Whilst Britain was gripped by election fever last week, the Vanarama National League representatives had a different agenda on their mind as they voted to increase the number of teams involved in the end of season Play-offs from four to six.
Previously the second placed side in the division faced the team in fifth, and the side finished third played against the team in fourth over two legs followed by a Wembley final.
Now, under the new revamped system, there will now be a first round which will see the sides finishing fourth and seventh and fifth and sixth playing each in a one-off fixture with the highest placed teams gained home advantage.
In the next stage the winner of the fourth vs seventh encounter will play the side in second place and the fifth versus sixth winner would play the team in third in another single leg match, with the highest placed side once again enjoying the luxury of playing at home before a final at Wembley.
Under the old system every team entering the Play-offs had an equal chance of winning promotion, but under the new format all Play-off contenders have the incentive of trying to finish as high as possible in the National League table to secure the soon to be much coveted advantage of acting as hosts.
Your correspondent once wrote an article concerning proposed changes to the Football League Play-off for Gullsworld Magazine - the now defunct Official Magazine of Torquay United Football Club - which would have seen a similar change to the Football League Play-offs in 2003. Those proposals were rejected by the Football League Chairmen of the time - including the then Torquay United Chairman Mike Bateson, who described them as 'unnecessary and merely complicates a good system.'
One possible criticism of the new system would be that it opens up the possibility of a team finishing seventh winning promotion at the expense of whoever finished second in the table - a total of 20 points separated seventh placed Barrow (75) from National League runners-up Tranmere Rovers (95) this season.
However, it would be extremely difficult for a team in seventh to do this though as they would have to successfully negotiate two away games just order to reach the final itself, let alone win promotion.
Regardless of the new changes, it could be argued that the biggest criticism of the National League promotion system is that in practically any other league Tranmere would be assured promotion with a total of 95 points (although they would have still have finished second to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership).
A second automatic promotion remains a long-term ambition for the National League and an extended Play-off system could be key to the league achieving that goal - especially if it was to help convince Football League clubs that they would have a greater opportunity to win back a lost league status.
Tuesday, 13 June 2017
Wednesday, 7 June 2017
GOSLING BECOMES A GULLS
Of all the players listed in the five players Torquay United should consider
signing list on Sunday Jake Gosling was probably a player who could have been
regarded as a long shot.
Having been released by Bristol Rovers who are, of course, a League One club it wouldn't have been a huge shock if Gosling - a Gibraltar international - had looked to stay in the Football League.
However, given his connections to the South West having grown up in Cornwall before starting his career as a youth team player at Plymouth Argyle and later moved on to Exeter City and Bristol Rovers.
Also as a team mate of Lee Mansell, who is still a good friend of Gulls manager Kevin Nicholson, at Bristol Rovers, and having played under Paul Tisdale at Exeter, Gosling would have a good idea about what kind of a club Torquay United are and Nicholson would have enough knowledge of him both as a player and as a person to make an informed decision about him.
He could be soon be joined by a player with the same initials as him in the form of Josh Gowling, an experienced centre defender who was released by Grimsby Town at the end of last season and was a teammate of Nicholson at Kidderminster Harriers.
Footnote: Arguably Jake Gosling's greatest claim to fame, aside from his two goals for Gibraltar, was scoring the winning goal for Dorchester Town in their 2012-13 FA Cup 1st round victory over a Plymouth Argyle side that contained current Torquay United Player of the Year Luke Young.
Having been released by Bristol Rovers who are, of course, a League One club it wouldn't have been a huge shock if Gosling - a Gibraltar international - had looked to stay in the Football League.
However, given his connections to the South West having grown up in Cornwall before starting his career as a youth team player at Plymouth Argyle and later moved on to Exeter City and Bristol Rovers.
Also as a team mate of Lee Mansell, who is still a good friend of Gulls manager Kevin Nicholson, at Bristol Rovers, and having played under Paul Tisdale at Exeter, Gosling would have a good idea about what kind of a club Torquay United are and Nicholson would have enough knowledge of him both as a player and as a person to make an informed decision about him.
He could be soon be joined by a player with the same initials as him in the form of Josh Gowling, an experienced centre defender who was released by Grimsby Town at the end of last season and was a teammate of Nicholson at Kidderminster Harriers.
Footnote: Arguably Jake Gosling's greatest claim to fame, aside from his two goals for Gibraltar, was scoring the winning goal for Dorchester Town in their 2012-13 FA Cup 1st round victory over a Plymouth Argyle side that contained current Torquay United Player of the Year Luke Young.
Sunday, 4 June 2017
FIVE POSSIBLE SIGNINGS FOR TORQUAY UNITED
As Torquay United manager Kevin Nicholson sets about building a competitive squad for the Gulls 2017-18 National League campaign, we will now look at five players who could potentially be of interest to the Gulls' boss.
Alex Lawless (central midfield):
Many of the Plainmoor faithful will remember Alex Lawless as a right-back/right midfielder who made 16 appearances for the Gulls during the 2005-06 season and received international recognition for Wales Under-21 level - becoming the first Torquay United contracted to represent one of the home nations at senior or Under-21 level.
Since then Lawless has re-invented himself as a holding midfielder, whilst he can also fill in as a right or left winger or at right-back, and has appeared for Forest Green Rovers, York City, Luton Town - who helped to win promotion back to the Football League in 2014 - and Yeovil Town, who he appeared for last season, since he was released by Ian Atkins in the summer of 2006.
With Aman Verma having departed and Courtney Richards still uncertain over his future, Gulls manager Kevin Nicholson, who was a teammate of Lawless during the 2005-06 season at Forest Green, arguably needs an experienced head in the centre of the play and there are surely worst options than enticing Lawless back to Plainmoor for a second spell.
Anthony Jeffery (winger):
Released by Forest Green Rovers at the end of last season, former Arsenal youngster Anthony Jeffery is a proven player at National League level having made 24 appearances for Boreham Wood last season and scored three goals. Jeffery can play on either wing as well as upfront and would provide a much needed injection of pace into Nicholson's side if he did end up at Plainmoor.
Louis Rooney (striker):
From John Uzzell and John Matthews in 1989 to Luke Young in 2014, many players in recent times have swapped the green of Plymouth Argyle for the yellow of Torquay United.
With Ruairi Keating the only striker currently under contract with the Gulls at the moment, the need to strengthen United's attacking options is a must and Northern Ireland Under-21 international Rooney, who has previously had loan spells with Truro City and Hartlepool United as well as his appearances for Argyle, is a player who, like Keating, is young, hungry and keen to prove himself.
Corey Jordan (central defender):
Over the last few years, Torquay United has provided a temporary home for young players on loan from Premier League side AFC Bournemouth such as Baily Cargill, Josh Wakefield, Josh Carmichael, Joe Quigley and Jordan Lee.
Towards the end of last season the aforementioned Lee grew in stature, following an indifferent debut, and scored his first senior goal and won the sponsor's man of the match award in United's final two home games against Braintree Town and North Ferriby United respectively, a fact that would have impressed Cherries manager Eddie Howe when giving the seal of approval to sending his young charges out on loan. Another such player he could have earmarked for such a move is Corey Jordan, a young central defender who made one appearance for Bournemouth in the EFL Cup and is a player who could benefit from a similar arrangement to the one that saw Lee flourish as a player in the 2016-17 campaign.
Jake Gosling (winger):
No stranger to the South West after coming through the youth ranks with Exeter City before joining Bristol Rovers, as well as spending time on loan with Dorchester Town, Gloucester City and Forest Green Rovers at different stages of his career, Jake Gosling is a player for whom geography probably wouldn't be an issue for if he wished to sign for Torquay United.
In addition to this, he is to undoubtedly familiar with the National League after helping Bristol Rovers win an immediate return to the Football League in the 2014-15 season and he appeared for Forest Green during their promotion winning campaign last season.
He is also a Gibraltar international, having won 11 caps for the island.
Alex Lawless (central midfield):
Many of the Plainmoor faithful will remember Alex Lawless as a right-back/right midfielder who made 16 appearances for the Gulls during the 2005-06 season and received international recognition for Wales Under-21 level - becoming the first Torquay United contracted to represent one of the home nations at senior or Under-21 level.
Since then Lawless has re-invented himself as a holding midfielder, whilst he can also fill in as a right or left winger or at right-back, and has appeared for Forest Green Rovers, York City, Luton Town - who helped to win promotion back to the Football League in 2014 - and Yeovil Town, who he appeared for last season, since he was released by Ian Atkins in the summer of 2006.
With Aman Verma having departed and Courtney Richards still uncertain over his future, Gulls manager Kevin Nicholson, who was a teammate of Lawless during the 2005-06 season at Forest Green, arguably needs an experienced head in the centre of the play and there are surely worst options than enticing Lawless back to Plainmoor for a second spell.
Anthony Jeffery (winger):
Released by Forest Green Rovers at the end of last season, former Arsenal youngster Anthony Jeffery is a proven player at National League level having made 24 appearances for Boreham Wood last season and scored three goals. Jeffery can play on either wing as well as upfront and would provide a much needed injection of pace into Nicholson's side if he did end up at Plainmoor.
Louis Rooney (striker):
From John Uzzell and John Matthews in 1989 to Luke Young in 2014, many players in recent times have swapped the green of Plymouth Argyle for the yellow of Torquay United.
With Ruairi Keating the only striker currently under contract with the Gulls at the moment, the need to strengthen United's attacking options is a must and Northern Ireland Under-21 international Rooney, who has previously had loan spells with Truro City and Hartlepool United as well as his appearances for Argyle, is a player who, like Keating, is young, hungry and keen to prove himself.
Corey Jordan (central defender):
Over the last few years, Torquay United has provided a temporary home for young players on loan from Premier League side AFC Bournemouth such as Baily Cargill, Josh Wakefield, Josh Carmichael, Joe Quigley and Jordan Lee.
Towards the end of last season the aforementioned Lee grew in stature, following an indifferent debut, and scored his first senior goal and won the sponsor's man of the match award in United's final two home games against Braintree Town and North Ferriby United respectively, a fact that would have impressed Cherries manager Eddie Howe when giving the seal of approval to sending his young charges out on loan. Another such player he could have earmarked for such a move is Corey Jordan, a young central defender who made one appearance for Bournemouth in the EFL Cup and is a player who could benefit from a similar arrangement to the one that saw Lee flourish as a player in the 2016-17 campaign.
Jake Gosling (winger):
No stranger to the South West after coming through the youth ranks with Exeter City before joining Bristol Rovers, as well as spending time on loan with Dorchester Town, Gloucester City and Forest Green Rovers at different stages of his career, Jake Gosling is a player for whom geography probably wouldn't be an issue for if he wished to sign for Torquay United.
In addition to this, he is to undoubtedly familiar with the National League after helping Bristol Rovers win an immediate return to the Football League in the 2014-15 season and he appeared for Forest Green during their promotion winning campaign last season.
He is also a Gibraltar international, having won 11 caps for the island.
Sunday, 28 May 2017
BLACKPOOL DENY EXETER HISTORIC CITY DOUBLE
There was to be no historic double for the city of Exeter as Exeter City were beaten by Blackpool in the League Two Play-off, 24 hours after their Rugby counterparts Exeter Chiefs beat Wasps to clinch the Aviva Premiership.
Brad Potts gave the Tangerines, who only brought 6,000 with them amidst supporter protest against the club's owners - the Oyston Family, the lead after only three minutes.
City came back into the game as Ollie Watkins was denied by Blackpool keeper Sam Slocombe before leading scorer David Wheeler equalised five minutes before half-time.
On 64 minutes Mark Cullen scored what proved to be the Tangerines' winner but the Grecians came close to forcing the game into extra time through Watkins but City's would end as it began - as they lost to Blackpool on the opening day of the campaign at Bloomfield Road.
The challenge now for the Grecians is to attempt to emulate local rivals Plymouth Argyle who won automatic promotion last season after losing to AFC Wimbledon in last season's Play-off final.
In the meantime for City instead of the Pilgrims, Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers, it will be Yeovil Town, Swindon Town and Forest Green Rovers on their agenda for the 2017-18 season.
Brad Potts gave the Tangerines, who only brought 6,000 with them amidst supporter protest against the club's owners - the Oyston Family, the lead after only three minutes.
City came back into the game as Ollie Watkins was denied by Blackpool keeper Sam Slocombe before leading scorer David Wheeler equalised five minutes before half-time.
On 64 minutes Mark Cullen scored what proved to be the Tangerines' winner but the Grecians came close to forcing the game into extra time through Watkins but City's would end as it began - as they lost to Blackpool on the opening day of the campaign at Bloomfield Road.
The challenge now for the Grecians is to attempt to emulate local rivals Plymouth Argyle who won automatic promotion last season after losing to AFC Wimbledon in last season's Play-off final.
In the meantime for City instead of the Pilgrims, Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers, it will be Yeovil Town, Swindon Town and Forest Green Rovers on their agenda for the 2017-18 season.
Saturday, 27 May 2017
AMPADU CALLED UP TO WALES SQUAD
On the eve of their League Two Play-off final appearance against Blackpool, Exeter City received the boost of seeing their young starlet Ethan Ampadu being called up to the Wales senior squad.
Ampadu, 16, son of former Grecians midfielder Kwame Ampadu, has been called up by manager Chris Coleman for a training squad ahead of their 2018 World Cup qualifier against Serbia - whilst Ampadu is on his half-term holiday.
As a teenager his GCSE exams take priority, but his situation is very different to that of most of his contemporary peers and let's not forget that he is still at St James' Park on schoolboy forms.
He becomes the latest City starlet to receive international recognition after Matt Grimes, now of Swansea City, and Christy Pym were called up to the England Under-20 squad in 2014.
Ampadu, 16, son of former Grecians midfielder Kwame Ampadu, has been called up by manager Chris Coleman for a training squad ahead of their 2018 World Cup qualifier against Serbia - whilst Ampadu is on his half-term holiday.
As a teenager his GCSE exams take priority, but his situation is very different to that of most of his contemporary peers and let's not forget that he is still at St James' Park on schoolboy forms.
He becomes the latest City starlet to receive international recognition after Matt Grimes, now of Swansea City, and Christy Pym were called up to the England Under-20 squad in 2014.
THREE STAY, TWO GO FOR NICHOLSON
For Torquay United manager Kevin Nicholson, it has been a case of three in and two out thus far regarding his summer retained list.
Player of the Year Luke Young and Young Player of the Year Sean McGinty and Ruairi Keating before them have agreed new deals to stay at Plainmoor whereas midfielder Aman Verma and wide man Dan Sparkes have decided to move on.
With Damon Lathrope, Sam Chaney and Nicholson himself, who is still registered as a player, under contract for the 2017-18 season already - that number has risen to six as the Gulls currently awaits the responses of goalkeeper Brendan Moore and captain Courtney Richards.
The signature of double Player of the Year Young is arguably the most crucial of the players named on Nicholson's retained list who have committed their futures to the club, as he embarks on what will be his fourth season at Plainmoor.
Over the last two seasons, Young has missed a considerable chunk of that time through injury and after finding the back of the net five times in the 2016-17 campaign, he will be looking to better that tally next time around.
Verma and Sparkes both rejected the deals on offer and both expressed a desire to move closer to the their respective famililes, for Verma that is the East Midlands and the South East in the case of Sparkes. Both played important roles in helping the Gulls beat the drop last season as Verma captained the side in the absence of Richards through injury and Sparkes found the back of the net six times and made 16 assists.
Regardless of the responses of Moore and Richards, Nicholson will be on the look out for at least three defenders, two wide players and a couple of strikers.
It promises to be a busy summer for the Gulls.
Player of the Year Luke Young and Young Player of the Year Sean McGinty and Ruairi Keating before them have agreed new deals to stay at Plainmoor whereas midfielder Aman Verma and wide man Dan Sparkes have decided to move on.
With Damon Lathrope, Sam Chaney and Nicholson himself, who is still registered as a player, under contract for the 2017-18 season already - that number has risen to six as the Gulls currently awaits the responses of goalkeeper Brendan Moore and captain Courtney Richards.
The signature of double Player of the Year Young is arguably the most crucial of the players named on Nicholson's retained list who have committed their futures to the club, as he embarks on what will be his fourth season at Plainmoor.
Over the last two seasons, Young has missed a considerable chunk of that time through injury and after finding the back of the net five times in the 2016-17 campaign, he will be looking to better that tally next time around.
Verma and Sparkes both rejected the deals on offer and both expressed a desire to move closer to the their respective famililes, for Verma that is the East Midlands and the South East in the case of Sparkes. Both played important roles in helping the Gulls beat the drop last season as Verma captained the side in the absence of Richards through injury and Sparkes found the back of the net six times and made 16 assists.
Regardless of the responses of Moore and Richards, Nicholson will be on the look out for at least three defenders, two wide players and a couple of strikers.
It promises to be a busy summer for the Gulls.
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
A PILGRIMS AND GULLS LINK ?
Over the years Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United have enjoyed a relatively harmonious relationship.
To an outsider, it probably could be likened to the kind of connection that West Ham have with their East London neighbours Leyton Orient - a rivalry that is neither bitter nor vindictive and Hammers seldom rarely begrudge Orient any success so long as it's on a smaller scale than their own (it is also worth noting that the two clubs haven't been in the same division as each other since the late 1970's).
And as a club, the Pilgrims face the same challenges that the Gulls face in terms of geography and being able to match their contemporaries in terms of wages.
It has been suggested in one local newspaper in the South West that United could be the ideal club to for the Pilgrims to send their younger player to on loan to help to adapt to the rigours of the professional game.
When Argyle were last in the Championship they loaned Matt Villis, Reuben Reid, Ryan Dickson, Scott Laird and Ashley Barnes to the Gulls between 2004 and 2010 with varied degrees of success.
An opportunity exists for fringe first team players at Home Park in the form of the Pilgrims' reserve side in the South West Peninsula League, but that is a standard which is several steps below the National League, never mind League One where Argyle will be playing next season.
One example given as a player who could have benefited from such a move was striker Louis Rooney, who has had loan spells with Truro City and Hartlepool United in recent seasons, and was released by Argyle manager Derek Adams at the end of the current campaign.
Rooney could yet prove to be a player that is on Gulls manager Kevin Nicholson's radar over the close season, and this is another area of any future partnership that could be of advantage to United.
A steady stream of players have moved from Home Park to Plainmoor in recent times, from John Uzzell and John Matthews in 1989 to Luke Young, who won the Gulls' Player of the Year award for the second time in three seasons recently.
There have been other players who the Gulls perhaps could have taken a closer look at following their exits from the Pilgrims. Names such as Ryan Leonard and Isaac Vassell spring to mind, who have both carved out good careers for themselves away from Devon at Southend United and Luton Town respectively - although Vassell ended up with the Hatters via a spell in Cornwall with Truro City.
Whatever views both sets of supporters hold over this subject one thing is definitely certain that both clubs need to find new and innovative ways of competing in what is becoming an increasingly competitive environment.
To an outsider, it probably could be likened to the kind of connection that West Ham have with their East London neighbours Leyton Orient - a rivalry that is neither bitter nor vindictive and Hammers seldom rarely begrudge Orient any success so long as it's on a smaller scale than their own (it is also worth noting that the two clubs haven't been in the same division as each other since the late 1970's).
And as a club, the Pilgrims face the same challenges that the Gulls face in terms of geography and being able to match their contemporaries in terms of wages.
It has been suggested in one local newspaper in the South West that United could be the ideal club to for the Pilgrims to send their younger player to on loan to help to adapt to the rigours of the professional game.
When Argyle were last in the Championship they loaned Matt Villis, Reuben Reid, Ryan Dickson, Scott Laird and Ashley Barnes to the Gulls between 2004 and 2010 with varied degrees of success.
An opportunity exists for fringe first team players at Home Park in the form of the Pilgrims' reserve side in the South West Peninsula League, but that is a standard which is several steps below the National League, never mind League One where Argyle will be playing next season.
One example given as a player who could have benefited from such a move was striker Louis Rooney, who has had loan spells with Truro City and Hartlepool United in recent seasons, and was released by Argyle manager Derek Adams at the end of the current campaign.
Rooney could yet prove to be a player that is on Gulls manager Kevin Nicholson's radar over the close season, and this is another area of any future partnership that could be of advantage to United.
A steady stream of players have moved from Home Park to Plainmoor in recent times, from John Uzzell and John Matthews in 1989 to Luke Young, who won the Gulls' Player of the Year award for the second time in three seasons recently.
There have been other players who the Gulls perhaps could have taken a closer look at following their exits from the Pilgrims. Names such as Ryan Leonard and Isaac Vassell spring to mind, who have both carved out good careers for themselves away from Devon at Southend United and Luton Town respectively - although Vassell ended up with the Hatters via a spell in Cornwall with Truro City.
Whatever views both sets of supporters hold over this subject one thing is definitely certain that both clubs need to find new and innovative ways of competing in what is becoming an increasingly competitive environment.
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