UNITED HEAD NORTH FOR TOP OF THE TABLE SHOWDOWN

It's just over two and a half years since they last made the journey to Victoria Park to face Hartlepool United, but Torquay United will be heading to the North East port town under very different circumstances to their previous trip.

The Gulls' 1-1 draw against the Pools in April 2018 saw them condemned to relegation to the National League South - thus ensuring that they would be playing regional non-league football for the first time since 1927. 

However, the appointment of Gary Johnson five months later started a chain of events that led to a rapid turnaround in United's fortunes. The National League South title was claimed at the first attempt in the 2018-19 campaign, and after a season of consolidation they now head to Hartlepool as National League leaders for a fixture that could be described as a 'six-pointer'. 

From the Gulls' side that featured that day only Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, who was in his first loan spell from Bristol City, is the only survivor from that occasion who is likely to be lining up for the Gulls; Liam Davis featured that day at left-back, but he is still currently sidelined with injury.

Hartlepool themselves faced difficulties of their own that season, as a takeover by former Darlington chairman Raj Singh saved them from administration and possible liquidation. Like the Gulls, the Pools are now on track for a shot at a return to the Football League and they currently lie fourth in the National League table and they are unbeaten in all competitions so far this season. The appointment of former AFC Fylde boss Dave Challinor in November 2019 has helped to galvanise them. 

It's also nearly 30 years since the Gulls and the Pools both won promotion from the 'old' Fourth Division in the 1990-91 season. Torquay went up as play-off winners that season, following a sudden death penalty shoot-out win over Blackpool at Wembley, while Hartlepool went up automatically with Alan Murray steering them over the line after the late Cyril Knowles, who had managed the Gulls several years earlier, was taken ill with the brain tumour that would later claim his life. 

Could history repeat itself again 30 years later and see both sides promoted together again?

 

JOHNSON STRENGTHENS CHELTENHAM CONNECTION WITH ADDITION OF WATERS

There was another addition to the Plainmoor personnel who worked with Torquay United manager Gary Johnson at Cheltenham Town this week, as striker Billy Waters joined the Gulls on a short term basis. 

Waters, 26, started his career at Crewe Alexandra and joined Cheltenham after being released by the Railwaymen in 2015 and found the back of the net 11 times in 41 appearances, as the Robins became the first team to win the National League at the first attempt following relegation since Darlington in the 1989-90 season. 

He followed up the achievements of his first campaign with another fine goal scoring return as he found   the back of the net 16 times in 55 appearances to help Cheltenham retain their Football League status with a 21st place finish. Waters also won the Robins' player of the season award for the 2016-17 campaign. At the end of the season he secured a move to Northampton Town on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee; he was loaned out to Newport County towards the end of the 2019-20 season before he was released by the Cobblers. 

In joining the Gulls, Waters is reunited with his former strike partner Danny Wright, Asa Hall and United assistant manager Aaron Downes, who captained the Robins to the National League title in the 2015-16 season. Other former Cheltenham players currently with United include Jake Andrews, who was on loan at Whaddon Road in the 2017-18 season, and long term injury victim Liam Davis. United's head of recruitment Pete Johnson, brother of Gary, also performed the same role at Whaddon Road as did current Gulls' physio Kai Hepworth.

JOSLIN'S WAR-TIME FOOTBALLING EXPLOITS

Over the years a number of players have turned out for both Aldershot and Torquay United including former United keeper Phil Joslin, who appeared for the Shots alongside some of the greats of the game during the Second World War.

Although the outbreak of the war meant that league football was suspended in 1939, organised football continued on a regional basis and Joslin, who served in the Royal Engineers and saw action at Normandy, guested for a number of clubs.

Before the war he had made 135 appearances for Torquay United after joining the Magpies,as United were then known, from his hometown club Kingsteignton Athletic in 1936, and was even tipped as a future England international.

However, like many players of his generation, the outbreak of war interrupted his career but the Wartime League that was established in the wake of the suspension of the Football League meant that he could continue to play. Owing to the fact that many players who were serving the military were often stationed in different parts of the country and, in some cases, even overseas (Sir Tom Finney famously served in General Montgomery’s Eighth Army in Egypt), a number of them appeared as guest players for a variety of clubs.

Being based in London whilst on active service, Joslin turned out for a number of different sides including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Aldershot.

Whilst Arsenal were able to call established internationals who had played for them in peace time, including Ted Drake and Denis Compton, Aldershot’s status as a garrison town meant they were often able to call upon players who they could have only previously dreamed of signing. Between 1939 and 1945, the likes of Frank Swift, Tommy Lawton, Denis Compton, Cliff Britton, Stan Cullis and Joe Mercer all featured for the Shots in the Wartime League.

Joslin appeared alongside Cullis at Fulham and kept goal for an Aldershot side that included Lawton and Mercer. Cullis had won the FA Cup with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1939 – just before the outbreak of hostilities – while Lawton and Mercer had won the league with Everton in the 1938-39 season. After the war, Cullis and Mercer would both win the league title as managers; Cullis with Wolves in the 1953-54, 1957-58 and 1958-59 campaigns and Mercer with Manchester City in the 1967-68 season, Mercer also won the FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup with City in the 1969 and 1970 respectively and had a caretaker spell as England manager between the reigns of Sir Alf Ramsey and Don Revie.

In the two appearances that Joslin made for the Shots – who were captained by Mercer, who had also captained in many of the 26 wartime internationals he played for England – they faced Crystal Palace on both occasions - in 1943 and 1945. Their first meeting saw Palace win 5-2 and in their second encounter on March 23, 1945 they triumphed 3-1.

Once league football resumed in the 1946-47 season, Joslin returned to Plainmoor and spent two further campaigns with United before joining Cardiff City in 1948. In his first season with the Bluebirds he kept 15 clean sheets in 38 appearances, which included four in successive matches on two occasions. He was a virtual ever present for the Bluebirds for three seasons until he sustained a broken leg in a public trial match following a collision with striker Wilf Grant on the eve of the 1951-52 campaign. After he retired, he stayed in Cardiff and ran one of the city’s most popular pubs – the Three Arches until his death in 1981.

In 1998, the Herald Express ran a poll to find the club's greatest ever XI and Joslin was voted in as the team's goalkeeper. 

Footnote: In 2020, former Gulls loanee Kieffer Moore, who has also been capped by Wales, joined Cardiff City and emulated Phil Joslin by becoming the only other player to have appeared in the South Devon League (Joslin played for Kingsteignton Athletic and Moore turned out for Paignton Saints) and played for Torquay United and Cardiff City.

 

GULLS FACE RE-MATCH WITH RED DEVILS

Torquay United will be facing re-run of their fourth round FA Cup tie from the 2010-11 after they were paired with Crawley Town in the first round of the competition's 2020-21 edition. 

United lost 1-0 to the Red Devils in the fourth round in January 2011 before Crawley went on to be paired with Manchester United at Old Trafford in the fifth round. At the time of writing the two sides are separated by 13 places in the football pyramid, Gary Johnson's Gulls are second in the Vanaraman National League while John Yems' Red Devils are 13th in Skybet League Two. 

Elsewhere in the draw, Plymouth Argyle have been drawn away to Charlton Athletic in an all-League One affair. Only one place currently separates both clubs as the Pilgrims are ninth in the table and the Addicks are eighth. 

Exeter City were handed a home tie against National League North side AFC Fylde, whose manager Jim Bentley was a frequent visitor to St James Park during his days in charge of Morecambe. 

Finally, Yeovil Town will be on their travels as they face Bromley in an all-National League tie at Hayes Road. 

All ties will take place over the weekend of November 7, 2020 and all games will be taking place behind closed doors.

GULLS' CUP FORTUNES REFLECT THE IMPACT OF JOHNSON

By beating Southern League side Sholing FC in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday, Torquay United secured their fifth win from a possible seven in the competition since Gary Johnson was appointed as manager in September 2018. 

It was against Lymington FC that the Gulls' cup adventures under Johnson began, as they beat Lymington FC of the Wessex League 7-0 in the former Yeovil Town and Bristol City manager's second game in charge. This was followed by a 3-0 win away to Brightlingsea Regent and a 4-1 home win over Winchester City in the third and fourth qualifying rounds respectively before they bowed out to Woking 1-0 in the first round proper. 

United lined-up in the first round proper again in the 2019-20 season, as following a 3-2 win over fellow National League side Boreham Wood in a game that saw Jake Andrews, Jamie Reid and Ben Whitfield find the target. However, a 1-0 away defeat to Maidstone United saw the Gulls' run in the competition come to an abrupt end. 

Prior to Johnson's arrival at Plainmoor you had to go back to November 2011 to find United's last win in the FA Cup, which was a 3-1 away win against Chesterfield in the first round under the managerial reign of Martin Ling. This was particularly disappointing for the Gulls, as they had reached the fourth round - the furthest stage that they had ever reached in the competition - twice between 2007 and 2011 (2008-09 and 2010-11). 

With no fans allowed in stadiums due to coronavirus restrictions, the Plainmoor faithful are currently denied the chance of dreaming of an away tie to one of the fallen giants in League One such as Ipswich Town, Portsmouth or Sunderland, but the hope of progressing further in the competition remains undiminished. 

Ball numbers for South West clubs: 

17 Exeter City
35 Plymouth Argyle
74 Torquay Utd
77 Yeovil Town 

Other key numbers to watch out for: 

11. Charlton Athletic

23. Hull City

24. Ipswich Town

37. Portsmouth

44. Sunderland

48. Wigan Athletic 

GORDON ASTALL 1927-2020

Former Plymouth Argyle, Birmingham City, Torquay United and England winger Gordon Astall has passed away at the age of 93. 

Astall, who was born Horwich, near Bolton, was originally spotted by the Pilgrims when playing for the Royal Marines, at nearby Bickleigh, in 1947. He soon became a regular for Argyle and helped them to win the Third Division South title in the 1951-52 season.

A year later, he signed for Birmingham City and as a goalscoring outside right - a right winger in modern parlence - he starred for the Blues as they lifted the Second Division title in the 1954-55 campaign. This was later followed by an appearance in the 1956 FA Cup final which Birmingham lost 3-1 to Manchester City, which is most notable for Man City keeper Bert Trautmann playing on with a broken neck. 

His club displays later earned him international recognition as he made his debut for England against Finland on May 20, 1956; six days later he won the second of his two England caps in a 3-1 win over West Germany, which is widely remembered for the virtuoso display by Manchester United's Duncan Edwards, who would sadly perish in the Munich Air Crash in 1958. 

In 1960, Astall featured for Birmingham City in their appearance in the final of the Inter Cities Fairs Cup - which later became the UEFA Cup - against Barcelona. 

A year later, he left St Andrews to return to Devon and joined Torquay United on a free transfer. Astall was one of many players who made the journey from the Blues to United in this period, including Robin Stubbs, Torquay's star player of the 1960s who joined United from Birmingham for £6,000 in 1963. Despite scoring ten goals in 27 appearances in the 1961-62 season, Astall was unable to prevent Torquay from being relegated from the Third Division to the Fourth Division. He appeared a further six times for United in the 1962-63 season before retiring from professional football. 

Upon retiring, Astall remained in South Devon and worked in insurance and coached local side Upton Vale and even donned his boots again for Torbay Gentlemen. He was also a keen golfer and also played bowls and darts.

At the time of his passing he was the oldest living former England international.

Ahead of the VE Day 75 celebrations, and despite suffering from dementia, Astall was visited by two young hopefuls from Plymouth Argyle's development squad - one of which was Adam Randell, who is currently on loan at Plainmoor from the Pilgrims. 

FUNDING FOR NATIONAL LEAGUE CLUBS CONFIRMED

The National League has confirmed how the government funding to compensate its member clubs for playing matches behind closed doors will be distributed. 

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced that the clubs in the National League, National League South will receive a £10 million funding package as part of a partnership with The National Lottery.

Fans had originally been set to return to watch live sport on October 1, but due to a rise in Covid-19 infections nationally the government made a U-turn on it's original decision, and it might not be until the end of March 2021 at the earliest when clubs can open their gates to paying spectators again. 

It comes after the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport assured the National League that emergency financial support would be forthcoming so that it was able to start the season earlier this month. All 66 clubs are playing football this season as a result.

Dowden said: "I know from a brilliant club in my area that National League football clubs are the beating heart of their communities and too precious to lose. This £10 million fund will provide a bridge to help clubs survive this immediate crisis whilst we work together on the safe return of fans.

"I’m very grateful to National Lottery players for getting help to these community clubs so quickly".

The support package, which will reach clubs via the FA, will be allocated based on each club's average attendances. It will see the top seven best supported sides in the National League, which includes Torquay United and Yeovil Town, receiving £95,000 per month, while the remaining 16 sides in the division will receive £84,000 per month. In National Leagues North and South will get £30,000 a month, while Chester FC, Dulwich Hamlet, Hereford FC, Maidstone United and York City will be given £36,000 a month based on the same model used in the National League. 

FIVE TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS DOVER ATHLETIC

 1. Kyle Cameron becomes United's seventh different goal scorer of 2020-21.

By netting a first half brace for the Gulls against Dover Athletic, as well as becoming United's leading scorer of the 2020-21 campaign Kyle Cameron also became the seventh different player to score for Gary Johnson's men in the process. Cameron scored his first on 26 minutes when he turned home the rebound after Dover keeper Yussuff Mersin and one minute before half-time he headed home a corner from Connor Lemonheigh-Evans. He joins a list that includes Lemonheigh-Evans, Adam Randell, Danny Wright, Louis Britton and Asa Hall. 

2. United's first win of the season without a late winner. 

Saturday's result was also the first time this season that Torquay United have secured a win without requiring a late minute winner.

3. Dean Moxey slots in impressively at left-back.

Over the years Torquay United have been blessed with many fine left-backs, including John Uzzell, Tom Kelly, Paul Gibbs, Robbie Herrera, Brian McGlinchey, Kevin Nicholson and, in more recent times, Liam Davis. However, following an injury sustained to Davis that was taking longer to heal than expected Gary Johnson moved to bring in Dean Moxey following his release by Exeter City at the end of the 2019-20 campaign. Despite missing the opening three games of the season due to a suspension carried over from his red card in the Grecians' League Two play-off final defeat to Northampton Town, Moxey has slotted seamlessly into the United side. He has displayed much of the experience and know how which saw him appear over 20 times for Crystal Palace in the Premier League. In the 53rd minute for the Gulls against Dover, he produced a precision cross for Aaron Nemane which saw the Frenchman hit the post, which, if it had gone in, would certainly have ended the game as a contest.

4. Adam Randell impresses in midfield again. 

In the week that Plymouth Argyle manager Ryan Lowe likened Adam Randell to Gary Johnson's Lee in an interview with Plymouth Live, Pilgrims loanee Randell produced another impressive display in the centre of midfield and was unlucky not to find the back of the net on two occasions. The first came in first half injury time when he had a free-kick turned behind by Mersin and in the 66th minute he had a long range effort that narrowly dipped over the bar. What's probably most pleasing for Gulls' fans is that Lowe hinted that Randell might well remain at Plainmoor until January 2021 at the very earliest. 

5. Top of the league - for a few hours at least. 

Owing to Stockport County's late kick off against Chesterfield and Hartlepool United's fixture against Barnet being postponed due to several Bees' players failing a Covid test, the Gulls briefly topped the National League table. However, the Hatters won 2-1 against the Spireites, which sees United drop to second place on goal difference. Aside from the 2018-19 campaign in National League South, those few hours represented the first time that the Gulls had lead any division since September 2010, when they briefly topped League Two under Paul Buckle.

FIVE TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS CHESTERFIELD

 1. 'Gary' time. 

When they were at their imperious best under Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United developed a habit of scoring late winners, which played a major role in establishing them as English football's dominant force. Under Gary Johnson in 2020, Torquay United appear to be developing a similar trait as they secured their third win from four National League encounters - all of which have included goals scored in injury time. United's winner against Chesterfield - scored by either Ben Wynter or Asa Hall depending on your point of view joined a list that includes Connor Lemonheigh-Evans late effort against Stockport County and Danny Wright's penalty in the dying minutes away at Bromley. How many more times could the Gulls win with late winners this season?

2. Whose goal was it anyway? 

Debate has raged as to whether it was right-back Ben Wynter or skipper Asa Hall who got the last touch to turn Jake Andrews' late corner past Chesterfield keeper Kyle Letheren to seal a third late win for the Gulls. Without viewing the match highlights for a second look there is one extra bit of information that I would add and that is: if Hall's initial connection with Andrews' delivery was on target then it would be deemed to be his goal. If not then it's Wynter's goal.

3. Spreading goals around the team. 

For the last two season's Jamie Reid has led the Gulls' goalscoring charts by a considerable distance.  Reid, now of Mansfield Town, scored 32 times as United clinched the National League South title in 2018-19. He was the Gulls' leading scorer by some distance again in the curtailed 2019-20 campaign - finding the back of the net 21 times in all competitions, with Ben Whitfield being United's next highest scorer with seven. So far this season the Gulls have found the back of the net six times, with six different players finding the back of the net. Will this prove to be a familiar trend throughout the season, or will another Jamie Reid emerge from the pack? 

4. United's best start to a season since the 2010-11 campaign. 

By winning three games out of their first four, United have recorded their best start to a season since the 2010-11 campaign, when they won their opening four League Two fixtures under Paul Buckle - a feat that helped to earn Buckle the division's manager of the month award for August 2010. However, the monthly prizes in the National League in 2020 aren't being handed out just yet, and Gary Johnson will be more than happy about that. When Johnson led Cheltenham Town to the National League title in the 2015-16 season, the Robins made a steady, but unspectacular start, but county neighbours Forest Green Rovers flew out of the traps by winning their opening nine league fixtures. However, come the end of the season, Johnson's Robins won the league title by 11 points to secure an immediate return to the Football League while Forest Green were forced to settle for the play-offs. 

5. Should Asa Hall start against Dover on Saturday? 

As well as the debate as to whether it was he or Ben Wynter who scored United's winner, the other question surrounding Asa Hall is whether Gary Johnson should start against Dover Athletic on Saturday. Regardless it was his goal or not, it could be successfully argued that Hall made an impact when he came on for United with ten minutes to go, just as he did against Stockport County on the opening day of the campaign when he entered the fray in the 79th minute. Whilst he featured for 69 minutes in their 2-1 defeat away at Eastleigh, Johnson had previously stated that he would manage Hall's return to action after a calf injury forced him to miss a large part of the Gulls' pre-season preparations. Plymouth Argyle loanee Adam Randell continued to impress against the Spireites - as it was his precision pass that picked out Ben Whitfield, who then produced the cross that found Bristol City loanee Louis Britton to give the Gulls the lead. One thing is definitely certain - Johnson has a selection dilemma, albeit a pleasant one!

RANDELL SIGNING RENEWS GULLS' LINKS WITH PILGRIMS

In recent times much has been made of the links between Bristol City and Torquay United, especially under the managerial reigns of Gary Owers and Gary Johnson. 

The Gulls' links with Ashton Gate were particularly strengthened following the appointment of Johnson, whose son Lee was in charge of the Robins until the summer when he was replaced by Dean Holden. Over the course of their two respective managerial stints, the Gulls have loaned George Dowling, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans (four times), Jake Andrews, Opi Edwards, Robbie Cundy, Saikou Janneh and, most recently, Louis Britton. 

However, a connection with another of United's South West neighbours has been revived with the loan signing of Adam Randell from Plymouth Argyle. Randell, 20, made his debut for the Gulls on the opening day of the season against Stockport County, after coming off the sub's bench. He then followed this up with his first goal for the club away to Bromley, with a shot from the edge of the penalty area which went in off the post. 

Randell is the latest in a long line of players who have made the journey from Home Park since John Uzzell and John Matthews were signed for the Gulls by the late Cyril Knowles in 1989. While Matthews remained with Torquay for just one season - Uzzell became a regular for the Gulls, and even had a spell as joint caretaker manager with Wes Saunders during the 1991-92 season before he was forced to retire after suffering a horrific facial injury in a clash with Brentford's Gary Blissett. 

Uzzell was later joined at Plainmoor by Tommy Tynan and Peter Whiston, who were brought to Torquay by former Pilgrims' boss Dave Smith ahead of the 1990-91 campaign, which would see the Gulls promoted via the Play-Offs- as they defeated Blackpool 5-4 on penalties after drawing 2-2 over 90 minutes and extra time. Tynan finished the season as United's joint-top scorer with 19 goals and Whiston later moved onto Exeter City, Southampton and Shrewsbury Town.

The next player to make the journey down the A38 was Argyle's all-time appearance holder, Kevin Hodges, who joined Torquay initially on loan during the 1991-92 campaign and later made the move permanently in the following season after he was released by Peter Shilton. On arriving at Plainmoor, he joined another former Pilgrim who had also been let go by Shilton in the form of ex Brentford and Millwall defender Danis Salman- who briefly worked as the Gulls' youth coach.

Hodges later went to hold the title of youth coach himself, and, in 1996, he was appointed as manager of the Gulls, following the departure of Eddie May; one of his first acts on taking charge was to bring in Steve McCall as part of his backroom staff from Argyle.

Although, due to his age, McCall wasn't the quickest or the most mobile, the one time Ipswich Town starlet- who played for the Tractor Boys in their 1981 UEFA Cup triumph against AZ Alkmaar- still managed to combine playing with coaching the youth side and assisting Hodges with the first team.

He even managed to roll back the years in the Gulls' Third Division Play-Off semi-final second leg against Scarborough, in the 1997-98 season, with a stunning long range strike from the edge of the penalty area.

Two of his midfield colleagues in that side were Gary Clayton and Chris Leadbitter, who had both helped the Pilgrims win promotion through the Play-Offs under Neil Warnock in the 1995-96 season.

The next batch of Green cast-offs would help form the backbone of one of the most successful Torquay sides in recent times: Leroy Rosenior's automatic promotion winning side of the 2003-04 season.

Martin Gritton was the first player to be brought to Plainmoor from Home Park by Leroy when he signed for the Gulls at the start of the 2002-03 campaign.'Gritts' finished the season as the Gulls' top scorer with 16 goals and was voted as runner-up in United's Player of the season award.

He would later be joined at TQ1 by Kevin Wills, Joe Broad, Craig Taylor and Brian McGlinchey. The latter two both joined the Gulls following successful loan spells and both featured in the Gulls' starting line-up in their final day victory over Southend United, which clinched Torquay's first automatic promotion in 38 years. Centre-back Taylor captained the Gulls' side during that season and left back McGlinchey was regarded as the 'final piece in the jigsaw' of that team as he made the spot on the left hand side of the defence his own.

Following their promotion triumph, Martin 'Buster' Phillips became the next Pilgrim to become a Gull. Phillips, who had been hailed as Britain's first £10million footballer by Alan Ball when he moved from Exeter City to Manchester City in 1995, became one of the select band of players to have represented all three of Devon's professional clubs and remained at Plainmoor until 2007- when he was forced to retire after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

During his three years with the Gulls, he also appeared alongside another of his former Argyle team-mates Mickey Evans, who made 14 appearances for the Gulls and scored once during the 2006-07 season- after making the move from Home Park- before hanging up his boots. 

Later that season Ryan Dickson and Reuben Reid joined the Gulls on loan as they failed to avoid being relegated from the Football League for the first time in their history. Dickson would later return to the Gulls in the 2018-19 season before joining Truro City in the summer of 2020.

The following campaign saw Scott Laird join the Gulls on loan from the Pilgrims at the start of a career which would be mainly spent with Stevenage and Preston North End.

Former Torquay assistant manager Lee Hodges arrived at Plainmoor in 2008, and helped the Gulls win promotion back into the Football League and before joining Truro City as a player before being appointed as manager in 2011.

Current Burnley striker Ashley Barnes can often be seen on Match of the Day on most Saturday nights striking fear into numerous Premier League defences for Sean Dyche’s Clarets. However, this is a far cry from the loan spell he spent at Plainmoor in the 2009-10 season, where he failed to find the back of the net in six appearances.

Fast forward four years and Plymouth-born Luke Young made the switch to Plainmoor after making over 100 appearances for the Pilgrims – after he was released by John Sheridan. Young proved to be something of a cult hero for the Gulls, as he won the club’s player of the year award three out of the four seasons he spent with United (2014-15, 2016-17 & 2017-18) until he joined Wrexham following the Gulls’ relegation from the National League in 2018.

Young was later joined by right-back Durrell Berry who initially joined on non-contract forms under Chris Hargreaves before returning towards the end of Paul Cox's brief reign at Plainmoor. He then played a key role in the 2015-16 'great escape' under Kevin Nicholson before a broken leg sustained at Dover Athletic curtailed his career. 

In his final season at Plainmoor, Young was joined by another two players who both joined United from the Pilgrims. French goalkeeper Vincent Dorel, a former understudy to Luke McCormick, was brought in a caretaker manager Robbie Herrera following a goalkeeping crisis and Dorel soon made the position his own. The other Pilgrim who joined the Gulls was young striker Alex Fletcher, who hails from Newton Abbot, who made a handful of appearances on loan from Argyle before returning to Home Park.