TORQUAY UNITED'S PLAY-OFF CAMPAIGNS: A BRIEF HISTORY PART TWO

1993-94

After winning promotion at Wembley against Blackpool, the Gulls' stay in the third tier of English football lasted just one season as they returned to whence they came from after one season.

The following campaign, the 1992-93 season, saw them flirt with a second successive relegation before the timely intervention of Neil Warnock steered Torquay to safety.

Warnock's successor, Irishman Don O'Riordan, who had previously served under the current Leeds United manager at Notts County, built on the foundations which he had laid as he guided the Gulls to a sixth-place finish in the newly created Division Three (following the inception of the Premier League in 1992).

A 2-0 win in the first leg through goals from Duane Darby and Darren Moore looked to have given Torquay a comfortable advantage going into the second leg at Deepdale, which was to be the last ever competitive fixture in English football to be played on an artificial pitch.

However, the Gulls looked to be heading for a third trip to Wembley before a theatricial turn from Paul Raynor in the presence of Moore, which helped to get the young defender dismissed, and the balance of power soon swung back in the Lilywhite's favour.

With a numerical advantage, Preston led 3-1 after 90 minutes and clinched victory in extra time through a strike from Raynor, which booked them a place in the final against Wycombe Wanderers, then managed by Martin O'Neill, at the Gulls' expense.

Also amongst the goalscorer's for Preston that night was current Everton manager David Moyes.

1997-98

Fast forward four years and to Torquay's next tilt at the Play-Offs, a lot of changes had happened during this time at Plainmoor.

Only two years earlier, the Gulls had only stayed in the league by virtue of Stevenage's ground not meeting Football League requirements in the 1995-96 season.

Following this reprieve, Kevin Hodges was handed the task of overhauling the Torquay squad and by the time of the 1997-98 Play-Offs, only captain, Alex Watson, Rodney Jack and young hopefuls Matthew Gregg, Wayne Thomas and Tony Bedeau remained from the class of '96.

The new arrivals at Plainmoor included Andy Gurney, Paul Gibbs and Jamie Robinson and they were later joined by former Plymouth duo Gary Clayton and Chris Leadbitter. Goalkeeper Kenny Veysey returned to the club from Dorchester Town.

One of the finds of the season turned out to be a young midfielder by the name of Kevin Hill whom Hodges signed from Torrington Town on the recommendation of former Plymouth manager Johnny Hore.

However, perhaps the most inspired of Hodges' acquisitions was the loan of signing of future Premiership striker Jason Roberts from Wolverhampton Wanderers who played a key role in helping the Gulls put together a club record eight-match winning run between January and March and lifted them into second place.

Unfortunately for the Gulls, they couldn't sustain that form once Roberts returned to Molineux and they ended up needing to clinch a point against Leyton Orient, whose side included a certain Martin Ling, to seal promotion.

However, as in 1988 and 1991, Torquay were forced to settle for the Play-Offs as they went down 2-1 to Orient.

This left the Gulls needing to overcome Scarborough over two legs to stand a chance of reaching Wembley for a second shot at promotion.

They overcame Scarborough in emphatic fashion after winning the the first leg at the McCain Stadium 3-1 with goals from Rodney Jack, Jon Gittens and Andy McFarlane, which gave them a comfortable advantage ahead of the the return fixture at Plainmoor.

A brace from Jack set the Gulls on their way before a wonder strike from Steve McCall and a fourth from Paul Gibbs helped to give Torquay a comprehensive 7-2 aggregate victory to set up a final clash at Wembley with Colchester United.

Sadly, there was to be no Wembley celebrations for the Gulls who travelled to the game as the Essex side came out on top courtesy of a first half penalty from David Gregory.

TORQUAY UNITED'S PLAY-OFF CAMPAIGNS: A BRIEF HISTORY PART ONE

Tomorrow will see Torquay United embark on their eighth Play-Off campaign as they take on Cheltenham Town in the Play-Off Semi-Final first leg.

We will now look back at their previous seven campaigns.

1987-88

After missing out automatic promotion on the final day of the regular season following a defeat against Scunthorpe United, Cyril Knowles' Gulls side were set for their first ever Play-Off adventure with a two-legged Semi-Final affair against, ironically, Scunthorpe.

A crowd of 4,602 poured into Plainmoor to witness Torquay's first foray into the new end of season format and they saw the Gulls come out on top with a 2-1 win through goals from Dave Caldwell and Paul Dobson.

The game proved to be a temptestuous affair as six players were booked and Scunthorpe's Paul Nicholl was awarded a red by referee Tony Ward.

For the second leg at the Iron's Old Show Ground, their last at the ground before their move to Glanford Park, Caldwell was left out of the Gulls' starting eleven by Cyril Knowles after an incident in the first leg that saw Caldwell and two Scunthorpe defender's require treatment at the A & E department of Torbay Hospital.

The Gulls drew 1-1 with Mark Loram finding the target which set them up for a two-legged final with Swansea City, this was the days before the one-off Wembley showpiece event, and they found themselves trailing 2-1 after the first leg.

In the second leg at Plainmoor, Torquay looked to be down and out after Paul Raynor, a figure that would soon be well acquainted with Gulls' followers, and Sean McCarthy struck with early goals which gave the Swans a 4-1 lead on aggregate.

However, the introduction of Lee Sharpe, who by this time was bound for a big money move to Manchester United, sparked a comeback from the hosts as Jim McNichol scored twice, he has also scored in the first leg, which brought the Gulls back on level before Alan Davies restored the Swans' advantage.

Caldwell scored a third for Torquay, but they couldn't overturn Swansea's lead as they were forced to wait longer for their first promotion since 1966.

1990-91 

The 1990-91 season, Torquay's first under the Chairmanship of Mike Bateson, was a campaign of great peaks and troughs.

After splashing out £60,000, a club record transfer fee, on former Newcastle United and Carlisle defender Wes Saunders and recruiting Plymouth Argyle goal scoring legend Tommy Tynan in the close season, Torquay raced to the top of the table after 14 games and manager Dave Smith picked up the Manager of the Month award for October 1990.

However, following a slump in form, which saw the Gulls drop into the bottom half, Smith resigned and was replaced by Youth Coach John Impey. Results soon picked up as Torquay finished the season in 7th place, thus securing a Play-Off spot.

The Gulls then faced Burnley in the Semi-Finals and won the first leg 2-0 at Plainmoor with goals from Dean Edwards and Matt Elliott.

In the second leg at Turf Moor, Torquay defended their lead resolutely as the Clarets were unable to overturn the two goal deficit albeit winning 1-0. This meant the Gulls would be appearing at Wembley for the second time in the space of three years, after reaching the Sherpa Van Trophy in 1989.

Their opponents at Wembley would be another Lancashire club, Blackpool, which was watched by a crowd of 21,615.

The Tangerines took the lead through Paul Groves before Gulls skipper Wes Saunders levelled. United edged ahead in the second half through a Dean Edwards penalty but an unfortunate Chris Curran own goal saw Blackpool restore parity, sending the final to extra time.

With no further goals in extra time, the match went to a penalty shoot out. Mark Loram stepped up to take Torquay’s first penalty, which was saved. Then Mickey Holmes, Saunders, Paul Holmes and Chris Myers all successfully converted their spot-kicks as the shoot-out went to sudden death at 4-4.

Then goalkeeper Gareth Howells stepped up to take the Gulls’ sixth penalty, which he dispatched past his Blackpool counterpart Steve McIlhargey to give United a 5-4 lead.

David Bamber then took the Tangerines’ sixth penalty that he drilled wide. His miss, as well as ending the Gulls’ 19-year exile in the Fourth Division, inspired the name of the popular fanzine, Bamber’s Right Foot, several years later.



 

BRYN THE POLICE DOG AND ALL THAT 25 YEARS ON

A quarter of a century ago, Torquay United retained their Football League status by the skin of their teeth as they drew with Crewe Alexandra to avoid relegation from Division Four.

Whilst trailing 2-1 and with time running out, Bryn the Police Dog sunk his teeth into defender Jim McNichol and the time added on, following the incident, allowed Paul Dobson to score the crucial equaliser the Gulls needed to stay in the Football League.

25 years on, we now look at that side who featured for Torquay that day.

Kenny Allen:

Goalkeeper Kenny Allen remained at Plainmoor for a further season before he was released by Cyril Knowles, but he would later make a brief return in 1989 to play in the Sherpa Van Trophy Southern Area Final 2nd leg against Wolves and in the final itself against Bolton Wanderers. Currently living in South Devon after working for the Ambulance service.

Jim McNichol:

Despite being constantly referred to as the player who was bitten by Bryn, it is worth noting that Jim had scored Torquay's first goal that afternoon against Crewe.

He would also remain at Plainmoor for another two years, during which time the Gulls almost won promotion from Division Four in 1988 and lost in the Sherpa Van final in 1989.

After leaving Plainmoor, Jim joined Exeter City before making a brief return to Torquay in the 1991-92 season. He is currently the Landlord of the Exeter Inn in Ashburton.

Dave Cole:

Dave remained with Torquay until the end of the 1988-89 season, when he joined Rochdale, but didn't feature in the Sherpa Van Trophy final at Wembley. He would later return to Devon for a brief spell with Exeter City.

Derek Dawkins:

One of the most popular Gulls players of the 1980's, Derek 'the Dude' Dawkins also combined playing with coaching the club's youth team, which included a certain Lee Sharpe.

Derek would go down in Torquay United folklore when he scored the winning goal in a Littlewoods Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur in the 1987-88 season.

In 2005, Derek was voted as the Gulls' all-time cult hero in a poll held by the BBC's Football Focus. He is currently working for the Sheffield United Soccer Academy in Torreveija, Southern Spain.

Tom Kelly:

One of a number of players who left Plainmoor at the end of the 1988-89 season, Tom would later return to Torquay in the 1992-93 season following spells with York City and Exeter City. He was part of the Gulls' side that reached the Play-Offs in the 1993-94 where they were beaten by Preston North End.

After leaving Plainmoor in 1996, Tom dropped down into South West non-league football and appeared for Weymouth Town, Ilfracombe Town, Taunton Town where he won an FA Vase winners' medal in 2001, Bideford, Bridgwater Town and in more recent years Bovey Tracey and Buckland Athletic along with his son, Cameron.

Chris Myers:

The son of former Gulls' midfielder, Cliff Myers, Chris would drop into non-league football with Dawlish Town and Barnstaple Town before he was brought back to Plainmoor by Dave Smith in 1990.

Chris appeared for Torquay in their 1991 Division Four Play-Off final victory over Blackpool and was one of the Gulls successful spot-kick takers in their 5-4 shoot-out win.

He stayed at Plainmoor until 1993 when he signed for Dundee United but brieftly returned to Plainmoor on loan during the 1993-94 season. Spells with Exeter City and Dorchester Town followed before Chris entered management at non-league level with Dawlish Town and laterly with Burscough in the North West after relocating to the area.

Alan McLoughlin:

Appearing as a loan player from Swindon Town, Alan McLoughlin would later find fame as the man who scored the goal that secured the Republic of Ireland's passage to the 1994 World Cup when he netted for the Republic against Northern Ireland in a qualifer between the two nations.

He also appeared for Southampton, Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic and returned to Plainmoor for a second loan spell in the 1987-88 season.

Mark Gardiner:

Young winger Mark remained with the Gulls for a further season and ironically joined Crewe Alexandra on his release from Plainmoor.

He would spent much of his career in the North West, apart from a brief spell in Norway, and was part of the Macclesfield Town side that faced Torquay in the Silkmen's first ever league fixture on the opening day of the 1997-98 season.

Mario Walsh:

The Crewe fixture proved to be Mario's final appearance for the Gulls in his three-year stint at Plainmoor.
He was the club's leading scorer in the 1984-85 season and joined Colchester United after leaving South Devon.

Paul Dobson:

After scoring the crucial goal that kept the Gulls in the league, Paul Dobson followed this up in the 1987-88 campaign by becoming the first Torquay United player to score 20 goals or more in a season since Robin Stubbs achieved the feat in the 1966-67 season.

He found the target 22 times as Torquay reached the Division Four Play-Off final against Swansea City where they were beaten 5-4 over two legs.

In 1988, Paul headed north to join Doncaster Rovers in a deal that saw Paul Holmes and Sean Joyce sign for the Gulls. He later appeared for Scarborough before winding up his career in his native North East with Darlington, Gateshead and Spennymoor United.

Mark Loram:

A mercurial talent, Brixham-born Mark Loram had returned to Torquay on loan from Queens Park Rangers after failing to settle in West London.

Such was his talent that the then Rangers boss Jim Smith was on the brink of handing him his debut against Liverpool before he went AWOL and the then Gulls boss Stuart Morgan negotiated a loan move back to South Devon for him.

After the Crewe game, Mark returned to Plainmoor and became a regular fixture in the Gulls' side until the 1991-92 season, during which time he helped Torquay to reach the Sherpa Van Trophy final in 1989 and clinch promotion from Division Four for the first time in 25 years in the 1990-91 season.

His final appearance for Torquay came as a substitute in the 1993-94 season against Colchester United.


Adie Mann:

Signed on loan from Northampton Town, Adie Mann became the Cobblers' youngest ever player when he made his debut in the 1983-84 season. As well as his spell at Plainmoor, Adie also had spells with several other clubs, including Barnet and Newport County and a fledging Rushden & Diamonds where he scored their first ever FA Cup goal in August 1992.

Stuart Morgan (Manager):

Following the game with Crewe, Stuart Morgan resigned as manager of Torquay United and was later replaced by Cyril Knowles.

A month after leaving the Plainmoor hotseat, Stuart embarked on a second spell as manager of Weymouth Town, a position which he held until 1989 when he linked up with Harry Redknapp at Bournemouth where he became Chief Scout.

He returned to management with Dorchester Town in August 1993 and remained at the Avenue Stadium until his dismissal in September 1999. He later performed scouting again for Redknapp at West Ham, Portsmouth and more recently at Tottenham.

LE GRANDE FINALE POUR LE KEEPER

Plymouth Argyle's final game of the 2011-12 season will always be remembered by the Green Army as the last career appearance of long-serving goalkeeper Romain Larrieu.

Le Keeper brought down the curtain on his 11-year playing stint at Home Park with his 318th appearance for the Pilgrims as a 85th minute substitute for Jake Cole.

The Frenchman first arrived at Home Park in December 2000, making his debut in an LDV Vans Trophy match against Bristol City.

He became the first choice for the Pilgrims as they won the Division Three title with a record 102 points in the 2001-02 season, a campaign that also saw him named in the PFA Division Three Team of the Season.

A second championship winners' medal would follow in the 2003-04 campaign as Argyle won the Division Two title as they returned to the second tier of English Football, following a 12-year absence.

Romain remained the Pilgrims' first choice keeper under the reigns of Bobby Williamson, Tony Pulis and Ian Holloway, whilst contesting with Luke McCormick for the goalkeeper's jersey, before he was struck by testicular cancer during the 2006-07 campaign.

Following his recovery he was allowed to go on loan to Gillingham to aid his return to match fitness and he also spent a brief spell on loan at Yeovil Town in the 2007-08 season.

However, he would regain his spot in the Argyle side during the 2008-09 season and went on to win the club's Player of the Year award for the campaign. Romain was then named as club captain for the subsequent 2009-10 season.

He remained at Home Park during the Pilgrims' back-to-back relegations, which saw them return to the Football League's basement division, during which time he celebrated his testimonial match against QPR in the summer of 2011.

Later on in the same year, he was asked to take on a different role when, following the dismissal of Peter Reid, Romain was named as assistant-manager to Carl Fletcher.

With the club periously close to dropping out of the league, they had one point to their name when the pair took charge and were still in Administration and hadn't been paid for several months, they managed to steer the Pilgrims to safety with two games remaining.

The timing of his last game was probably apt as it coincides with the beginning of a new era for both club and player as Romain is expected to stay at Home Park as part of the club's backroom staff.

GULLS FORCED TO SETTLE FOR PLAY-OFFS

Torquay United will need to gear themselves up for the possibility of another three matches to secure promotion from League Two.

The Gulls will now face Cheltenham Town over two legs after slipping to 5th place, following their 3-2 defeat at the hands of Hereford United, in the table as Crawley Town and Southend United both leapfrogged them to secure automatic promotion and 4th place respectively.

Delroy Facey opened the scoring for the Bulls before Harry Pell doubled their advantage from the penalty spot before Rob Purdie added a third before half-time.

In the second half, substitutes Ryan Jarvis and Taiwo Atieno pulled goals back for the Gulls, but it wasn't quite enough for Torquay as the hosts hung on to win.

Sadly for Hereford, their victory proved to be a bittersweet one for them as they were relegated to the Blue Square Premier as Barnet defeated Burton Albion to condemn the Bulls to a second relegation from the Football League.

Martin Ling's side travel to Whaddon Road next Sunday for the first leg and the two sides meet again four days later on Thursday 17th May.

A DATE WITH DESTINY

Torquay United head into their clash with Hereford United knowing that only a win will be good enough as they aim to secure automatic promotion.

Following their 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra last week, the Gulls are now level on 81 points with third placed Crawley Town and need to better the Red Devils result against Accrington Stanley at Edgar Street.

The fixture also has the added spice as the Bulls also head into the game needing to secure victory as they aim to ensure that they remain in League Two for the 2012-13 campaign.

As well as Crawley, Torquay will also need to be wary of Paul Sturrock's Southend United who are hosting already relegated Macclesfield Town at Roots Hall and are in prime position to pounce to any slip ups made by the Gulls or Crawley.

Should the Gulls secure promotion, their Football League 'share' would increase by £300,000 in League One and there would also be the prospect of increased gates against the likes of Coventry City and Portsmouth as well as Westcountry based sides such as AFC Bournemouth, Yeovil Town and newly promoted Swindon Town.

GRECIANS BRING DOWN CURTAIN AGAINST BLADES

Exeter City will bring the curtain down on their three year stay in League One tomorrow with a home clash with promotion chasing Sheffield United at St James Park.

The Grecians' tenure in English football's third tier from 2009 to 2012 has been characterised by a number of great highs and great lows.

From their win over Leeds United in January 2010, their Devon derby successes over Plymouth Argyle in the league and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy respectively and their record equalling highest ever league finish last season to the untimely death of Adam Stansfield in August 2010 from bowel cancer to the 4-1 defeat to Carlisle United, which confirmed their relegation last week, Exeter's spell in League One has been eventful.

The challenge now facing manager Paul Tisdale is build a team that can bounce back to that level sooner rather than later.

One of his biggest challenges will be persuading many of key performers to stay at St James Park. Defender Billy Jones has already indicated that he is willing to remain with the Grecians and striker Daniel Nardiello has stated that he is willing to stay.

However, skipper David Noble has admitted he is unsure of where his future lies.

Nevertheless, on a positive note, in League Two the Grecians will be able to renew their rivalry with county neighbours Plymouth Argyle. The pair have faced each other four times in the past two seasons, in the league and Johnstone's Paint Trophy, with the Grecians on three occasions.