As Torquay United and Yeovil Town prepare to meet each other home and away for the fourth season in a row in the National League over the festive period, we will look at an XI made up of players who have served both clubs over the years.
Steve Collis:
Despite spending most of his five years at Huish Park, between 2001 and 2006, as an understudy to Chris Weale, Steve Collis would also serve under Gary Johnson at Bristol City, Peterborough United and Northampton Town. His solitary appearance for the Gulls came on the final day of the 2009-10 season in a 0-0 draw with Notts County after he was drafted in on a seven-day emergency loan.
Derek Dawkins:
Voted as the Gulls' cult hero in a poll run by the BBC's Football Focus show, Derek 'the Dude' Dawkins wrote his name into Torquay United folklore when he scored the winning goal in the Gulls' League Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur in 1987. Dawkins also combined playing for the Gulls with coaching the club's youth side, and his young charges included a certain Lee Sharpe. On leaving the Gulls in 1988 he had spells with Newport County, Yeovil and Gloucester City.
Adam Lockwood:
A stalwart of the Yeovil side that won the FA Trophy in 2002 and Conference title a year later under Gary Johnson, Adam Lockwood joined the Gulls on loan during the 2005-06 season under Leroy Rosenior. He made 12 appearances in all competitions and scored three goals - which included the winner in United's second round FA Cup tie against Notts County. Lockwood returned to Huish Park and then returned to his native Yorkshire to sign for Doncaster Rovers, who he captained to promotion to the Championship in the 2007-08 season.
Gary Warren:
Having made his name in non-league circles with Mangotsfield Town and Newport County, Gary Warren headed north to join Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2011, but returned to the Westcountry in 2018 to join Yeovil and he stayed for one season before moving on to Exeter City and arrived on a permanent basis in the summer of 2020, after an initial loan spell during the 2019-20 campaign. Since leaving Plainmoor he has had spells with Tiverton Town and Clachanuddin in the Highland League.
Liam Davis:
Liam Davis joined the Glovers in 2013, after having previously played under Gary Johnson at Northampton Town. He was a regular in their season in the Championship in 2013-14 and was released by Paul Sturrock at the end of the 2014-15 campaign. A spell in Sweden followed before he was reunited with Johnson at Cheltenham and he joined the Gulls in the 2017-18 season when he was signed by Kevin Nicholson. Despite never appearing under Nicholson due to injury, he was an ever present under his successor Gary Owers but unfortunately couldn't help prevent United from being relegated to National League South. He was also an ever present for the Gulls in the 2018-19 campaign, as they clinched the National League South title under Johnson. His career was ended by an ankle injury sustained in an FA Cup tie with Maidstone United.
Steve Morrall:
A University educated right winger who drew comparisons with Liverpool wide man Steve Heighway, who himself had a University background, Steve Morrall first broke into the Torquay United side in the 1972-73 season. He remained with the Gulls until 1977 when he decided to go part-time and joined Yeovil Town so he could concentrate on his career with the District Valuer's Office.
Alex Russell:
The midfield lynchpin of United's 2003-04 promotion winning side under Leroy Rosenior, Alex Russell enjoyed a hugely successful four years at Plainmoor between 2001 and 2005. As well as winning promotion he also won the club's player of the year award in the 2002-03 season and was named in the PFA Division Three team of the season two years running in 2002-03 and 2003-04. He then joined Bristol City and was part of the Robins' side who won promotion to the Championship under Gary Johnson in the 2006-07 campaign. Russell also scored the crucial goal in their final day 3-1 victory over Rotherham United which secured promotion. He later moved on to Cheltenham Town and Exeter City and a brief spell with the Glovers during the 2010-11 season.
Cliff Myers:
After spells with Charlton Athletic and Brentford, Cliff Myers joined Yeovil Town in 1968 and spent five years at the Glovers' old Huish ground and was part of the side who won the Southern League Premier Division title in the 1970-71 season. He was given a second shot at league football in 1973 when Malcolm Musgrove signed him for Torquay United and he remained with the Gulls until the 1975-76 season. His son Chris would later have three spells with United (1986-1988, 1990-1993 and 1993-94 loan) and was part of the Gulls side who won promotion from Division Four through the play-offs against Blackpool in 1991.
Ryan Dickson:
Ryan Dickson had two spells with both Torquay United and Yeovil Town at different stages of his career. The first came during the 2006-07 season on loan from Plymouth Argyle and he later joined the Gulls permanently in 2018, after spending three years with the Glovers after joining them in 2015 from Crawley Town. He had previously been on loan spell with Yeovil in the 2011-12 season.
Martin Gritton:
After being signed by Plymouth Argyle from Jewson South Western League side Porthleven, Martin Gritton joined the Glovers on loan during the 2000-01 season. He later signed for Torquay in the 2002-03 campaign and finished the season as the Gulls' top scorer. Gritton was also part of the Gulls' squad who won automatic promotion from Division Three in 2003-04. He later moved on to Grimsby Town, Lincoln City, Mansfield Town (loan), Macclesfield Town and Chesterfield before returning to the Gulls on loan in the 2010-11 season. After leaving Spireites in 2011, Gritton had a spell with Chester FC before returning to Huish Park on a short term basis before winding down his career with Stockport County and Truro City.
Reuben Reid:
Like Ryan Dickson, Reuben Reid also had a loan spell at Plainmoor during the 2006-07 season. He also had two spells with the Glovers. Reid first arrived at Huish Park in 2012, but fell out of favour under Gary Johnson and was loaned out to Plymouth Argyle in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. During the latter campaign, Reid became the first player to score 20 or more times in a season since Tommy Tynan. He later signed for the Pilgrims on a permanent basis and later had spells with Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers and Cheltenham Town before re-signing for Yeovil midway through the 2020-21 campaign.
