With Christmas just around the corner, Torquay United received an early Xmas present as the Gulls former Aussie defender Aaron Downes returned to Plainmoor to join Gary Johnson's backroom staff as assistant manager.
Downes, 33, spent three years with United between 2012 and 2015 and made 115 appearances and scored 16 goals, and was also voted as the club's Player of the Year award in the 2012-13 season.
After leaving Plainmoor at the end of the 2014-15 campaign, he linked up with Johnson at Cheltenham Town, as he became the first signing following their relegation from the Football League.
On his arrival at Whaddon Road, he was appointed as club captain by Johnson. He then went onto become an influential figure in helping the Robins to win promotion back to the Football League at the first attempt as National League champions in 2016.
Following the Robins' return to League Two, Downes remained with the club as a player before retiring in the summer of 2018, which he combined with working in coaching roles with the club's academy and first team.
He returned to working as head of the Robins' academy after Michael Duff's appointment as Robins' manager in succession to Johnson and it is believed he was keen to return to working in a first team environment.
It is also worth mentioning that he almost signed for Johnson prior to his move to United, as he had a trial with Yeovil Town in the 2012-13 pre-season before the then Torquay manager Martin Ling offered him a contract with the carrot of regular first team player, instead of a back up squad member.
Prior to that, he also played alongside Johnson's son Lee when Johnson junior was loan at the Spireites from Bristol City in the 2011-12 season.
He becomes the second member of Johnson's backroom staff from his time as Cheltenham manager following his brother Pete, who works as the Gulls' head of recruitment, to join him at Plainmoor.
Johnson's previous assistant Shaun Taylor remains on the Gulls' coaching staff and will be also working with the club's Under-18 side.
Downes' return also coincides with the return of on loan goalkeeper Alex Bass to Portsmouth. During his time at Plainmoor, he made eight appearances and kept four clean sheets, and also saved a penalty on his debut away at Slough Town - despite suffering a medial ligament injury in the Gulls' 2-2 draw with Woking in Johnson's first home game in charge.
