FORMER YEOVIL LOANEE BURN HEADS HOME MAGPIES OPENER IN HISTORIC FINAL

 After being called up to the England squad for the first time ever, Dan Burn created another piece of personal history as he headed home Newcastle United's opening goal in the Carabao Cup victory over Liverpool, which ended the Magpies' 70 year wait for domestic silverware. 

However, it wasn't the first time that Burn had scored at Wembley, as he found the target for Yeovil Town in the 2013 League One Play-off final against Brentford - which ultimately proved to be decisive. 

Burn had started his career with Darlington in 2009, and earned himself a move to Fulham - one year after the Quakers had been relegated from the Football League. In September 2012, he joined the Glovers on loan under Gary Johnson in September, initially for a month; however, it would later be extended for the remainder of the 2012-13 season. 

The campaign saw Yeovil upset the odds to reach the League One Play-offs and were due to face a highly fancied Sheffield United side in the semi-finals. The Glovers lost the first leg with the Blades 1-0 at Bramall Lane before recording a major shock in the second leg at Huish Park to win 2-0 to reach the final. 

In the final Brentford lay in wait for Yeovil, and they raced into an early lead when Paddy Madden fired them in front in the sixth minute. Three minutes before half-time, Burn headed home a corner from Sam Foley to double the Glovers' lead. 

Harlee Dean equalised for the Bees in the second half, but Yeovil held on to win 2-1 and secure promotion to the Championship for the first time in their history. 

Burn joined Birmingham City on loan in the 2013-14 season and later had spells with Wigan Athletic and Brighton and Hove Albion before he signed for his boyhood heroes Newcastle in 2022 for a fee of £13million.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES

 Almost a year ago, when covering Torquay United away at Tonbridge Angels for BBC Radio Devon summariser Gulls striker Martin Gritton summed up United's plight by saying that they had 'hit rock bottom - only to discover rock bottom had a basement.' 

The Gulls had not long been placed in Administration by former chairman and owner Clarke Osborne and following their 4-1 defeat to the Angels in Kent, commentator Harry Salvidge quipped that 'rock bottom has a basement, and the basement is flooding.' 

At the time, United had been hit with a ten-point deduction for filing for Administration, which was later followed by another one point deduction for an administrative error. However, thankfully a 2-1 win over Taunton Town in their penultimate league game of the campaign guaranteed their safety under the guidance of interim manager Aaron Downes - making their 5-0 win over Havant & Waterlooville on the final day of the season academic.

Thankfully, the Bryn Consortium, headed by co-chairman Michael Westcott and Mark Bowes-Cavanagh, became the Gulls' new owners and set about the repairing the damage, with the help of football advisor Neil Warnock and new manager Paul Wotton, of course, and now United are looking up, rather than down. 

At the time of writing, the Gulls recently returned from Tonbridge Angels' Longwell Stadium, this time with a 1-0 win, courtesy of Jordan Young's tenth goal of the season, as he found the back of the net after Matt Jay's initial shot bounced back off the post. The win helps to keep United on course for promotion, as they are currently sixth in a league which is incredibly tight. 

For Young. should the Gulls win promotion, it would be a second promotion from National League South for him, as it would for teammate Jay Foulston - the duo were both title winner's with Yeovil Town in 2023-24.  

In the wake of their victory over the Angels, United host Salisbury FC before heading to fellow promotion chasers Dorking Wanderers, as the 2024-25 campaign enters its final furlong. 

Hopefully come the end, we could all be saying that the clubs have climbed the staircase and are heading towards the penthouse suite of promotion to the National League and, in time, possibly even the Football League. 

What a difference the atmosphere was compared to a year ago.

 

 

ARGYLE FOCUSING ON SURVIVAL FOLLOWING CITY TIE

 Just 72 hours after facing Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the FA Cup fifth round, Plymouth Argyle resume their battle for Championship survival against Hull City at the MKM Stadium. 

Despite taking the lead through Maksym Talovierov, a brace from Nico O'Reilly and a late Kevin De Bruyne effort ensured that Pep Guardiola's side progress. 

During the course of their cup run, the Pilgrims faced three Premier League sides and took the lead against all three of them and managed to beat two of them (Brentford & Liverpool both 1-0). 

However, while they have obtained notable scalps in the cup, it hasn't proven to be a distraction from the bread and butter of the league. Shortly after seeing off Liverpool, the Pilgrims then went and beat Millwall 5-1 at Home Park. 

Argyle are 23rd in the Championship table and currently trail 21st placed Hull by three points - the Pilgrims have 30 whilst the Tigers are on 33 - so a win would not only move them level on points, it was also drag Stoke City and Cardiff City, 19th and 20th respectively and both on 36, into the mix. 

After that Argyle have another 11 fixtures which will ultimately decide their fate. 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS BOREHAM WOOD

 1. Three in three for Matt Jay. 

After getting himself up to speed in terms of fitness, former Exeter City striker Matt Jay scored his third goal in as many games when he netted United's second of the afternoon against Boreham Wood. 

Jay had also played a key role in teeing up Jordan Young for United's opener when he intercepted Boreham Wood defender Chris Bush's wayward pass and threaded the back through to Young on nine minutes.

The Plainmoor faithful are now seeing Jay display the kind of qualities that manager Paul Wotton would have hoped that he would bring to the team. 

2. Jordan Young's ninth of the campaign. 

Despite only making his debut for the Gulls at the beginning of November 2024, Jordan Young is now just short of scoring double figures for United as he scored his ninth of the campaign against Boreham Wood. 

Eight of Young's goals have come in the league, whilst he netted once in the FA Trophy in the Gulls' 5-1 defeat to Worthing in January. 

3. A first glimpse of Offrande Zanzala for many.

United fans who made the trip to the Optima Stadium in midweek against Weston Super Mare would have got a glimpse of Offrande Zanzala, after he came off the bench. 

He was handed his full debut by Paul Wotton against Boreham Wood and worked hard during his time on the pitch and held the ball up well until he was replaced by Cody Cooke in the 70th minute. 

4. Familiar foes. 

Boreham Wood are a familiar foe of United’s from their National League days, which is reflected by the fact that Paul Wotton is the fourth Torquay United manager to have gone head-to-head with Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard; the others .

The Wood side that lined-up to face the Gulls also included goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore and left wing-back Femi Ilesanmi, both of whom have featured against United many times over the years.

They also showed many of the qualities that they possessed during Garrard’s first spell at Meadow Park, which saw them reach the National League Play-offs on several occasions – most notably grit and determination.

5. Eight points adrift. 

Saturday’s result leaves the Gulls eight points behind leaders Dorking Wanderers, albeit with a game in hand. Nevertheless, better game management will be required from Paul Wotton’s side between now and the end of the campaign, as Wotton alluded to in his post-match interview. 

However, if it is to be the play-offs for the Gulls, Wotton has Neil Warnock, who holds the records for the most promotions won through the play-offs in English football, in his corner should that scenario come to pass.

MATCH PREVIEW # MANCHESTER CITY VERSUS PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

 Match details: Manchester City versus Plymouth Argyle, FA Cup fifth round

Venue: The Etihad Stadium, Manchester

Date: Saturday 1st March, 2025

Kick off: 5.45pm 

Head-to-Head: 

Manchester City: 11

Draw: 4

Plymouth Argyle: 5

Current Form (last six, all competitions): 

Manchester City: 

L 1-5 Arsenal A

W 2-1 Leyton Orient A (FA Cup)

L 2-3 Real Madrid H (UEFA Champions League)

W 4-0 Newcastle United H

L 1-3 Real Madrid A (UEFA Champions League)

L 0-2 Liverpool H

Plymouth Argyle: 

W 2-1 West Bromwich Albion H

W 1-0 Liverpool H (FA Cup)

W 5-1 Millwall H

L 2-0 Blackburn Rovers A

D 1-1 Luton Town A

D 1-1 Cardiff City H

Top scorers: 

Manchester City: Erling Haaland (32)

Plymouth Argyle: Ryan Hardie (11)

Manchester City factfile: 

Year founded: 1894

Nickname: City, Citizens

Last season's league finish: 1st in the Premier League

Notable honours: 

World Club Championship: 

Winners: 2023 

European Cup/UEFA Champions League: 

Winners: 2023

European Cup Winners' Cup: 

Winners: 1970

First Division/Premier League: 

Winners: x 10

FA Cup:

Winners: 1904, 1934, 1956, 1969, 2011, 2019, 2023

League Cup:  

Winners: 1970, 1976, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Manager: Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola's ascent from Barcelona B Head Coach to UEFA Champions League winner took place against a footballing backdrop very different to the one he has created since joining City. 

After graduating from the club's famous La Masia academy as a player, he was a European Cup winner in 1992 under Johan Cruyff, when Barca beat Sampdoria

He won the La Liga title in three of his four seasons at the Camp Nou and lifted the UEFA Champions League twice.

In addition, the Catalan giants won the Supercopa de Espana three times, as well as twice lifting the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

There were eyebrows raised when he decided to take over at Bayern Munich in 2013, particularly as they had just won the Champions League and domestic treble. Nevertheless, Pep led his all-conquering Bayern to the last four of the UEFA Champions League in each of his three seasons, landing the Bundesliga three times and winning the league and cup double twice.

On his arrival at the Etihad, Guardiola made a stunning start to life at City, winning his first 11 games in charge and was twice nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Month award in August and September 2016. 

In his second season he guided the Blues to the Premier League title and the Carabao Cup, smashing records along the way in a stunning season.

He picked up four successive Manager of the Month awards and was voted the Premier League Manager of the Season and the LMA Manager of the Year.

He was again voted Premier League manager of the year after guiding City to four more trophies in 2018-19 to become the Club’s most successful boss ever with six trophies in three seasons.

City added the Carabao Cup and Community Shield to Pep’s list in 2019/20, but the Catalan won yet more silverware in 2020-21, with another Premier League title and Carabao Cup success.

He also became the first City boss to take his side to a Champions League final in May 2021, taking his trophy haul to ten. 

Guardiola‘s incredible spell at the Etihad saw him claim a fourth Premier League title in five years in 2021-22 as well as reaching the Champions League semi-final.

And to top off another history-defining season under Pep's tenure in 2022-23, their FA Cup final win over Manchester United was followed by our Champions League final win over Inter saw us named Treble winners, becoming the second manager to achieve the feat with an English club since Sir Alex Ferguson with Manchester United in 1998-99.

The manager continues to take us to new heights as he led the club to their first ever Super Cup victory in their debut appearance in the European showpiece. Cole Palmer‘s equaliser to make it 1-1 against Europa League champions Sevilla sent the game to penalties in which Guardiola‘s side came out victorious. 

Pep also won his fourth FIFA Club World Cup in December 2023 as City beat Fluminense 4-0 in Jeddah.

Player to Watch: Phil Foden

 Widely regarded as one of England’s most gifted players, Phil Foden excelled at youth level before graduating into the first-team. 

After successfully graduating to the first team, Foden produced several impressive displays and made several matchday squads in the early part of the 2017/18 season before departing for the Under-17 World Cup in India.

England won the tournament and Foden was instrumental, scoring twice in the final and scooping the Golden Ball prize for the tournament’s best player.  On his return to Manchester, he was handed his senior debut against Feyenoord in the Champions League in November 2017 replacing Yaya Toure in the 75^th minute, which saw him become the youngest City player to play in a European competition.

He then went on to make his England debut in September 2020, during a campaign that saw him voted as the PFA Young player of the year for the 2020-21 campaign. 

Foden has since added many more honours to his collection, including the Premier League title, an FA Cup winner's medal and a Champions League winner's prize during the 2022-23 season - as City completed the treble. 

He also appeared for England in their run to the final of Euro 2024, where they were beaten by Spain in the final. 

Old boys: 

Manchester City: None

Plymouth Argyle: None

Probable line-ups: 

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Stefan Ortega; Rico Lewis, Victor Reis, Ruben Dias, Nico O'Reilly; Rodrigo, Iker Gundogan; Savinho, James McAtee, Phil Foden; Omar Marmoush

Plymouth Argyle (3-4-2-1): Conor Hazard; Maksym Talovierov, Nikola Katic, Julio Pleguezuelo; Matthew Sorinola, Adam Randell, Jordan Houghton, Tymoteusz Puchasz; Michael Baidoo, Callum Wright; Mustapha Bundu: 

Last meeting: Saturday 25th February 1989,    Manchester City 2    Plymouth Argyle 0

 

 

A TIME FOR UNSUNG HEROES TO MAKE AN IMPACT

 When mounting a challenge for promotion, many teams won't just be looking for big performances from their star players, but they will also be looking to some of the lesser heralded players in their squads to make an impact as well. 

One such player who has stepped up to the plate for Torquay United in recent in their recent weeks, as they aim to clinch promotion from National League South under Paul Wotton, has been defender Finley Craske. 

Over the course of the season, Craske has performed in a number of roles including right-back, right wing-back, left-back and also stood in as a centre-back in recent weeks in the absence of Jordan Dyer and Jay Foulston through injury. 

On Saturday, he netted his second goal for the club against Hornchurch and produced a commanding display on the left-hand side of a back three that included Ed Palmer and Sam Dreyer. It was also only the second time that Craske has made three appearances in the space of a week since joined the Gulls in the summer of 2023. 

In another of United's promotion challenges during the 2003-04 season, whilst Alex Russell and David Graham rightfully got the plaudits they deserved in terms of being nominated in the PFA Division Three team of the season, there were other unsung players who stepped up to the plate when required. 

For example, Martin Gritton might only have scored four times during the course of the campaign, after being top scorer in 2002-03, but his goal against Hull City on February 19, 2004 still ranked as one of the most crucial scored by a Torquay United player that season. 

Then there was Reuben Hazell who, after finding it difficult to displace either Steve Woods and Craig Taylor at centre-back, filled in at right-back following an injury to Lee Canoville for the final five games of the campaign. He even managed to find the target in United's 3-0 Bank Holiday Monday win over Oxford United and let's not forget the penalty decision that rememorably went in his favour against Southend United on the final day at Roots Hall. 

Fast forward to 2025, and Wotton will need players like Craske and others to make similar, hopefully telling, contributions between now and the final day of the campaign, which ends in late April, to help get the Gulls over the line.

 

TALKING POINTS FROM TORQUAY UNITED VERSUS HORNCHURCH

 1. James Hamon's penalty save. 

James Hamon's penalty save to deny Hornchurch skipper Tom Wraight in the 30th minute helped to give the Gulls a platform to claim an important three points which moves them up to second in the National League South table. 

At the time that referee Emily Heaslip pointed to the spot, the Gulls led 1-0 thanks to Finley Craske's opener in the 12th minute, after Craske was adjudged to have felled Will Greenidge. However, Hamon correctly guessed the direction of Wraight's spot-kick to preserve United's lead. 

Nine minutes later, Matt Carson doubled United's lead to ensure they went in the half time interval with a two-goal cushion, which they wouldn't have had had it not been for Hamon's save.

2. Seven points from a possible nine. 

United's win over Hornchurch now means that United have picked up seven points from a possible nine, which includes two matches against fellow promotion chasers in Eastbourne Borough and Worthing. 

Their win over the Urchins also means that no one can complete a league 'double' over the Gulls, as Horchurch defeated United 2-1 when the two sides met in Essex last October. 

It marks the first time that no one will have beaten the Gulls both home and away in the league since the 2002-03 season, which was Leroy Rosenior's first season in charge at Plainmoor. 

3. Finley Craske 

Aside from the penalty he conceded, Finley Craske produced a flawless display in United's back three alongside Ed Palmer and Sam Dreyer. 

Apart from the goal he scored, which was his second for the club, Craske made a number of important blocks and tackles and won a number of key aerial challenges, following on from the form that he showed in United's previous fixtures against Eastbourne and Worthing. It would also be the first time that he would have played three matches in a week for some time, which makes his performance all the more impressive.

4. Jordan Young. 

He might have been on the pitch for under an hour, but Jordan Young was a key creative force for the Gulls. 

By the time he was replaced by Omar Mussa on 55 minutes, Young had provided the free-kick, which was flicked on Ed Palmer into the path of Finley Craske for United's opener in the 12th minute. Then on 39 minutes, his cross from the right picked out the onrushing Matt Carson who doubled the Gulls' lead. 

Manager Paul Wotton had revealed in the week that Young had been playing whilst only 70% fit, but he performed as well as many would do whilst fully fit.

5. Reinforcements required. 

United boss Paul Wotton will no doubt be relieved that the Gulls don't have a midweek fixture between now and next Saturday when they make the journey to Chelmsford City. 

By that point, Wotton will have heard the verdict as to whether his appeal against Sam Dreyer's red card against Worthing has been successful or not, so he will know if he will need defensive reinforcements. 

He will also, no doubt, be looking for another striker who can ease the workload on centre-forward and leading scorer Cody Cooke, following the injury to Derby County Emmanuel Ilesanmi.

6. Paying tribute to Tony Bedeau. 

Before kick off, the Plainmoor faithful joined in two seperate minute's applauses for the memory of Tony Bedeau, who sadly passed away at the age of 45 on Tuesday. 

During two spells with the Gulls (1995-2006 & 2007-2008), Bedeau made 374 appearances for United and scored 65 goals, and he would no doubt have been pleased to see Torquay secure a valuable three points.