Over 20 years ago, Torquay United faced Barnet on the final day of the 2000-01 season in a final day relegation decider against Barnet at Underhill.
United needed a draw to stay to retain their Football League status while the Bees needed to win. The Gulls triumphed 3-2 on the day with goals from Jason Rees, Kevin Hill and David Graham to stay up at the Bees' expense.
We will now look back at the fortunes of the 14 players who featured for United that day.
Stuart Jones:
Stuart Jones wrote himself into Torquay United folklore after famously saving Darren Currie’s penalty shortly before David Graham scored United’s third and decisive goal. However, it proved to be his final appearance for the Gulls – after Roy McFarland signed Kevin Dearden in the following close season. Jones then enjoyed a nomadic career with spells at Chester City, Barry Town and Brighton and Hove Albion amongst before he finished his career with Accrington Stanley in 2006. Recently, he had a spell as manager of Ashton and Backwell United in the Western League.
Ryan Green:
A one-time Wales international, who broke Ryan Giggs’ record as the principality’s youngest ever player in 1998, Ryan Green had joined the Gulls on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers. His inadvertant own goal, which looped over Jones saw Barnet reduce the score to 3-1 in the second half. Green would later make his name as a player in two spells with Hereford United and Bristol Rovers. He was part of the Bulls’ who won promotion back into the Football League in the 2005-06 season and he helped Bristol Rovers win promotion from League Two in the 2006-07 campaign.
Jimmy Aggrey:
United’s player of the year in the 2000-01 season, Jimmy Aggrey only made a further two appearances for the Gulls after he was transfer-listed by Roy McFarland and left Plainmoor midway through the 2001-02 campaign. Aggrey went on to appear for Dover Athletic under former United team-mate Neville Southall and would also have a brief spell with Yeovil Town under current Gulls manager Gary Johnson. He would also have stints in Wales with TNS and the Republic of Ireland with Dublin-based side Bohemians. Aggrey would later embark on an acting career and starred as William Laurent Dioup in Sky One’s Dream Team.
Lee Russell:
Former Portsmouth defender Lee Russell would also leave Plainmoor during the 2001-02 season and went on to have spells with Forest Green Rovers and Weymouth.
Paul Holmes:
The holder of the unique distinction of being the only player to have played in both Torquay’s 1991 Division Four play-off final against Blackpool and the Gulls’ relegation decided against Barnet, Paul Holmes remained at Plainmoor until his release at the end of the 2002-03 season.
Tony Bedeau:
A product of the Gulls’ youth set-up, Tony Bedeau remained with United long enough to receive a testimonial from the club in 2005. During this time, he was part of the Gulls’ side who won automatic promotion under Leroy Rosenior in the 2003-04 season. Bedeau left United to join Walsall in 2006, but would return as one of Paul Buckle’s early signings ahead of the 2007-08 season and stayed for a further year before returning to his native London, where he finished his career with Kingstonian.
Richard Kell:
Following the Gulls’ victory over Barnet, a permanent deal looked set to be on the cards for former Middlesbrough starlet Richard Kell. However, Roy McFarland’s capture of Alex Russell as his first signing as United manager put paid to the prospects of that. Kell then signed for Scunthorpe United and was part of the Iron side that won promotion from League Two in the 2004-05 season. He later had spells with Barnsley and Lincoln City and currently works as a commercial airline pilot.
Jason Rees:
The scorer of United’s first goal against the Bees, Jason Rees remained with Torquay United for a further season before he was released by Roy McFarland. He then dropped into the South West non-league scene and signed for Tiverton Town.
Kevin Hill:
When Kevin Hill headed home Paul Holmes’ corner to score United’s second goal that afternoon at Underhill, he further cemented his status as a Torquay United legend. Hill would later form part of the Gulls’ automatic promotion side of 2003-04 under Leroy Rosenior. He is one of three players to have appeared against Barnet in 2001 and against Southend United in 2004 – when United sealed promotion. Hill was also part of another of the Gulls’ ‘great escape’ sides in the 2005-06 season, when they stayed up under Ian Atkins against the odds. In 2008, he beat Dennis Lewis’ long standing club appearance record, when he came off the bench in the 2008 FA Trophy final against Ebbsfleet United. Hill then appeared for Dorchester Town, Tiverton Town and Exmouth Town, and is currently managing the latter in the Western League.
Eifion Williams:
Former Gulls’ record signing Eifion Williams provided the assist for David Graham’s third goal. Nevertheless, he would later leave Plainmoor for Hartlepool United in March 2002 – the club he famously scored a hat-trick against on his Gulls’ debut in 1999. He helped the Pools win automatic promotion from Division Three in the 2003-04 season.
David Graham:
The scorer of United’s third and decisive goal, David Graham made his loan move from Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic permanent in the summer of 2002. Graham famously scored the Gulls’ all-important second goal in their 2-1 win over Southend United on the final day of the 2003-04 campaign, which clinched their first automatic promotion since 1966. He was also named in the Division Three team of the season for the 2003-04 season – shortly before he earned a £215,000 move to Wigan Athletic. Spells at Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town and Bradford City followed before he returned to Plainmoor briefly on loan in the 2006-07 campaign. Graham would later have stints with Gillingham and Lincoln City before dropping into non-league football with Ilkeston Town and Sheffield FC.
Subs:
Mick O’Brien:
Another player to leave Plainmoor during the 2001-02 season, O’Brien would later have spells with Chester City and Droylsden before returning to Everton, where he won an FA Youth Cup winners’ medal in 1998, as an academy coach.
John Gayle:
Veteran striker John Gayle returned to his native West Midlands to sign for Moor Green – who would later merge with Solihull Borough to become Solihull Moors – following his release by the Gulls in the summer of 2001. He would later return to Devon to manage Devon League sides Totnes and Dartington and Newton Abbot FC.
Alex Watson:
After serving as player-assistant manager under Wes Saunders, Alex Watson left Plainmoor to sign for Exeter City before the start of the 2001-02 season, where he remained for two seasons before spells with Taunton Town and Clevedon Town. Watson later worked as a football coach at South Devon College and later worked with the Devon FA. He is currently working as coach for Saints South West.
