Three examples that spring to mind include Howard Kendall’s first spell in charge of Everton, Sir Alex Ferguson’s 26 years as Manchester United manager and Paul Buckle’s four-year stint at Plainmoor.
The trio all overcame periods of uncertainty before guiding
their teams to some of the most successful eras in their respective histories.
During the 1983-84 season, Everton were on the verge of
exiting the Milk Cup at the hands of Oxford United - but Adrian Heath latched onto
a Kevin Brock back pass before slotting home an equaliser for the Toffees.
Everton then reached the final of the Milk Cup, where they
lost to Liverpool – after a replay, before beating Watford in that season’s FA
Cup final. This proved to be the start of one of the most successful period in
Everton’s history, which included league title triumphs and a European Cup
Winner’s Cup success. During the 1989-90 campaign, after three largely unsuccessful seasons, the Old Trafford were calling for Ferguson’s head.
However, a Mark Robins winner in an FA fifth round tie
against Nottingham Forest helped the Red Devils to progress to the final of the
competition, where they beat Crystal Palace after a replay to secure their
first trophy of his reign.
After reaching the Conference Play-offs and FA Trophy final
in his first season – 2007-08 – in charge at Plainmoor, Paul Buckle’s Torquay
United side – that Hargreaves was captain of – didn’t get off to the best of
starts in his second campaign in charge.
But in a Sunday afternoon encounter with Northwich Victoria
on September 7th 2008, which the Gulls were drawing 1-1, they were
awarded a 90th minute penalty by referee Andrew Sainsbury for a foul
on Elliot Benyon.
Leading scorer Tim Sills stepped up to take it and duly
converted to secure a 2-1 victory for the Gulls. It also proved to be a
catalyst for a lengthy unbeaten run that helped propel Torquay back into
contention for promotion.
The Gulls were eventually promoted at the end of the season,
thanks to a Play-off final victory over Cambridge United. A similar moment of inspiration for Hargreaves would help to majorly transform his own fortunes, as well as those of the current Torquay side.
Their chances of reaching the Play-offs may seem remote at the moment, but a strong finish to their end of the current campaign would restore a sense pride and potentially lead to an increase in optimism going into next season.
It is worth remembering that most team building projects regarding Torquay United often take two or three years.
It took Kevin Hodges two years to assemble the side that reached the Division Three Play-off final in 1998, two years after being spared relegation to the Conference because of Stevenage’s ground not being up to the required standard.
Between 2001 and 2004, Roy McFarland and then Leroy Rosenior
built the Gulls’ first automatic promotion winning side in a generation within
three years of United’s final day survival decider against Barnet.
And in more recent times, Paul Buckle guided Torquay to
promotion from the Conference in 2009, two years after the Gulls were relegated
from the Football League after 80 years.
The remaining 13 fixtures of Torquay’s 2014-15 Conference
campaign could help to determine whether or not Hargreaves will be leading the
Gulls on another similar journey.
