A TORQUAY UNITED - AFC BOURNEMOUTH XI

After Frank Vincent's deadline day loan move from AFC Bournemouth to Torquay United, we will now take closer look at some of the other players to have moved between the Dorset coast and the English Riviera over the years.

Over the years, there have been a number of players who have plied their trade with both Torquay United and today’s visitors AFC Bournemouth, so I have compiled a team featuring eleven players who have served the Gulls and the Cherries during their careers.

In goal, Kenny Allen won promotion from the ‘old’ Division Four with Bournemouth in the 1981-82 season. He would go on to enjoy three spells with Torquay later in the decade and appeared in the ‘Great Escape Side’ of the 1986-87 season and the Gulls first ever Wembley appearance in the 1989 Sherpa Van Trophy Final, after being called out of retirement by the late Cyril Knowles following an injury to Kenny Veysey.

At right back, Derek ‘the Dude’ Dawkins gets the nod. Like Allen, the Dude also won promotion with Bournemouth in the 1981-82 campaign before becoming a pivotal figure for the Gulls. The highlight of his time at Plainmoor came when he scored the winning goal in the first leg of Torquay’s League Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur in 1987. He also had a spell in charge of the Gulls youth side and amongst his young charges was a certain Lee Sharpe.

In the centre of defence, Alex Watson and John Impey both served the Gulls and Cherries with great distinction. Watson arrived at Plainmoor in October 1995 after Eddie May paid the Cherries £50,000 for his services. He would later captain the Gulls in the 1998 Division Three Play-Off Final before serving as assistant manager to Wes Saunders from 1998 to 2001.

Impey was first brought to Plainmoor in 1984 when Dave Webb signed him from Bournemouth. He stayed until1985 when he left to join Exeter City before he was brought back to Plainmoor by Stuart Morgan on the eve of the 1986-87 campaign. Impey stayed with the Gulls for two seasons as a player and would later succeed Dave Smith as Torquay manager in 1991. He guided the Gulls to Fourth Division Play-Off glory later that year, but was dismissed in the opening months of the 1991-92 campaign.

Left back Bill Kitchener was one of many players with West Ham United connections who were attracted to Plainmoor by Frank O’Farrell during his first spell as Torquay manager during the 1960’s. Kitchener made 187 appearances for the Gulls and scored nine goals before following his former Gulls team-mate John Bond to Dean Court in 1970.

The midfield of this side is dominated by players who served the Gulls in the late 60’s and early 70’s period before John Bond signed them for the Cherries. Right winger Tony Scott, who like Kitchener had started his career with West Ham, was another player who was signed by O’Farrell and later joined Bond at Bournemouth.

In his raid on his former club during his reign as Cherries manager Bond also snapped up Tommy Mitchinson and John Benson who are selected as the central midfield pairing for this team. Dubbed ‘the Prime Minister of Plainmoor’ by the fans, Mitchinson proved to be a big hit with the Torquay faithful during his three year stay with the club after arriving from Aston Villa for £6,000 in 1968.

Benson was one of a number of players inherited by Frank O’Farrell when he was appointed as Torquay manager in 1965. After linking up with John Bond at Bournemouth, Benson would also serve under him at Norwich City as a player and coached under him at Manchester City and Burnley.

On the left hand side of midfield is Jo Kuffour, a player of more recent times. A former Arsenal trainee, he arrived at Plainmoor in 2002 when he was signed by Leroy Rosenior. Primarily a striker, although he was sometimes used on the left wing, Kuffour was Torquay’s second highest scorer during the 2003-04 promotion winning season. Kuffour remained at Plainmoor until 2006 when he signed for Brentford where he stayed for one season before joining Bournemouth in 2007. He is currently playing for Bristol Rovers.

Up front, Eddie Rowles started his career with the Cherries in 1969 before joining York City in 1971. He was brought to Plainmoor by Malcolm Musgrove in 1973 and stayed for two seasons, making 59 appearances and finding the back of the net 13 times.

Partnering him is John Rudge who arrived at Plainmoor in 1969 from Carlisle United. Rudge, who later made his name as manager of Port Vale, was the Gulls top scorer with 17 goals in the 1970-71 campaign and joined Bristol Rovers in 1973 before signing for the Cherries in 1975. He is still working in the game as Director of Football of Port Vale.

Other notable figures who have also played for both clubs in more recent years include Republic of Ireland international midfielder Eunan O’Kane and Adam Smith.

O’Kane joined the Gulls in January 2010 from Irish League side Coleraine and remained at Plainmoor for two and a half years before joining the Cherries in the summer of 2012 for a fee of £175,000. Highlights of his time at Plainmoor included a memorable brace in a 3-1 win over Plymouth Argyle in November 2011, helping United to reach the League Two play-offs in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons and being named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2011-12 campaign.

Smith arrived at Plainmoor on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the 2009-10 season and produced a number of impressive displays before returning to White Hart Lane. He would enjoy further loan spells at Bournemouth, MK Dons, Millwall, Leeds United and Derby County before joining the Cherries permanently in the 2013-14 season and is currently a regular under Eddie Howe. Smith has also represented England Under-21 level.