Each year since 1945, May 8th is commemorated across Europe as VE day (Victory in Europe day) to mark the formal surrender of Nazi Germany to allied forces, thus ending the Second World War in Europe, in 2004- for Torquay United fans that date gained an extra significance as the Gulls ended their 38-year wait for automatic promotion as they defeated Southend United on the final day of the 2003-04 season to pip Huddersfield Town to third place in Division Three.
Leroy Rosenior's side headed into the game at Roots Hall on the back of a four match unbeaten run (three wins and a draw), and needed to win against the Shrimpers and hope that Huddersfield failed to win at Cheltenham Town.
After missing out on the Play-Offs altogether in the previous season when they fell away after Easter, Rosenior's men had become more solid at the back- following the signings of Craig Taylor and Brian McGlinchey from Plymouth Argyle- but the attacking talents of David Graham and Alex Russell were once again making the team tick, and the Gulls were winning plaudits and admirers in equal measure for their style of football.
Both men were named in the PFA Division Three team of the season for the 2003-04 campaign (it was Russell's second nomination in a row) and Graham had also become the first Torquay striker to score 20 goals or more in a season since Paul Dobson in the 1987-88 campaign under Cyril Knowles.
More than 2,500 of the Plainmoor faithful poured into Roots Hall and they were soon given something to cheer about when, after only three minutes, Steve Woods volleyed home a corner from Alex Russell to give the Gulls the lead.
Eight minutes later- in the 11th minute-Torquay's lead was doubled when David Graham nodded home a cross from Jo Kuffour for his 23rd goal of the campaign to put the Gulls firmly in the driving seat.
However, the Shrimpers hit back seven minutes later when striker Lawrie Dudfield smashed home a rebounded effort from his strike partner Tesfaye Bramble, after Bramble had been denied by Gulls' keeper Arjan Van Heusden, to reduce the Gulls' advantage to a single point.
At this point, Huddersfield were leading Cheltenham 1-0 at Whaddon Road through an Andy Booth strike, but the footballing gods smiled on Rosenior's side as Shane Duff equalised for the Robins.
Nevertheless, the Gulls held onto their win- despite surviving a late penalty appeal for a challenge from Reuben Hazell on Southend's Drewe Broughton- and Huddersfield couldn't force a winner at Whaddon Road.
This was enough to ensure that Torquay brought their 38-year wait for automatic promotion to an end in the most dramatic of fashion.
As Danny Blanchflower, the former Spurs and Northern Ireland midfielder, once said "the game is about glory, it is about doing things with a style and a flourish", and Rosenior's Gulls had certainly managed that over the course of their 46-match Third Division campaign.
Torquay: (4-4-2) Arjan Van Heusden, Reuben Hazell, Steve Woods, Craig Taylor, Brian McGlinchey, Liam Rosenior (Tony Bedeau 90), Matt Hockley, Alex Russell, Kevin Hill, David Graham (David Woozley 90), Jo Kuffour (Martin Gritton 84)
Subs not used: Lee Canoville, Jason Fowler
