For Torquay United and Gary Johnson, their challenge is to achieve something that has only ever been done four times in the National League before - namely win promotion through the Play-offs after losing in the previous season's final.
Exeter City in 2008, Grimsby Town in 2016, Forest Green Rovers in 2017 and Tranmere Rovers in 2018 all triumphed after losing out a year earlier and the Gulls will be looking to do the same as they aim to exorcise the memories of their defeat to Hartlepool at Ashton Gate last June.
Johnson has rebuilt his squad over the summer, following the departures of goal scoring goalkeeper Lucas Covolan to Port Vale, Kyle Cameron and Aaron Nemane to Notts County and Ben Whitfield to Stockport County with ten new signings.
An initial seven signings were revealed in a transfer ‘manic monday'; they included goalkeepers Mark Halstead (Morecambe) and Marcin Brozozowski (QPR), centre back Ali Omar (Barnsley), left-back Dan Martin (Cardiff City), central midfielder Tom Lapslie (Colchester United), winger Keelan O’Connell (AFC Bournemouth) and striker Klaidi Lolos (Plymouth Argyle). They were later joined by trialists Chiori Johnson, Dan Holman and Gabby Rogers.
The signing of Holman could prove to be something of a wildcard from Johnson. Holman scored
16 times in 18 appearances for Cheltenham Town in the second half of the 2015-16 campaign and played a key role in helping the Robins win
the National League title. If he can get
close to emulating that return for the Gulls then his signing would be seen as a masterstroke.
During the course of pre-season central defender Ali Omar has developed a promising centre back partnership with Joe Lewis, and Omar could yet to prove to be the 'Nemanja Vidic' to Lewis' 'Rio Ferdinand'.
A midfield containing Asa Hall, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, Armani Little and Jake Andrews will always have the potential to chip in with a number of goals; Hall found the back of the net 14 times last season, while Lemonheigh-Evans scored 11 goals. The signing of Tom Lapslie will help add some extra grit to the centre of midfield and the arrivals of Keelan O'Connell and Gabby Rogers could yet compensate for the departures of Ben Whitfield and Aaron Nemane.
Despite their achievements last season the Gulls haven't been mentioned as one of the league's front runners, no doubt in part due to the big spending of the likes of Wrexham and Stockport. However with Gary Johnson in charge, United will always have the potential of being a match for anyone. Also, let's not forget that their Play-off success of 2008-09 under Paul Buckle was achieved after a failed title challenge which saw them lose out to Aldershot Town a year earlier.
The Gulls may not come as close to winning the title as they did last season - United finished four points behind eventual champions Sutton - but another Play-off challenge certainly isn't beyond their capabilities.
Player to Watch: Joe Lewis
The former Gulls loanee returned to Plainmoor on a permanent basis from Swansea City in January 2021, and the former Wales Under-21 international has established himself as a regular in the heart of the United backline. A graduate of the Swansea academy who were responsible for unearthing five of the Wales squad for Euro 2020 - including Joe Rodon and Dan James - Lewis could yet feature for the Dragons at senior level.
Young hopeful: Gabby Rogers
When Torquay United closed their youth academy in 2015, Gabby Rogers - the son of former Plymouth Argyle winger Andy Rogers - was a number of young hopefuls who were forced to look elsewhere to continue their careers in the game. Rogers eventually followed former Gulls' youth supremo Geoff Harrop to Yeovil Town; after initially breaking through with the Glovers in the 2018-19 campaign, he was released at the end of the 2020-21 season and Gary Johnson has now given him the chance to kick-start his career back at Plainmoor.
In: Mark Halstead (Morecambe), Marcin Brozozowski (QPR), Ali Omar (Barnsley), Dan Martin (Cardiff City), Tom Lapslie (Colchester United), Keelan O'Connell (AFC Bournemouth), Klaidi Lolos (Plymouth Argyle), Dan Holman (Unattached), Chiori Johnson (Welling United), Gabby Rogers (Yeovil Town)
Out: Lucas Covolan (Port Vale), Kyle Cameron & Aaron Nemane (Notts County), Ben Whitfield (Stockport County), Shaun MacDonald, Matt Buse & Josh Umerah (Wealdstone), Gary Warren (Tiverton Town), Owen Price (Buckland Athletic), Liam Davis, JJ Evans
