GULLS SIGN A TOP KEEPER & A TOP GUN

The close season transfer activity continues at Plainmoor after Martin Ling made a double swoop by bringing former loanee keeper Michael Poke back into the Torquay United fold and signing ex-Arsenal starlet Tom Cruise.

The pair bring the number of new additions for the Gulls to four, after securing the signatures of Ryan Jarvis and Craig Easton, but the number of departures from Plainmoor has increased to two after defender Mark Ellis joined newly promoted Crewe Alexandra for £80,000.

Over the years, the Gulls have seen many fine defenders turn out for them including Matt Elliott, Darren Moore, Garry Monk and Mike Williamson, all of whom have played in the Premiership.

Mark Ellis has added himself to that list with his showings over the last five years he has spent at Plainmoor, which started with a loan spell from Bolton Wanderers in 2007 before making the move permanent.

There is every chance that he could follow in the footsteps of the aforementioned quartet and go on to appear in the top-flight at some point in his career.

The fee received for Kingsbridge-born Ellis, brings the total monies received by Ling to £380,000, which also includes the fee paid by Peterborough United for Bobby Olejnik.

However, the blow of losing Olejnik, who was named in the PFA League Two team of the season and finished as runner-up in the club's Player of the Year poll, will no doubt be softened by the arrival of Poke, after he was released by Brighton and Hove Albion, who proved to be a popular figure during his three loan stints with Torquay between 2008 & 2010.

He was part of the Gulls side that beat Cambridge United in the Conference Play-Off final in 2009, a game which he played in whilst suffering from a broken jaw. In the Semi Final second leg against Histon prior to the final, Michael earned himself the Blue Square Save of the Season award with a miraculous save to deny the Stutes' skipper Mat Mitchell-King.

Young defender Tom Cruise arrives at Plainmoor with an excellent pedigree, having been capped by England at Youth level and made his Arsenal debut in a Champions League tie against Olympiakos.

He also has Football League experience from a loan spell with Carlisle United during the 2010-11 campaign and he will act as an understudy to Kevin Nicholson as well as providing cover for the centre back position.

EASTON LINKS UP WITH LING AT GULLS

Torquay United manager Martin Ling has made his second signing of the close season in the form of Scottish midfielder Craig Easton.


The experienced midfielder, who also played under Ling at Leyton Orient, bolsters the midfield options available to the Gulls boss and, at 33 years of age, he also brings plenty of experience to the squad.

After starting his career with Dundee United in 1995, Craig remained at Tannadice for nine years. He then spent a season with Livingston before he arrived in England in 2005 when Ling persuaded him to sign for Leyton Orient.

His decision to move to the East London side proved to be a successful one as he helped Orient win promotion from League Two in his first season.

Craig later joined Swindon Town in 2007 where he stayed for three years before moving on to Southend United before returning north of the border in 2010 to sign for Dunfermline.

He had been on trial at Plainmoor towards the end of last season, following his release by Dunfermline last January and Ling believes he is the type of character that he wants at Plainmoor.

"He is the ideal type of firm character for our squad, who can come into our way of playing," said Ling.

"I just know I can trust him, he toughens up our midfield and makes selection in that area more difficult. He was the fittest player I had and I'm sure that will be the same at Torquay.

"Craig was a massive part of my successful time at Orient and played a big role in our good cup runs and the promotion to League One, when he was a mainstay in centre midfield."

He becomes the Gulls second signing of the close season following the arrival of Ryan Jarvis.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT CRAIG EASTON

1) Craig has been capped 22 times by Scotland at Under-21 level where he appeared alongside former Torquay promotion winning favourite David Graham.


2) Whilst at Leyton Orient, he scored the opening goal in their 2-1 FA Cup third round victory over Premiership side Fulham.


3) He has played under former Plymouth Argyle manager Paul Sturrock three times during his career at Dundee United, Swindon Town and Southend United.

AUF WIEDERSEHEN BOBBY

Torquay United keeper Bobby Olejnik has become the first big money departure from Plainmoor of the close season after agreeing a move to Championship side Peterborough United.

The deal is believed to be in the region of £300,000 for Austrian Under-21 cap Olejnik, 25, who was ever present for the Gulls during the 2012-13 season after joining from Scottish Premier League side Falkirk last summer on a free transfer.

Since his arrival at TQ1, Olejnik has been a big hit with the Plainmoor faithful as he kept a club record 20 clean sheets for the season and finished as runner-up in the club's Player of the Year award.

He was also one of four Gulls' players named in the PFA League Two Team of the Season.

Gulls' boss Martin Ling was disappointed to lose Bobby, but has stated that he is in talks regarding possible replacements for the Austrian custodian.

"It is a great deal for our club and for Bobby. My job as manager is to buy low, sell for a profit and then fetch in low again." said Ling.


"That is the nature of the beast in League Two and this has been a great bit of business.

"Obviously we have lost a very good goalkeeper and I am speaking to agents to say we need a new keeper, as well as the other targets we are looking at."

The deal also includes a sell-on clause which will give Torquay a share of the profits from any future sale of Olejnik whilst he is with the Posh.

GULLS TO START AGAINST COD ARMY

Torquay United's opening fixture of the 2012-13 season will see the Gulls make the long trip north to face Football League new boys Fleetwood Town.

The Cod Army, managed by former Bristol City, Blackpool and Tranmere midfielder, Mickey Mellon, are the third football league newcomers to have played their opening fixture against Torquay, following in the footsteps of Macclesfield Town, in the 1997-98 campaign, and Kidderminster Harriers in the 2000-01 season.

Meanwhile Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City will both be starting their 2012-13 campaigns at home as the Pilgrims host Aldershot Town and the Grecians face Morecambe, in what will be a repeat of the 2007 Conference Play-Off final.

In League One, Yeovil Town begin their campaign against one of the division's fallen giants in the form of recently relegated Coventry City.

SOUTH WEST CLUBS ALL DRAWN AT HOME

In the Capital One League Cup first round for the 2012-13 season, all four South West league sides will have home advantage.

Torquay United will face one of the Championship's big spenders in the form of Leicester City, Plymouth Argyle entertain Portsmouth in what will be a 'dockyard derby', Exeter City host Crystal Palace, whilst Yeovil Town are looking forward to an all-League One affair with Colchester United.

The first round of the competition will be the first competitive meeting of the season for each side as the regular kicks off on Saturday August 18th so not to clash with this summer's Olympic games in London.

CHRIS MORRIS: THE CORNISHMAN WHO PLAYED FOR IRELAND

As the Republic of Ireland embark on their first European Championship finals campaign, since 1988, when they take on Croatia tomorrow, we will now take a look at the role Cornishman Chris Morris played for Ireland in Euro 88.

During his reign as Republic of Ireland manager, Jack Charlton cast his net far and wide in the search of players who were eligible to play for the Emerald Isle.

Amongst those he brought into the squad were Liverpudlians (John Aldridge), Glaswegians (Ray Houghton) and even a Cornishman in the form of Chris Morris, who was born in Newquay, a right back who would be ever present through out Ireland’s Euro 88 campaign in Germany.

Morris, who was no stranger to Charlton as the 1966 World Cup winner had handed him his league debut for Sheffield Wednesday in 1982, qualified to represent the Republic through his mother, Evelyn, who hailed from County Monaghan.

After making his debut in a friendly against Israel in 1987, Chris soon made the right back spot his own.

Within a year of his debut, the Irish reached the final stages of a major tournament, under Charlton’s guidance, for the first time by qualifying for the 1988 European Championship finals in Germany.

Despite possessing players with the calibre of Liam Brady, Ronnie Whelan, Kevin Moran, Frank Stapleton, Mark Lawrenson, Chris Hughton, Paul McGrath and David O’Leary, Ireland had never qualified for a major tournament before Charlton’s appointment.

The Irish were drawn in Group B with England, Holland and the Soviet Union.

By this time, Chris was now playing his club football for Celtic and was joined in the squad by his Bhoys’ team-mates, goalkeeper Packie Bonner and future Republic manager Mick McCarthy.

In their first match with England, Ireland pulled off the biggest shock of the tournament as they won 1-0 courtesy of a sixth minute header from Ray Houghton.

Next up was the Soviet Union, where they were forced to settle for a point after Oleg Protasov’s late equaliser cancelled out Ronnie Whelan’s opener.

The Irish were eight minutes away from a place in the Semi Finals in their final group game with Holland before Wim Kieft scored a late winner for the Dutch, who featured Gullit, Van Basten, Rijkaard et al, as they went on to win the tournament.

Chris was also ever present for Ireland in their 1990 World Cup campaign in Italy as they reached the Quarter Finals. He remained with Celtic until 1992 when he joined Middlesbrough and remained with Boro until he retired from playing at the end of the 1996-97 season.

Following his retirement, Chris has been working for, and now runs, his family business, “Morris Cornish Pasties”. 

He was also involved in Truro City Youth Football Club's Community Football programme in 2010. 

EUNAN HELPS IRELAND DRAW WITH ITALIANS

Torquay United midfielder Eunan O'Kane played for the full 90 minutes as the Republic of Ireland Under-21 side picked up a credible point against their Italian counterparts.

The Italians, coached by former Juventus defender Ciro Ferrera, came to the Showgrounds in Sligo with a 100% record in their 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Qualifying group seven campaign.

Ireland found themselves pegged back after three minutes through an own goal by Eunan's former Everton team-mate Shane Duffy before Pescara's Ciro Immobile added a second in the 55th minute with a 25-yard effort.

The Irish then levelled from the spot on 67 minutes through Manchester United's Robbie Brady before skipper Greg Cunningham, of Manchester City, bundled a header over the line four minutes later.

Italy were reduced to ten men in the closing stages of the match when Marco Verrati, of Pescara, saw red for a challenge on Aiden White.

The fixture marked Eunan's second cap for the Republic since he made the switch from Northern Ireland.  Should the Irish overhaul second placed Turkey - who they play in their next fixture in August - then they could be in with a shout of appearing in the Play-offs for the finals, which are being held next summer in Israel, as one of the four best runners-up.

As far as any future ambitions of playing for the Irish senior side are concerned, then Eunan need look no further to former Charlton and Aston Villa midfielder Mark Kinsella for inspiration on achieving that goal.

Kinsella appeared for Ireland at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, but ten years earlier, he had been part of the Colchester United side that won promotion back to the Football League.