In the wake of Torquay United's struggles at the foot of the National League, it has been suggested whether it would be a good idea to move the Gulls training base further up country in order to help them to attract better players.
For many United managers of yesteryear their main priorities have been 'contacts, contacts and contacts' and 'recruitment, recruitment, recruitment,' in their aim to secure the signatures of potential signings, but could 'location, location, location' soon be the new buzz words for the Gulls?
Moving a club's training ground to a different geographical location certainly isn't unheard of in modern times. For example, Barrow, now of League Two, train just outside Manchester in Salford and many of their players only visit the Cumbrian town on matchdays and Hereford FC, currently of National League North and managed by former Gulls defender Josh Gowling, have moved their training base to Warwick University.
Both clubs have stated that their choice of locations has enabled them to increase the catchment area of players that they could potentially recruit - and Gowling has even gone on record as saying that Hereford don't have the budget to be able to get players to relocate.
Nevertheless, whilst these plans have been beneficial to both Barrow and Hereford, it is also worth considering a couple of points before we start working out whether a similar modus operandi would work for Torquay United.
Firstly, United have use of the Lodge in Marnham Road, which used to provide accomodation for United's trainees and is currently home to many of the Gulls' first team.
Secondly, in the past a number of United managers have got around the issues posed by relocation by allowing players to train with clubs nearer to their home during the week. For example, during the late 1960s under the reign of the late Frank O'Farrell, who made use of his contacts with his former club West Ham United. O'Farrell reached a special agreement with the likes of John Bond and Ken Brown which allowed them to train with the Hammers during the week with Ron Greenwood and join up with their teammates in Torquay a day or two before each home game - if relocation was an issue for them.
Several years later when Wes Saunders persuaded the legendary former Everton and Wales goalkeeper Neville Southall to sign for the Gulls following an injury to Kenny Veysey, Southall combined his playing role at Plainmoor with coaching the goalkeepers at Huddersfield Town and Tranmere Rovers. Indeed Southall would very often train with his teammates on a Friday before home matches and spend the evening at the Palace Hotel in Torquay. Whilst warming up with his teenage understudy Ryan Northmore, Southall was often seen sporting a Tranmere Rovers tracksuit top!
Of course, we live in a very different times now with United now a non-league club and currently operating in what is a very competitive environment. However, surely reviving the aforementioned agreements, which have served the Gulls well in the past, should be worth considering first ahead of any plans to relocate the club's training facilities.
