We continue our look at the Torquay United non-league XI from 2014 and 2024 with a look at the midfield and attackers, as well as a glimpse at those who narrowly missed the cut.
Central midfield: Adam Randell
Plymouth Argyle loanee Adam Randell made his debut for the Gulls on the opening day of the 2020-21 season against Stockport County and went on to make 48 appearances in all competitions. Although he was mainly used as a holding midfielder, Randell also appeared at right-back and right midfield, and appeared in the latter role in the 2021 Play-off final against Hartlepool United.
His displays also helped him to win the clubs’ Young Player of the Year award and he has established himself as a first team regular with the Pilgrims on his return to Home Park, helping Argyle to reach the Championship.
Central midfield: Asa Hall
The signing of Asa Hall in the summer of 2018 could be seen as a statement of intent to bounce back to the National League at the first attempt. However, it turned down to be a lot more besides. Hall emerged as one of the best Gulls’ captains in recent years – and he finished the 2020-21 season as top scorer in all competitions with 14 goals. He would also score the winning goal in United’s 2-1 win over Taunton Town in their penultimate game of the 2023-24 campaign, which helped the Gulls retained their National League South after losing ten points for going into Administration.
Attacking right midfield: Aaron Nemane
With clubs like Manchester City and Rangers already on his CV when he arrived at Plainmoor in December 2019, Aaron Nemane showed glimpses of his ability prior to the Covid-19 enforced suspension of the National League in 2019-20. However, once action resumed in the 2020-21 campaign, he became a first team regular before injury ended his season early.
Attacking central midfield: Connor Lemonheigh-Evans
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans first joined United on loan under Gary Owers before returning twice more on loan under Gary Johnson before signing permanently in 2020. Lemonheigh-Evans’ arrival coincided with the time when the Gulls were relegated to National League South. However, he returned to help United win promotion at the first attempt as champions. During his second loan spell, he also appeared for the Wales Under-21 squad and scored twice for them against their Swiss counterparts before returning to Plainmoor to do the same for the Gulls in a 4-1 FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie with Winchester City.
He joined United permanently in the summer of 2020, and scored on the opening day of the 2020-21 campaign against Stockport County, and finished the season with 11 goals in all competitions as the Gulls agonisingly missed out on promotion to the EFL. He found the target another 11 times in the 2021-22 season, which included his first career hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Notts County, before joining Stockport in the summer of 2022.
Attacking left midfield: Ben Whitfield
Wideman Ben Whitfield joined the Gulls early in the 2019-20 season following his release from Port Vale and resurrected his career during his stay at Plainmoor. Capable of playing on either flank, Whitfield scored six goals and chipped in with 13 assists during the 2020-21 campaign before moving to Stockport County.
Centre forward: Jamie Reid
Torquay-born Jamie Reid had only scored 11 goals across his three separate spells with United, which included two loan spells from Exeter City before to him joining the Gulls permanently. Gary Johnson's appointment as successor to Gary Owers saw a change in his fortunes, as he finished the 2018-19 campaign with 32 goals to his name as United won the National League South title. He then found the back of the net a further 21 times in the 2019-20 season before it was curtailed by the outbreak of Covid-19. Reid later moved onto Mansfield Town and Stevenage and he has represented Northern Ireland at international level in 2024 and scored on his debut against Romania.
Subs:
Luke Young:
A stand-out performer in a struggling team during much of his stay at Plainmoor, Luke Young offered Gulls' fans a beacon of hope during what was a difficult time in the club's history. During his four years at the club, following his release by home-town club Plymouth Argyle in 2014, he was voted as the club's player of the year three times (2014-15, 2016-17 and 2017-18). His long range volley against Wrexham, the club he would later join in 2018, is regarded by many as one of the best goals ever seen at Plainmoor.
Armani Little:
A previous foe of United’s when he featured for Woking against the Gulls in the 2018-19 season in National League South. Nevertheless, following United’s promotion success, he signed for United on a permanent basis and became a key figure in the Gulls’ midfield and finished the 2021-22 campaign as leading scorer with 15 goals, which earned him a move back into the EFL with Forest Green Rovers.
Joe Lewis:
After a promising loan spell from Swansea City in the 2019-20 campaign, which was cut short by the outbreak of Covid-19, Joe Lewis returned to Plainmoor midway through the 2020-21 season on a permanent basis. He became a regular in the heart of the Gulls’ back four, as they missed out on promotion to the EFL. In the 2021-22 campaign, Lewis was United’s joint-third top scorer with six goals, including a memorable strike in a 5-0 home win over Wealdstone which saw him pick up the ball inside his own half before finding the back of the net from 25 yards.
Dan Butler:
Despite only spending one season at Plainmoor, Dan Butler emerged as one of the best left-backs to have appeared for the Gulls in recent times. He played a key role in United’s first ‘great escape’ under Kevin Nicholson and wouldn’t have looked out of place in many of the Gulls’ more successful sides during the era in question.
Ben Wynter:
After a slow start to the 2018-19 season, Ben Wynter soon made the right-back spot his own for the next few seasons and grew into a leader in the process. He famously scored United's equaliser in their 'six-pointer' with Woking in April 2019 from 30 yards, which played a major role in sealing the National League South title for the Gulls.
Ryan Bowman:
Carlisle-born striker Ryan Bowman joined the Gulls from York City in the summer of 2014 and finished the 2014-15 campaign as top scorer with 13 goals before he joined Gateshead for £10,000.
Brendan Moore:
One of only two Americans who have played for the Gulls, Brendan Moore initially joined on loan from Fleetwood Town in March 2016 before signing permanently in the summer of 2016. In October 2016, he produced a shot-stopping masterclass in the Gulls’ goalless draw with Aldershot Town.
