In the wake of Scotland's qualification for Euro 2020, we will now have a closer look at two former Torquay United players from north of the border who remain amongst the most popular Scotsman to have appeared for the Gulls.
A top forward partnership is worth its weight in gold – so it’s no wonder Torquay United fans recall the David Graham and Martin Gritton double act almost two decades ago.
Both of them hailed from north of the border and performed a key role in helping to transform the Gulls from relegation strugglers to promotion contenders under the managerial reign of Leroy Rosenior.
Although they were both compatriots – their respective journeys to Plainmoor were markedly different.
Edinburgh-born Graham had progressed through the youth ranks of Scottish giants Rangers and made a handful of appearances for the Gers in the 1998-99 season – which included a UEFA Cup tie with Irish side Shelbourne and a substitute appearance in an Old Firm game against Celtic – and was capped eight times by Scotland at Under-21 level. After failing to break into the Rangers’ first team under Dick Advocaat, Graham joined Dunfermline Athletic – but several managerial changes saw him fall out of favour with the Pars and when Colin Lee signed him for United on non-contract terms in March 2001 his career was at a crossroads. Two goals in five games played a key part in helping the Gulls beat relegation – including United’s third in their infamous 3-2 final day decider away to fellow strugglers Barnet.
If Graham took the high road to South Devon, then it could be argued that Gritton took the low road. His route to Plainmoor was not the one that would be considered to be orthodox for most professional footballers. A life-long Celtic fan, Gritton’s family moved from Glasgow to Cornwall when he was five years old and his footballing education came through playing for Porthleven in the Jewson South Western League, for whom he also enjoyed a fine run in the FA Vase in the 1997-98 campaign. He combined this with University football – he graduated with a degree in Sports Science from the University of Portsmouth in 1999 – before joining Plymouth Argyle. Initially, he struck up a promising partnership with Ian Stonebridge, but found himself down the pecking order following the arrival of former Dundee United and Scotland striker Paul Sturrock as successor to Kevin Hodges. Gritton was loaned out to Yeovil Town and Shelbourne in the Republic of Ireland before becoming one of Rosenior’s first signings ahead of the 2002-03 season.
Owing to a suspension carried over from the previous season for Graham, which saw him miss the first three games of the season, there was a delay in the duo starting together on the opening day of the season against Bristol Rovers. Despite this, it proved to be an occasion to remember for Gritton - he headed home a cross from fellow debutant Neil Prince to score the Gulls’ equaliser on the stroke of half-time as United won 2-1, with Alex Russell adding United’s second from the penalty spot in the second half. It proved to be a day of many firsts for the Gulls - it was also Rosenior’s first game in charge following his appointment as successor to Roy McFarland.
The pair started together for the first time on September 7, 2002, in an away game against Oxford United. The Gulls drew 2-2 with Graham finding the target along with Tony Bedeau. Just under a month later, Graham and Gritton were on target in the same match for the first time in a 2-1 away win against Carlisle United at Brunton Park.
Gritton’s goal against the Cumbrians was his first for United since the opening day of the campaign, and he then went on to finish the season with 16 goals in all competitions to his name whilst Graham ended the campaign with 15. Gritton’s efforts also saw him voted as runner-up in the club’s player of the year award – sandwiched between Jason Fowler in third and the overall winner Alex Russell.
If the 2002-03 season belonged to Gritton, then the 2003-04 campaign was very much the property of Graham. He found the back of the net 23 times - in all competitions, lifted the Gulls’ player of the year award and was named in the PFA Division Three team of the season for 2003-04. He also netted United’s crucial second goal in their 2-1 win over Southend United which helped the Gulls seal automatic promotion for the first time in 38 years at the expense of Huddersfield Town.
An injury sustained in pre-season meant that the 2003-04 campaign was something of a stop-start season for Gritton. In his absence, former Arsenal trainee Jo Kuffour linked up well with Graham to good effect. However, out of the four goals that he scored during the course of the campaign his winning goal on February 21, 2004, against a Hull City side managed by former England Under-21 boss Peter Taylor proved to be amongst the most crucial scored by a United player.
Graham’s impressive displays soon attracted the attention of clubs higher up the footballing food chain - Wigan paid United £215,000 for his services in the summer of 2004. Whilst with the Latics, Graham would taste promotion success once again, as Paul Jewell led Wigan to the Premier League for the first time ever in the 2004-05 season.
Gritton, however, would remain at Plainmoor a little longer as he left for Grimsby Town in December 2004 for a fee of £7,500, after finding the back of the net six times for the Gulls in League One. This included a brace in a 2-0 win over Stockport County in September, which gave United their first away win in the third tier since the 1971-72 season (the Gulls had failed to register a win away from Plainmoor in the 1991-92 campaign– their only previous season at that level between those eras).
The pair would return to the Gulls later in their careers on loan; Graham in the 2006-07 season and Gritton in the 2010-11 campaign. Both their respective loan spells saw them fail to find the back of the net, but the magic of their first spells will live long in the memory of those who witnessed them in action.
An abridged version of this article appeared in Late Tackle Magazine Issue 68 Sept/Oct 2020
