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)
