SAINT CODY

Jamie Vardy's rise from the Northern League with Stocksbridge Park Steels to winning the Premier League with Leicester City - via spells with FC Halifax Town and Fleetwood Town - has proved to be a footballing fairy tale of the modern age.

Now Vardy, who is currently part of Gareth Southgate's England squad at this summer's World Cup in Russia, has set up his own academy - the V9 Academy - to help discover other raw talents in non-league football waiting to be discovered.

And one of the beneficiaries of this scheme is former Truro City striker Cody Cooke, who has earned himself a move from the National League South outfit to the Scottish Premier League with St Mirren.

Cooke found the back of the net 13 times for the White Tigers, which helped to propel Lee Hodges' side into the National League South play-offs, where they lost out to Hampton & Richmond, and,  despite speculation linking him with Exeter City and Torquay United, he is now heading north of the border after signing for the Buddies.

St Mirren manager Alan Stubbs - the former Celtic and Everton defender - was impressed by Cooke's work ethic and joins another player plucked from non-league football in England in form of ex-Darlington 1883 defender Josh Heaton.

Cooke follows in the footsteps of the likes of Luke McCormick (ex Plymouth Argyle), Kieffer Moore (Barnsley) and Isaac Vassell (Birmingham City) who have progressed up the footballing pyramid after having a spell at Treyew Road.

ASA IN THE PACK

It is probably fair to say Torquay United's close season signings have been like London buses this week, you spend ages waiting for one and then - all of a sudden - two come along at once.

No sooner had the signing of Jason Banton been unveiled, the Gulls announced the signing of former Luton Town, Oxford United and Cheltenham Town midfielder Asa Hall from Barrow.

If any signing made by United to date should be considered a statement of any future intent, then it is the acquisition of Hall.

At 31 years of age, he brings vast experience to manager Gary Owers' squad having made 385 appearances and scored 45 goals in a career which began as a youth team player with Birmingham City.

His career honours include a Johnstone's Paint Trophy triumph in 2009 with Luton, the National League title with Cheltenham in 2016 and then helped York City win the 2017 FA Trophy, whilst on loan with the Minstermen.

Such experience is likely to be crucial to a Gulls' side who need to get used to winning games in what is likely to be a highly competitive National League South in 2018-19.

Hall's arrival takes Owers' squad up to ten, which includes defenders George Essuman and Jakob Sokolik, wide men Bobson Bawling and Banton and strikers Brett Williams, Jamie Reid and Ruairi Keating as well as transfer listed duo Josh Gowling and Jon-Paul Pittman, who both remain on the club's books.

This week United also said goodbye to central defender Sean McGinty who moved north of the border to join Scottish Championship side Partick Thistle.

KEEP CALM AND PASS TO BANTON - AT PLAINMOOR

Former Plymouth Argyle winger Jason Banton is reunited with Gary Owers after the winger agreed a deal to sign for Torquay United.

The pair previously worked together Banton's two spells at Home Park - the first of which came on loan towards the end of the 2012-13 and he then returned to the Pilgrims to sign permanently in January 2014.

His first spell at Home Park has so far proved to be the most productive of his career so far, which has also taken in permanent spells with teams as diverse as Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Wycombe Wanderers, Crawley Town and Woking and loan stints with Burton Albion, Notts County, Hartlepool United and Partick Thistle amongst others.

It was during his initial loan spell with the Pilgrims when he first worked with Owers, who was working as assistant manager to John Sheridan, and he found the back of the net six times in 14 appearances. He finished the 2012-13 season as Argyle's leading scorer and helped them avoid relegation from the Football League.

However, it was during the month of March 2013 which proved to be his most successful as he won the League Two Player of the Month award after scoring three times in six appearances, including the winning goal in the 60th league meeting between the Pilgrims and arch rivals Exeter City on March 30th, 2013.

It turned out to be a double celebration for Argyle as Sheridan claimed the managerial prize for the month in question.

Unfortunately, he failed to recapture the same form when he joined the Pilgrims permanently midway through the 2013-14 campaign; but he did score an important goal for Sheridan's men in their League Two play-off semi-final first leg against Wycombe Wanderers after coming off the bench to make it 3-2 to improve Argyle's chances of reaching the final (they lost the second leg 2-1 at Adams Park).

The Plainmoor faithful will be hoping that he can replicate this kind of form for the Gulls in the National League South in the 2018-19 season.

WHEN HARRY KANE CAME TO HOME PARK......BUT DIDN'T GET ON THE PITCH!

If you are looking to impress your friends with your knowledge of Harry Kane's career, it might be worth testing them out with these two facts.

Firstly, after netting twice for England against Tunisia in their opening game of Russia 2018 Kane has now scored twice as many World Cup finals goals as Wayne Rooney - a solitary effort against Uruguay in Brazil 2014.

Secondly, he has also scored the same number that Alan Shearer managed to score in his only World Cup finals appearance in France 98 - the first of which ironically came against Tunisia.

However, if you really want to hit them for six you could always test them with this question: 'For which club was Kane a non-playing substitute for on the final day of the 2010-11 against Plymouth Argyle?'

The answer is Leyton Orient and Kane wasn't the only player on loan from White Hart Lane involved in the match, which took place on 7th May, 2011.

Tom Carroll, a future England Under-21 international and most recently of Swansea City, started for Orient and goalkeeper David Button, currently plying his trade for Fulham, came off the bench for the Pilgrims following the dismissal of Argyle keeper Romain Larrieu.

Orient were one of a number of teams that Spurs loaned their young prospects to a bid to give them a taste of first team football. In the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, Andros Townsend, Steven Caulker and Ryan Mason all enjoyed successful loan spells with Yeovil Town before going on to break into the Spurs' first team and receive international recognition with England. Right-back Adam Smith, now of AFC Bournemouth, was also loaned to Torquay United in the 2009-10 campaign.

On the day itself, Orient piled more misery on the Pilgrims, who were in Administration at the time and resulting ten-point deduction ensured that a 2-0 defeat against Southampton on Easter Monday confirmed their relegation, winning 4-1 with Scott McGleish opening the scoring from the penalty spot before Dean Cox found the target and Alex Revell bagged a late brace. Yala Bolasie, later of Bristol City and Crystal Palace and currently of Everton, replied for Argyle in what proved to be his last game for the club - partly due to the club's financial predicament.

It also proved to be the final Pilgrims' outings for Joe Mason and Kari Arnason, both of whom would grace the higher echelons of the game, amongst others.

Mason opened the scoring for Cardiff City, who he joined after leaving Home Park in the following summer, against Liverpool in the final of the Carling Cup in 2012 and later went on to play for Wolves. He is currently plying his trade stateside for Colorado Rapids in the MLS.

Arnason would later cross swords with Kane again in Euro 2016 in France, when he was part of the Iceland side that famously upset England 2-1 in the last 16 of the tournament.

Making his second start for the Pilgrims that day was future Torquay United Player of the Year Luke Young. Young was still an apprentice at Home Park at the time and would later sign his first professional contract with Argyle in the close season.

He would make another 103 appearances for the Pilgrims before he was released by John Sheridan in the summer of 2014 after which he joined the Gulls.

WHAT THE SIGNING OF AARON KUHL COULD BRING TO TORQUAY UNITED

Over the years a number of players have signed for Torquay United and managed to either kickstart or revive their careers before going on to achieve greater things.

This have ranged from Mike Mahoney (Newcastle United), Colin Lee (Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea), Keith Curle (Wimbledon, Manchester City, Wolves and England), Phil King (Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa), Lee Sharpe (Manchester United, Leeds United, Sampdoria and England), Darren Moore (West Bromwich Albion and), Paul Trollope (Derby County and Wales), Rodney Jack (Crewe Alexandra), David Graham (Wigan Athletic) and Eunan O'Kane (AFC Bournemouth, Leeds United and Republic of Ireland).

But could Aaron Kuhl - the son of United assistant manager Martin - potentially be joining that list and giving himself a chance of resurrecting what was once a hugely promising career?

Kuhl junior came through the youth academy at Reading, where Kuhl has held various coaching positions, and was once regarded as one of the Royals' most highly rated young prospects. At one stage Kuhl junior was once considered a better prospect at the Madjeski Stadium than current Republic of Ireland international Liam Kelly, who also graduated from the Royals Academy.

After representing England at Under-19 and Under-20 level, he was considered to be a future Premier League star, and was believed to be have attracted interest from Arsenal and Manchester City after breaking into the Reading first team under then manager Nigel Adkins - now of Hull City.

However, things turned sour for Kuhl junior following the departure of Adkins and he found himself out of favour under Steve Clarke and was loaned out to Dundee United and Boreham Wood amongst others.

Following his release by the Royals at the end of the 2016-17 campaign, he went on trial at Aldershot Town, who crossed swords with United in the National League last season, but sustained a ruptured knee ligament injury in a pre-season friendly between the Shots and Wycombe Wanderers.

Nevertheless Kuhl junior is now on the comeback trail and Gulls head coach Gary Owers is keeping tabs on his progress.

Various reports on Kuhl have described him as a holding midfielder with an eye for a pass.

One thing that United missed last season, as they were relegated to the National League South, was a genuine quality holding midfielder, which is the kind of player that will be a great asset for the Gulls in their bid to win promotion back to the National League.

He also captained the Royals Under-21 side to the Under-21 Premier League Cup, in which they beat Manchester City in the final, and those leadership qualities will also prove to be important for the Gulls in their bid to win promotion from National League South at the first attempt.

DOWN MEMORY LANE # 1 JOHN TURNER

Often referred to as a ‘hot bed of football’, the North East of England has produced a number of talented professional footballers over the years – including former Torquay United goalkeeper John Turner.

John enjoyed two separate spells at Plainmoor, between 1978 and 1980 & 1983 to 1984, in a career which began under the guidance of another of the North East’s favourite sons, Brian Clough, at Derby County in 1970.

Like many of the young players to emerge from the area, a career in one of the region’s major industries – coal mining – had beckoned for John. He was doing an Electrician’s apprenticeship at Easington Colliery, which later gained greater fame as the setting for the film ‘Billy Elliot’, when he was offered a footballing apprenticeship by the Rams.

“I went there in 1970 and at the time I was doing an Electricians apprenticeship at Easington Colliery. My dad had wanted me to finish my apprenticeship, but me mam said yes, so I was an apprentice for two years before I signed as a professional,” said John.

This was a buoyant time for the Rams who, at the time, were managed by Clough with Peter Taylor as his assistant and won the league title for the first time in 1972.

John retains fond memories of Clough who also hailed from the North East and had made his name in the region as a striker; firstly with Middlesbrough, his home-town club, and then Sunderland.

“He (Clough) always referred to me as ‘young John’, him and Taylor were a partnership, if you had those two on Sky now it would be hilarious. Cloughie was a one-off and was always destined to do something different, just like he did at Nottingham Forest.

Another individual who left a big impression on John was first team coach Jimmy Gordon.

“The man who impressed me the most was Jimmy Gordon. He was a sergeant major in the army and he ran the show; he was a great coach and he was a gentleman and always immaculately turned out.”

John left the Baseball Ground in 1975 when he signed for Reading as an understudy to the Royals’ legendary long-serving keeper Steve Death. He even briefly managed to usurp Death towards the end of Reading’s 1975-76 promotion winning season, and made 16 appearances as the Royals finished third in the ‘old’ Division Four.

Two years later, in 1978, John found himself out of contract and with no new offer of a new deal forthcoming from Reading. He eventually joined Torquay United for a fee of £3,000, which was agreed by a tribunal, as he was an out of contract player.  

“Reading renegaded on my contract, so I became a free agent and spoke to Frank O’Farrell and Mike Green and agreed to come down to Torquay. I stayed in the Livermead Hotel by the sea and on my first day, I joined in training and went on the Maidencombe run. After a tribunal, I then signed for £3,000”

The move to South Devon certainly saw John blossom as part of a highly competitive team that manager Mike Green had assembled on a small budget. In the 1979-80 season, he became the second Gulls player to be named in the PFA team of the season.

“I enjoyed everything about Torquay, I loved training, I loved the people; they wanted me and that gave me confidence. Plainmoor was a fortress in those days and we always used to beat the big clubs such as Portsmouth.

“The biggest high for me was when I got in the PFA team of the year and I won the Player of the Year award. “

John left Plainmoor in 1980 to join Chesterfield for a deal worth £140,000. During his time at Saltergate, he helped the Spireites win the Anglo-Scottish Cup and saved a penalty against Glasgow Rangers in the final.  

He returned to Torquay during the 1983-84 season when he was brought back to the Gulls by Bruce Rioch, a manager who was a different character to Mike Green, who was in charge at Plainmoor during John’s first spell.

“I also knew Bruce from when I was at Derby and he was very hard by nature, and he demanded absolute commitment from those around him.”

Rioch departed midway through the season after a training ground bust-up with Colin Anderson and former Chelsea defender Dave Webb was appointed as his successor.

Webb then set about cutting the club’s wage bill and John found himself as one of the players to be handed a free transfer.

“I went into the office and Webby (Dave Webb) was sitting there with his feet on the desk and said to me: ‘Listen, you’re on too much money, you’re too popular and I’m letting you go.”

John was replaced by Kenny Allen, who followed Webb to Plainmoor from his previous club Bournemouth, dropped into non-league football with Weymouth Town.

The Terras were then managed by former Exeter City manager Brian Godfrey and John was soon taken aback by the quality of player in his new surroundings.

“There was Alan Slough, myself, Andy Townsend and Tony Agana. We played 12 games and won 11 and drew one and I kept ten clean sheets.

“Dave Webb later said to me: ‘I make a mistake letting you go.”

John returned to league football with Burnley, but found first team football hard to come by. He later joined Peterborough United, as a replacement for the Birmingham City bound future England goalkeeper David Seaman.

Unfortunately, after 70 games, John broke his leg in a third round FA Cup tie against Leeds United on January 31, 1986 that ended his career.

Unbeknown to him at the time, he was set to return to Plainmoor regardless of the outcome of the tie, as a deal had been agreed between the Gulls and Peterborough manager John Wile, the former West Bromwich Albion manager.

“I got a phone call from Dave Webb, when I was in hospital, and he said to me: ‘win, lose or draw, I was coming back to Torquay as player-coach and it was the first I had heard about it.”

“The months went by and I got a letter from Peterborough and I saw the specialist and he said that I would be back in training within three months, But the next day I got a letter from Wile saying that my contract was up and they didn’t want me.”

John returned to South Devon and briefly assisted the Gulls whilst John Impey was manager in 1991. Nowadays, he runs the Jolly Sailor Pub in East Ogwell, near Newton Abbot, and still occasionally visits Plainmoor.

An abridged version of this article originally appeared in the Sunday Independent on February 15, 2015.

 

 

 

 

RUSSELL EVER PRESENT IN ENGLAND SENIOR TRIUMPH

For many Torquay United fans of a certain age, the phrase 'Alex Russell, world champion' was just a fantasy, but yesterday it became reality as Russell helped England Veterans retain the Seniors World Cup in Thailand.

Whilst Gareth Southgate's side continue their preparations for the main World Cup in Russia, which starts next week, the veterans' side provided a source of inspiration for their younger counterparts, and Russell, who still turns out for Clevedon Town in the Western League at the age of 45, was ever present in their triumph.

Standing in the way of the senior Three Lions in the quest to retain their title were Scotland, who they overcame 4-0 with former Plymouth Argyle and Tiverton Town defender Mark Saunders scoring the opening goal. One time Yeovil, Weymouth and Exeter City winger Lee Elam then set up Jason Price for England's second before Elam turned from being provider to scorer to make it 3-0 to the Three Lions.

Steve Jones then added England's fourth as they retained the title which they won last year.

Other players with South West connections involved in the squad include ex Plymouth Argyle and Truro City striker Barry Hayles and former Yeovil Town and current Dorchester Town manager Steve Thompson.

Russell's double World Cup is a fine addition to the honours that he won during his playing career, which includes three promotions from League Two (Cambridge United 1999, Torquay 2004 and Exeter City 2009) and League One (Bristol City 2007).

AGGY LOOKING TO HELP THREE LIONS TO SENIORS GLORY

Later this month World Cup fever will be gripping the country, but in Thailand it will be a different kind of World Cup that will be capturing the imagination - and it is a tournament that England will have a serious chance of winning.

The 2018 Seniors World Cup is taking place in Bangkok later this month and former Torquay United midfielder Alex Russell is one of the key performers that the Three Lions' tournament hopes rest on, as they seek to retain the title which they won last year.

Russell, 45, spent four successful years at Plainmoor between 2001 and 2005, after initially being brought to South Devon from Cambridge United by Roy McFarland, and they proved to be four highly successful years.

He won the club's Player of the Year award in the 2002-03 season, by which time McFarland had been replaced by Leroy Rosenior, helped the Gulls win automatic promotion from Division Three for the first time in 38 years in the 2003-04 campaign. Russell was also named in the PFA Third Division team of the year in the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons - and he is the only Gulls' player to have achieved this feat twice.

After leaving United in 2005 to join Bristol City, he helped the Robins to win promotion to the Championship under Gary Johnson in the 2006-07 campaign. After leaving Ashton Gate in 2008, he then spent the bulk of the remainder of his playing career in the South West - taking in spells with Cheltenham Town, Exeter City, Yeovil Town and Bath City.

In more recent years he has turned out for Bristol Manor Farm and Clevedon Town in the Western League, after returning to playing following spells as assistant manager at Tranmere Rovers and Southport in his native North West and a stint as Bristol City Under-21 manager.

He was on target for England in their first warm-up game ahead of the tournament against Thailand B, which they won 4-0, and also amongst for the Three Lions were former Plymouth Argyle and Truro City striker Barry Hayles and ex Tiverton Town, Plymouth midfielder Mark Saunders.

Other squad members include Yeovil Town goalkeeper coach Steve Philips, ex Glovers boss and current Dorchester Town manager Steve Thompson and former Yeovil, Weymouth and Exeter winger Lee Elam.

GRECIANS MAKE SWIFT APPOINTMENT FOLLOWING TISDALE DEPARTURE

Paul Tisdale's reign as the longest serving manager in English football proved to be a brief one, as he brought the curtain down on his 12-year spell as Exeter City manager.

However, the vacancy didn't remain open for very long as Under-23's manager Matt Taylor was promoted internally as his replacement.

He took on the mantle after Arsene Wenger's departure from Arsenal, but he decided to stand down from the post following the Grecians' League Two play-off final defeat to Coventry City.

With the retirement of Steve Perryman as Director of Football, there was some strong hints that he could also be leaving St James Park. His contract with the club was due to expire in November - after the club's Supporters Trust voted to serve notice on it in November 2016 - and Tisdale hadn't committed to signing the extension on offer to him by the club's board.

Whilst his decision may not have necessarily shocked some observers, but there are others who might have been taken by surprise.

In Michael Calvin's book on football management Life on the Volcano, which was published in 2015 and contains a chapter on Tisdale, he spoke of his love of the club and also hinted at the possibility of leaving for pastures new one day.

He said: "I'm totally in love with Exeter, but I know I'll leave one day. Other coaches and managers say, "Oh you're not ambitious then." I'm more ambitious than anyone could imagine. I've been in the boardroom and heard people say "he's never going to leave, he ain't got the guts for it." And I think you cheeky bastard. You haven't got a clue."

And Tisdale is now looking for a fresh challenge and he can certainly look back at his 12 years in charge with a sense of pride.

He first arrived at St James Park in 2006 from Team Bath, after emerging from a three-man shortlist that included former Grecians' defender Shaun Taylor and ex Northern Ireland striker Jimmy Quinn, who had previous experience of winning promotion from the Conference, the league where Exeter found themselves at that time, with Shrewsbury Town.

However, his appointment proved to be a master stroke and his achievements include back-to-back promotions from the Conference to League One in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

He also equalled the Grecians highest ever league position in 2010-11 when they finished eighth in League One and in the same season they also equalled their best ever run in the Football League Trophy when they reached the Southern Area final.

In more recent times he also led them to their first play-off finals as a Football League club in 2016-17 and 2017-18, where they lost to Blackpool and Coventry respectively.

And there is also the big money transfer sales of home grown products as Dean Moxey, Danny Seaborne, George Friend, Matt Grimes, Ollie Watkins and Ethan Ampadu, as well as other rough diamond discoveries such as Jamie Mackie and David Wheeler - all of whom have provided a financial boost to the club.

He also won plaudits for his distinctive dress sense (He is close friends with Ted Baker founder Ray Kelvin).

Such is his influence on the club that his successor - Matt Taylor - is somebody who arrived at St James Park in 2007 in charge from his former club Team Bath.

He now has big shoes to fill.