The final part of this trilogy concludes with the choice of substitutes and the manager.
SUBS:
Lee Mansell (2006-2014)- After spending much of the early part of this decade as a right-back, Mansell was moved to centre midfield by Martin Ling, following his arrival as successor to Paul Buckle in 2011, to great effective. Mansell went on to enjoy his best season to date - finishing the season as joint-top scorer with 14 goals, won the club's player of the year award for the second time and was named in the PFA League Two team of the season. After leaving Plainmoor in 2014, he joined Bristol Rovers, where he finished his career, and helped the Pirates win back-to-back promotions from the National League to League One
Kevin Nicholson (2007-2014, 2015-2017)- Kevin Nicholson can consider himself very unlucky not to get into this team. After forcing his way back into the side at the back end of the 2009-10 season, Nicholson enjoyed two memorable campaigns in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons - the latter saw him make the PFA League Two of the season - and his long range strike against Barnet in December 2011 will live long in the memory banks of those who witnessed it. He returned to the club as manager in 2015, following the resignation of Paul Cox, and he became a symbol of defiance in what was a difficult period for the club. After successfully steering the club away from relegation to National League South in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, he was dismissed four games into the 2017-18 campaign. Now rebuilding his coaching career at Exeter City as head of coaching and despite missing out on the starting eleven, he can take some solace in the fact that three of the players that he signed as manager made the cut for it.
Billy Kee (2010-2011)- Arriving on a free transfer from Leicester City, Billy Kee displayed glimpses of the form for the Gulls that saw him become a prolific scorer for Burton Albion and Accrington Stanley later in his career. He returned to the Midlands with the Brewers - who he would hit double figures for over the next three years - early in the 2011-12 season. Kee would later help Accrington Stanley win promotion from League Two before taking a break from the game in the summer due to personal reasons. While at Plainmoor, he was also capped by Northern Ireland at Under-21 level.
Michael Poke (2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2009-10), 2012-2014) - After enjoying three separate loan spells with the Gulls, Michael Poke finally joined United on a permanent basis in 2012 following Bobby Oleijnik's sale to Peterborough United. A fine shot stopper, who also commanded his area well, Poke would surely have played at a higher level had it not been for a series of injuries.
Nathan Smith (2015-2016)- Nathan Smith became the first loan player to win the club's player of the year award in the 2015-2016 season whilst on a season-long loan from Port Vale. Although he was only five feet ten inches tall, Smith still managed to win numerous aerial duels with players who were far taller than him, which he combined with fabulous positional sense. Since returning to Vale Park, he has been a regular for the Valiants in both Leagues One and Two.
Luke Young (2014-2018)- A stand-out performer in a struggling team during much of his stay at Plainmoor, Luke Young offered Gulls' fans a beacon of hope during what was a difficult time in the club's history. During his four years at the club, following his release by home-town club Plymouth Argyle in 2014, he was voted as the club's player of the year three times (2014-15, 2016-17 and 2017-18). His long range volley against Wrexham, the club he would later join in 2018, is regarded by many as one of the best goals ever seen at Plainmoor .
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans (2018, 2018-2019, 2019 - present date) Now in his third loan spell at Plainmoor from Bristol City, after first joining under Gary Owers and returning twice more under Gary Johnson. It is probably fair to say that Connor Lemonheigh-Evans has become 'Torquay-fied' to borrow a phrase often used by Johnson. After joining at a time when the Gulls were relegated to National League South, he returned to help United win promotion back at the first attempt as champions. During his second loan spell, he also appeared for the Wales Under-21 squad and scored twice for them against their Swiss counterparts before returning to Plainmoor to do the same for the Gulls in a 4-1 FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie with Winchester City.
MANAGER: Gary Johnson
Despite strong challenges from Paul Buckle and Martin Ling, Gary Johnson gets the nod as manager.
Although the Gulls were at the lowest point in the history at the time of his arrival - namely 14th in the National League South - no manager in recent times has had a big an impact as Johnson. Let's not forget that following his arrival United went on a club record 16-match unbeaten run, which was only ended following a 3-2 defeat to Bath City in January 2019. Also United were ten points behind then leaders Woking but ended the campaign finishing ten points clear of the Cards as United secured their first league title in over 90 years. In the process Johnson also claimed a sixth career promotion to go with the ones that he won previously with Yeovil Town, Bristol City and Cheltenham Town. In spite of the Gulls' poor recent run, promotion to the Football League - which would see Johnson earn the seventh promotion - remains his long term aim.
Footnote: Whilst the likes of Ben Wynter, Kyle Cameron and Jake Andrews may have missed out on a place in this team, the 2020s could yet belong to them.
