), Ian Morris (Northampton Town), Brian Saah (Dagenham & Redbridge), Danny Stevens, Craig Easton, Lloyd Macklin, Saul Halpin, Daniel Leadbitter, Joe Oastler, Karl Baker (Dartmouth)

GRECIANS GO NUTS FOR BRAZIL TRIP

Exeter City will be returning to Brazil next year-100 years after their first trip- to play a one-off commemorative match against Fluminese FC.

The fixture will take place at the Estadio das Laranjeiras in Rio De Janeiro will mark the centenary of the Grecians' South American tour, in which they became the five-time World Cup winners' first-ever opponents.

Both sides will wear replica kits from the game 100 years earlier, which finished in a 2-0 win for Brazil, and kick off with the original ball.

Guest players from other club's in Brazil will also be appearing for Fluminese as they aim to recreate the original fixture.

The date of the match will be Sunday July 20th 2014, one week after the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup takes place in the Maracana Stadium.

ARGYLE SIGN UP FORMER BHOY BLACKMAN

Well travelled left-back Andre Blackman has become John Sheridan's latest signing for Plymouth Argyle as he commits to the Pilgrims following his release by Celtic.

Blackman, 21, who made three appearances for Neil Lennon's Bhoys after arriving at Parkhea in 2011 has enjoyed a varied career to date.

As a schoolboy, he had spells with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur before he joined Portsmouth as a 16-year-old and later moved to Bristol City-where he started his professional career in 2009.

He made only two appearances for the Robins, both of which came in the Carling Cup, before his contract at Ashton Gate was terminated by the then City manager Gary Johnson.

The left-back's next port of call was AFC Wimbledon, who were then playing in the Conference, where he made a handful of appearances before being shown the door again.

However, in October 2011, Blackman was handed a life-line by Lennon who handed him a trial, which proved to be a success as he signed a permanent deal with Celtic a month later.

His debut for the Bhoys came on March 3rd 2012 against Aberdeen and he later thanked Lennon for saving his career.

Last season, he was loaned out to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, in a bid to gain more first team experience, but he returned to Parkhead three months early after making only two appearances.

He will now be looking to kick-start his career once again at Home Park and repay the faith shown in him by Sheridan as he looks to fill the void left by the departure of Onismor Bhasera.

TATE MODERN

As Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson looks to build a Glovers' side that can compete in the Championship, he has made what could turn out to be his shrewdst signing to date in the form of Alan Tate.

The defender, who started his career with Manchester United, arrived at Huish Park on loan from Swansea City on the same day the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their son, Prince George, into the world.
He made over 250 appearances for the Swans as they rose up through the leagues, including their Championship Play-Off winning side in 2011 when Swansea defeated Reading to win promotion to the Premiership.

During Swansea's days in Leagues One and Two, he would have faced the Glovers on a number of occasions.

Yeovil welcomed his signing by posting a royal-style easel image on their website, but that isn't Tate's only regal link.

When he was a young pro at Old Trafford, he was sent out on loan to Belgian side Royal Antwerp to gain more first team experience and it was there where he tasted first team football for the first time.

ARGYLE ADD BOCO

Plymouth Argyle manager has boosted his attacking options further with the addition of Benin international Rommy Boco from Accrington Stanley.

Boco, 28, who is a friend and international team-mate of former Pilgrims' defender Reda Johnson, arrives at Home Park on a one-year deal.

A proven goal scorer in League Two, he scored Stanley's first goals on their return to the Football League in the 2006-07 season as they beat Barnet 2-1 in their third fixture of the campaign.

Over a year later, Boco left the Crown Ground to link up with former team-mate Paul Cook at League of Ireland side Sligo Rovers before later returning to East Lancashire when Cook was appointed as successor to the long-serving John Coleman.

He becomes Sheridan's fifth summer signing, following in the footsteps of Luke McCormick, Lewis Alessandra, Reuben Reid and Marvin Morgan, and looks set to play a key role in what could turn out to be a very attack-minded side.

His arrival also comes on the same day that it was announced that former Argyle loanee Jason Banton has joined MK Dons on loan, one of the sides that the Pilgrims are due to face in a pre-season fixture at Home Park.

HARDING AGREES

Despite the departure of Rene Howe, Torquay United manager Alan Knill has added to his squad with the signing of midfielder Ben Harding.

An experienced lower-league midfielder, Harding, 28, helped Northampton Town to reach the League Two Play-Off final last season where they were beaten by Bradford City.

After scoring twice for the Cobblers in 41 appearances in the 2012-13 campaign, he was part of a whole draft of players who were released by their manager Aidy Boothroyd following their Wembley defeat to the Bantams, which included former Gulls Bayo Akinfenwa, Jake Robinson and Luke Guttridge.

Prior to his spell at the Sixfields, Harding had started his career with Wimbledon in 2003, prior to their move to Milton Keynes and subsequent name change.

Loan spells with Forest Green Rovers, Aldershot Town and Grays Athletic, Harding joined Aldershot permanently in 2007 and was a key figure in helping them to win the Conference title in the 2007-08 season.

At the end of the campaign, he was called up for the England C side, along with Torquay's Kevin Nicholson, for the Four Nations Tournament with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, which England won.

A short spell with Wycombe Wanderers later followed before he signed for the Cobblers in the January 2012 transfer window.

He has agreed a two-year deal with the Gulls.

RENE WALKS AWAY.... FOR A BURTON

Rene Howe's two-year stay with Torquay United has come to an end after the striker agreed a two-year contract with Burton Albion.

A number of clubs had been linked with a move for the Gulls' target man, including Scottish Premier League side Hibernian, but it was the Brewers and their manager Gary Rowett who successfully managed to clinch his signature.

During his stay on the English Riviera, Howe, 26, successfully managed to rejuvenate his career after several years of playing second fiddle to Craig Mackail-Smith and Aaron MacLean at Peterborough United and a number of loan spells at a whole host of clubs in the lower leagues.

After former Torquay manager Martin Ling snapped him in 2011, following his release by the Posh, Rene marked his debut with a goal-ironically against Burton- and went on to find the back of the net 14 times in his first season-the 2011-12 campaign- as the Gulls reached the Play-Offs.

Although Torquay never managed to hit the same hits in the following season, Rene still managed to find the back of the net as he bettered the tally of his debut campaign by scoring 16 times.

In doing so he became the first Gulls' player to top the club's scoring charts in the league in consecutive seasons since Rodney Jack managed the feat in the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons respectively.

One of his new team-mates at the Pirelli Stadium will be another ex-Torquay striker in the form of Billy Kee.

PARKIN TO FILL CURETON VOID

Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale has acted to fill the void left by Jamie Cureton to Cheltenham Town by signing experienced striker Sam Parkin.

Ex-Chelsea trainee Parkin, 32, is no stranger to the South West having enjoyed three years at Swindon Town between 2002 and 2005, where he enjoyed the most prolific scoring spell of his career-finding the back of the net 67 times in 124 league appearances.

He arrives at St James' Park following his release by Scottish Premier League side St Mirren and brings a different dimension to a roster of strikers at the Grecians, which includes the experienced John O'Flynn as well as young prospects Jamie Reid and Elliot Chamberlain.

GULLS SIGN WING DUO

Torquay United manager Alan Knill has completed the double signing of wingers Jordan Chapell and Courtney Cameron.

Chapell, 21, is no stranger to Plainmoor after having been drafted in on loan by Knill from Sheffield United for a six-match spell last March before he was recalled out of the blue in April.

Cameron, 20, joins the Gulls following his release by Aston Villa at the end of last season after spending four years at Villa Park.

He had started his career with Northampton Town, but joined the Villains as a 16-year-old - in 2009 - for a fee of £35,000.

However, he is no stranger to the demands of League Two football having enjoyed a loan stint with promotion-winning Rotherham United last season, where he scored once in 18 appearances.

The duo become Knill's third and fourth summer signings following acquisitions of Elliot Benyon and Dale Tonge last week.

THE RISE AND RISE OF KIEFFER MOORE

Torbay-born Kieffer Moore has continued his rise up the football pyramid by joining Yeovil Town from Dorchester Town for an undisclosed fee.

Moore, 20, scored 20 times last season in Conference South last season, which included seven for Dorchester and 13 for Truro City- who he left in February of this year due to the financial problems at the Cornish club.

He had arrived at Treyew Road at the start of the 2012-13 season after playing for Paignton Saints in the South Devon League, but appeared to make the step-up to Conference South standard with ease.

After joining the Magpies, Kieffer continued to display the form he had showed for the White Tigers and attracted the attentions of several league clubs, including Championship side Charlton Athletic who invited him to train with them towards the end of last season.

Magpies' manager Phil Simkin also likened him to to Burnley striker Charlie Austin who appeared for Wessex League side Poole Town before his meteoric rise began with a move to Swindon Town.

Kieffer had spent the early part of pre-season training with Yeovil-ahead for the Glovers' debut Championship campaign- and sufficiently impressed manager Gary Johnson to be offered a contract at Huish Park.

He marked his move to the Glovers by scoring the opening goal in their 3-1 victory over Poole Town in their first pre-season friendly of the campaign.

In signing for Yeovil, Kieffer is following in the footsteps of several other players who have been plucked from the South West non-league scene in the recent past.

These include Kevin Hill, who went on to become Torquay United's record appearance maker after signing from Torrington in 1997, Martin Gritton who enjoyed a long career in the Football League with several clubs after joining Plymouth Argyle from Portheleven in 1999 and the late Adam Stansfield who-like Kieffer- was brought to Yeovil by Johnson when he was signed from from Elmore in 2001 before moving on to Hereford United and Exeter City.

It is highly likely that many observers of football in the South West will be keeping a close eye on the progress of Kieffer in what has turned out to be a 'Roy of the Rovers' esque tale in the past two years.

A FOURTH IN JULY

As we head into the month of July, Plymouth have completed their fourth permanent signing of the close season in the form of striker Marvin Morgan.

Plymouth Argyle have probably been the busiest so far this summer-securing the services of Luke McCormick, Lewis Alessandra and Dominic Bliazard- plus the loan signing of Reuben Reid - prior to the arrival of Morgan at Home Park.

A late-comer to the professional game, Morgan, 30, didn't play in the Football League until 2008 when he joined Aldershot Town, following prolific spells with Yeading and Woking.

It was whilst with the Shots that he worked alongside Argyle assistant manager Gary Owers and he left Aldershot in 2010 to sign for Shrewsbury Town.

During his stay at the Greenhous Meadow, Morgan helped the Shrews to win promotion from League Two during the 2011-12 season by scoring 11 goals in 49 appearances.

He joined a roster of attacking options that includes fellow new arrivals Alessandra and Reid as well as young hopefuls Matt Lecointe and Tyler Harvey and the transfer listed Nick Chadwick.

A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY

Torquay United are set to complete their first two signings of the close season as right-back Dale Tonge and striker Elliot Benyon-subject to medicals.

Tonge, 28, is a vastly experienced defender with over 250 appearances to his name during a career which he has spent exclusively in South Yorkshire with Barnsley and Rotherham United, bar a five-match loan spell with Gillingham in 2007.

Benyon, 25, returns to Plainmoor for what will be his third spell with the Gulls, after a successful loan spell towards the end of last season.

He first joined Torquay in 2007 as one of many new faces recruited by then manager Paul Buckle as the Gulls aimed to win promotion back into the Football League at the first attempt.

Two years later, Benyon was part of the Torquay side that defeated Cambridge United in the Conference Play-Off final to secure promotion back to the League.

He also provided the assist for Chris Hargreaves's opening effort in their 2-0 victory.

In their first season back in League Two, the 2009-10 campaign, Benyon finished the season as the Gulls' top scorer and won the club's Player of the Year award before leaving Plainmoor in January 2011 to join Swindon Town for £125,000.