Prior to the start of the 2014-15 season, Torquay United met Yeovil Town in pre-season friendly with Chris Hargreaves at the helm of the Gulls and Gary Johnson in charge of the Glovers.
However, when they meet each other in the National League in the 2022-23 campaign, possibly over the festive period, they will do so in the opposite roles to the ones that they held eight years ago after Hargreaves recently took charge at Huish Park.
In his first managerial role since he left Plainmoor in 2015, Hargreaves' long term aim is to emulate what Johnson achieved with the Glovers nearly 20 years ago - namely to lead them into the Football League. As a player, he famously captained the Gulls to promotion from the Blue Square Premier, as it was then known, in 2009 alongside his newly appointed assistant Chris Todd.
After leading the Glovers into the Football League in 2003, Johnson then went on to lead Yeovil into League One in 2005 before Bristol City secured his services. He then steered the Robins into the Championship in the 2006-07 campaign, which he then followed up leading them to the Championship play-off final in 2008, where they were beaten by Hull City.
Johnson left Ashton Gate in 2010 and spells with Peterborough United and Northampton Town before he returned to Huish Park midway through the 2011-12 season. In the following 2012-13 campaign, he guided the Glovers into the Championship against the odds - as they beat Brentford 2-1 in the League One play-off final. However, their stay in the second tier only lasted for one season and he then departed Huish Park in January 2015.
Next up for Johnson was a spell in charge of Cheltenham Town, who led to the National League title at the first attempt in 2015-16, and he remained with the Robins until his dismissal in early September 2018 - shortly before his arrival at Plainmoor.
His impact with the Gulls was immediate as he led them to the National League South title in the 2018-19 season, after being in 14th place at the time of his appointment. Two years later, the Gulls missed out on a return to the Football League when they lost on penalties in the National League play-off final against Hartlepool United.
As well as the connections both men have with the opposing club adding an extra dimension to next season's fixtures, it will also be the only local derby for either side following Weymouth's relegation to National League South. They may not be in the same county, but they both have stands sponsored by Thatcher's Cider - so 'Cider Collider' sounds like quite an apt name for when they both meet.
