Here are a few stats on Lee Mansell's eight years with the Gulls.
Debut: August 5th 2006 vs Barnet
Farewell: May 3rd 2014 vs Wycombe Wanderers
First goal scored: August 8th 2006 vs Rochdale
Honours:
2006-07
Torquay United Player of the Year
2008 FA Trophy Runner-Up
2008-09
Promotion from Blue Square Premier (Conference)
2011-12
Torquay United Player of the Year
League Two Team of the Season representative
Appearances:
League: 339 + 23 goals
FA Cup: 21
League Cup: 5 + 1 goal
Other (FA Trophy, Setanta Shield & Johnstone's Paint Trophy): 16
Friday, 27 June 2014
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD AT PLAINMOOR
The curtain came down on a era for Torquay United this week as Lee Mansell moved onto pastures new after eight years at Plainmoor to join Bristol Rovers.
Since he was brought to south Devon by Ian Atkins from Oxford United, Mansell's time with the Gulls has been characterised by a series of highs and lows.
In his first season, he experienced what was a second consecutive relegation from Football League- he had been relegated from League Two with Oxford in the 2005-06 season- as Torquay dropped out of the Football League, largely down to the master class of mis-management of the ill-fated Chris Roberts era.
However, in the summer of 2007, the Gulls were reinvigorated by the arrival of the present owners, who bought out Mike Bateson, and Paul Buckle was installed as manager and set about building a side that would eventually win promotion from the Conference.
Buckle's first season in charge saw Mansell received an FA Trophy runners-up medal, but in his second he was part of the Gulls' side that clinched their return to the Football League in the Conference Play-Off final against Cambridge United in 2009.
Mansell, who was deployed in the centre of midfield or at right back during his tenure with the Gulls, then played a key role in helping re-establish Torquay in the Football League and was handed the captain's armband by Buckle in February 2011.
Later on in the season, Mansell led the Gulls out in the League Two Play-Off final at Old Trafford against Stevenage, which United lost 1-0 and proved to be Buckle's last match as manager before he headed up the M5 to take charge of Bristol Rovers.
Several of the Gulls' squad followed Buckle to the Memorial Stadium, but Mansell remained at Plainmoor and retained the captaincy under Buckle's successor Martin Ling ahead of the 2011-12 season.
Mansell would enjoy the finest campaign of his career under Ling, he scored 13 goals from midfield- making him the club's second top scorer, won the club's Player of the Year award and was named in the League Two PFA team of the season.
Unfortunately, the one prize that alluded him was promotion as the Gulls were beaten on aggregate by Cheltenham Town in the semi-finals of the Play-Offs, after missing out on automatic promotion of the final day of the regular campaign.
This proved to be the pinnacle of his time at Plainmoor as two years of struggle followed, which culminated in an unwanted second relegation of his eight years with Torquay.
At the age of 31, he is probably at the stage where a new challenge in his career would be seen as a welcome one- and the security of a two-year contract with Bristol Rovers would suit him and his young family better than the one-year deal he was offered by Gulls' boss Chris Hargreaves.
With the Conference fixture list due out a week today, there are going to be two fixtures that the Plainmoor faithful are going to be looking out for more than any others.
Since he was brought to south Devon by Ian Atkins from Oxford United, Mansell's time with the Gulls has been characterised by a series of highs and lows.
In his first season, he experienced what was a second consecutive relegation from Football League- he had been relegated from League Two with Oxford in the 2005-06 season- as Torquay dropped out of the Football League, largely down to the master class of mis-management of the ill-fated Chris Roberts era.
However, in the summer of 2007, the Gulls were reinvigorated by the arrival of the present owners, who bought out Mike Bateson, and Paul Buckle was installed as manager and set about building a side that would eventually win promotion from the Conference.
Buckle's first season in charge saw Mansell received an FA Trophy runners-up medal, but in his second he was part of the Gulls' side that clinched their return to the Football League in the Conference Play-Off final against Cambridge United in 2009.
Mansell, who was deployed in the centre of midfield or at right back during his tenure with the Gulls, then played a key role in helping re-establish Torquay in the Football League and was handed the captain's armband by Buckle in February 2011.
Later on in the season, Mansell led the Gulls out in the League Two Play-Off final at Old Trafford against Stevenage, which United lost 1-0 and proved to be Buckle's last match as manager before he headed up the M5 to take charge of Bristol Rovers.
Several of the Gulls' squad followed Buckle to the Memorial Stadium, but Mansell remained at Plainmoor and retained the captaincy under Buckle's successor Martin Ling ahead of the 2011-12 season.
Mansell would enjoy the finest campaign of his career under Ling, he scored 13 goals from midfield- making him the club's second top scorer, won the club's Player of the Year award and was named in the League Two PFA team of the season.
Unfortunately, the one prize that alluded him was promotion as the Gulls were beaten on aggregate by Cheltenham Town in the semi-finals of the Play-Offs, after missing out on automatic promotion of the final day of the regular campaign.
This proved to be the pinnacle of his time at Plainmoor as two years of struggle followed, which culminated in an unwanted second relegation of his eight years with Torquay.
At the age of 31, he is probably at the stage where a new challenge in his career would be seen as a welcome one- and the security of a two-year contract with Bristol Rovers would suit him and his young family better than the one-year deal he was offered by Gulls' boss Chris Hargreaves.
With the Conference fixture list due out a week today, there are going to be two fixtures that the Plainmoor faithful are going to be looking out for more than any others.
Tuesday, 24 June 2014
SHERIDAN ON LOOK OUT FOR CONOR REPLACEMENT
Plymouth Argyle manager John Sheridan is on the look out for a replacement for skipper Conor Hourihane following his transfer to League One side Barnsley.
Argyle agreed a fee believed to be in the region of £200,000 for the 23 year-old Irishman- who ends a three-year association with the Pilgrims, a year and a half of which were spent captaining the side.
Whilst many of the 'Green Army' would be disappointed to see their skipper depart Home Park, but circumstances played a hand in the Pilgrims' decision to accept what was the third bid which the Tykes had made for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international.
With only 12 months remaining on his contract, Hourihane- who made 142 appearances for Argyle and scored 16 goals- would have been free to leave the Pilgrims at the end of the 2014-15 with no compensation- as by that time he would have reached the age of 24, the age where out of contract players cease to earn their club any form of fee.
However, the Pilgrims will not keep the bulk of the fee as 50 % of the deal will go towards paying off football creditors following the club's spell in Administration in 2011.
The move comes just days after Sheridan signed Hourihane's former Sunderland teammate Peter Hartley, a centre back who takes the Pilgrims' summer arrivals up to five.
Sheridan to appoint a new skipper and sign a midfielder to fill the void left by his departure.
One likely successor to the Irishman as captain is long serving defender Curtis Nelson, who now becomes the club's longest serving player, and is now, along with young striker Matt Lecointe, one of the only surviving players from the club's dark days in Administration.
The importance of finding the right type of player to replace Hourihane is a great one, as it was thought that his presence in the side was believed to be vital to a side looking to mount a challenge for promotion.
Argyle agreed a fee believed to be in the region of £200,000 for the 23 year-old Irishman- who ends a three-year association with the Pilgrims, a year and a half of which were spent captaining the side.
Whilst many of the 'Green Army' would be disappointed to see their skipper depart Home Park, but circumstances played a hand in the Pilgrims' decision to accept what was the third bid which the Tykes had made for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international.
With only 12 months remaining on his contract, Hourihane- who made 142 appearances for Argyle and scored 16 goals- would have been free to leave the Pilgrims at the end of the 2014-15 with no compensation- as by that time he would have reached the age of 24, the age where out of contract players cease to earn their club any form of fee.
However, the Pilgrims will not keep the bulk of the fee as 50 % of the deal will go towards paying off football creditors following the club's spell in Administration in 2011.
The move comes just days after Sheridan signed Hourihane's former Sunderland teammate Peter Hartley, a centre back who takes the Pilgrims' summer arrivals up to five.
Sheridan to appoint a new skipper and sign a midfielder to fill the void left by his departure.
One likely successor to the Irishman as captain is long serving defender Curtis Nelson, who now becomes the club's longest serving player, and is now, along with young striker Matt Lecointe, one of the only surviving players from the club's dark days in Administration.
The importance of finding the right type of player to replace Hourihane is a great one, as it was thought that his presence in the side was believed to be vital to a side looking to mount a challenge for promotion.
Sunday, 22 June 2014
TREADING A FAMILIAR PATH
In joining Torquay United, following his release by Plymouth Argyle, Luke Young is travelling a path that many players have followed in the last quarter of a century.
Since John Uzzell and John Matthews were signed for the Gulls by the late Cyril Knowles in 1989, after they were deemed surplus to requirements by the Pilgrims- who were in then in what is now the Championship, a number of others have followed in their footsteps.
Whilst Matthews remained with Torquay for just one season - Uzzell, who can still be found at Plainmoor on matchdays compiling match statistics for the Press Association, became a regular for the Gulls, and even had a spell as joint caretaker manager with Wes Saunders during the 1991-92 season before he was forced to retire after suffering a horrific facial injury in a clash with Brentford's Gary Blissett.
Uzzell was later joined at Plainmoor by Tommy Tynan and Peter Whiston, who were brought to Torquay by former Pilgrims' boss Dave Smith ahead of the 1990-91 campaign, which would see the Gulls promoted via the Play-Offs- as they defeated Blackpool 5-4 on penalties after drawing 2-2 over 90 minutes and extra time.
Tynan finished the season as United's joint-top scorer with 19 goals and Whiston later moved onto Exeter City, Southampton and Shrewsbury.
The next player to make the journey down the A38 was Argyle's all-time appearance holder, Kevin Hodges, who joined Torquay initially on loan during the 1991-92 campaign and later made the move permanently in the following season after he was released by Peter Shilton.
On arriving at Plainmoor, he joined another former Pilgrim who had also been let go by Shilton in the form of ex Brentford and Millwall defender Danis Salman- who briefly worked as the Gulls' youth coach.
Hodges later went to hold the title of youth coach himself, and, in 1996, he was appointed as manager of the Gulls, following the departure of Eddie May; one of his first acts on taking charge was to bring in Steve McCall as part of his backroom staff from Argyle.
Although, due to his age, McCall wasn't the quickest or the most mobile, the one time Ipswich Town starlet- who played for the Tractor Boys in their 1981 UEFA Cup triumph against AZ Alkmaar- still managed to combine playing with coaching the youth side and assisting Hodges with the first team.
He even managed to roll back the years in the Gulls' Third Division Play-Off semi-final second leg against Scarborough, in the 1997-98 season, with a stunning long range strike from the edge of the penalty area.
Two of his midfield colleagues in that side were Gary Clayton and Chris Leadbitter, who had both helped the Pilgrims win promotion through the Play-Offs under Neil Warnock in the 1995-96 season.
The next batch of Green cast-offs would help form the backbone of one of the most successful Torquay sides in recent times: Leroy Rosenior's automatic promotion winning side of the 2003-04 season.
Martin Gritton was the first player to be brought to Plainmoor from Home Park by Leroy when he signed for the Gulls at the start of the 2002-03 campaign.
'Gritts' finished the season as the Gulls' top scorer with 16 goals and was voted as runner-up in United's Player of the season award.
He would later be joined at TQ1 by Kevin Wills, Joe Broad, Craig Taylor and Brian McGlinchey.
The latter two both joined the Gulls following successful loan spells and both featured in the Gulls' starting line-up in their final day victory over Southend United, which clinched Torquay's first automatic promotion in 38 years.
Centre-back Taylor captained the Gulls' side during that season and left back McGlinchey was regarded as the 'final piece in the jigsaw' of that team as he made the spot on the left hand side of the defence his own.
Following their promotion triumph, Martin 'Buster' Phillips became the next Pilgrim to become a Gull. Phillips, who had been hailed as Britain's first £10million footballer by Alan Ball when he moved from Exeter to Manchester City in 1995, became one of the select band of players to have represented all three of Devon's professional clubs and remained at Plainmoor until 2007- when he was forced to retire after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
During his three years with the Gulls, he also appeared alongside another of his former Argyle team-mates Mickey Evans, who made 14 appearances for the Gulls and scored once during the 2006-07 season- after making the move from Home Park- before hanging up his boots.
The last former Green to become a Gull was current Torquay assistant manager Lee Hodges who will be working with Young on the training ground in the forthcoming 2014-15 campaign.
Hodges arrived at Plainmoor in 2008, and helped the Gulls win promotion back into the Football League and later joined Truro City- who he would later manage.
Footnote: Reuben Reid, Ryan Dickson, Scott Laird and Ashley Barnes have been loaned to the Gulls by the Pilgrims.
Since John Uzzell and John Matthews were signed for the Gulls by the late Cyril Knowles in 1989, after they were deemed surplus to requirements by the Pilgrims- who were in then in what is now the Championship, a number of others have followed in their footsteps.
Whilst Matthews remained with Torquay for just one season - Uzzell, who can still be found at Plainmoor on matchdays compiling match statistics for the Press Association, became a regular for the Gulls, and even had a spell as joint caretaker manager with Wes Saunders during the 1991-92 season before he was forced to retire after suffering a horrific facial injury in a clash with Brentford's Gary Blissett.
Uzzell was later joined at Plainmoor by Tommy Tynan and Peter Whiston, who were brought to Torquay by former Pilgrims' boss Dave Smith ahead of the 1990-91 campaign, which would see the Gulls promoted via the Play-Offs- as they defeated Blackpool 5-4 on penalties after drawing 2-2 over 90 minutes and extra time.
Tynan finished the season as United's joint-top scorer with 19 goals and Whiston later moved onto Exeter City, Southampton and Shrewsbury.
The next player to make the journey down the A38 was Argyle's all-time appearance holder, Kevin Hodges, who joined Torquay initially on loan during the 1991-92 campaign and later made the move permanently in the following season after he was released by Peter Shilton.
On arriving at Plainmoor, he joined another former Pilgrim who had also been let go by Shilton in the form of ex Brentford and Millwall defender Danis Salman- who briefly worked as the Gulls' youth coach.
Hodges later went to hold the title of youth coach himself, and, in 1996, he was appointed as manager of the Gulls, following the departure of Eddie May; one of his first acts on taking charge was to bring in Steve McCall as part of his backroom staff from Argyle.
Although, due to his age, McCall wasn't the quickest or the most mobile, the one time Ipswich Town starlet- who played for the Tractor Boys in their 1981 UEFA Cup triumph against AZ Alkmaar- still managed to combine playing with coaching the youth side and assisting Hodges with the first team.
He even managed to roll back the years in the Gulls' Third Division Play-Off semi-final second leg against Scarborough, in the 1997-98 season, with a stunning long range strike from the edge of the penalty area.
Two of his midfield colleagues in that side were Gary Clayton and Chris Leadbitter, who had both helped the Pilgrims win promotion through the Play-Offs under Neil Warnock in the 1995-96 season.
The next batch of Green cast-offs would help form the backbone of one of the most successful Torquay sides in recent times: Leroy Rosenior's automatic promotion winning side of the 2003-04 season.
Martin Gritton was the first player to be brought to Plainmoor from Home Park by Leroy when he signed for the Gulls at the start of the 2002-03 campaign.
'Gritts' finished the season as the Gulls' top scorer with 16 goals and was voted as runner-up in United's Player of the season award.
He would later be joined at TQ1 by Kevin Wills, Joe Broad, Craig Taylor and Brian McGlinchey.
The latter two both joined the Gulls following successful loan spells and both featured in the Gulls' starting line-up in their final day victory over Southend United, which clinched Torquay's first automatic promotion in 38 years.
Centre-back Taylor captained the Gulls' side during that season and left back McGlinchey was regarded as the 'final piece in the jigsaw' of that team as he made the spot on the left hand side of the defence his own.
Following their promotion triumph, Martin 'Buster' Phillips became the next Pilgrim to become a Gull. Phillips, who had been hailed as Britain's first £10million footballer by Alan Ball when he moved from Exeter to Manchester City in 1995, became one of the select band of players to have represented all three of Devon's professional clubs and remained at Plainmoor until 2007- when he was forced to retire after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
During his three years with the Gulls, he also appeared alongside another of his former Argyle team-mates Mickey Evans, who made 14 appearances for the Gulls and scored once during the 2006-07 season- after making the move from Home Park- before hanging up his boots.
The last former Green to become a Gull was current Torquay assistant manager Lee Hodges who will be working with Young on the training ground in the forthcoming 2014-15 campaign.
Hodges arrived at Plainmoor in 2008, and helped the Gulls win promotion back into the Football League and later joined Truro City- who he would later manage.
Footnote: Reuben Reid, Ryan Dickson, Scott Laird and Ashley Barnes have been loaned to the Gulls by the Pilgrims.
Friday, 20 June 2014
EARLY SEASON ENCOUNTER FOR PILGRIMS AND GRECIANS
There will be an early Devon derby meeting in the 2014-15 season as Plymouth Argyle are set to host Exeter City in their first home game of the campaign.
When the two sides meet on August 16th, the Pilgrims will be looking to avenge their two league defeats at the hands of the Grecians last term- it was the first time that Exeter had completed a league double over their arch rivals since the 1992-93 season.
Exeter's two previous visits to Home Park have attracted over crowds of 13,000, and the Pilgrims will be hoping for a similar bumper attendance again.
Before then, Argyle travel to Cambridge United on the opening day of the campaign to face the U's in the first match of their return to the Football League, after winning promotion from the Conference last season.
Meanwhile, the Grecians host another of another of the Pilgrims' great rivals, Portsmouth, at St James Park.
In League One, Yeovil Town host Doncaster Rovers who were also relegated from the Championship with the Glovers.
When the two sides meet on August 16th, the Pilgrims will be looking to avenge their two league defeats at the hands of the Grecians last term- it was the first time that Exeter had completed a league double over their arch rivals since the 1992-93 season.
Exeter's two previous visits to Home Park have attracted over crowds of 13,000, and the Pilgrims will be hoping for a similar bumper attendance again.
Before then, Argyle travel to Cambridge United on the opening day of the campaign to face the U's in the first match of their return to the Football League, after winning promotion from the Conference last season.
Meanwhile, the Grecians host another of another of the Pilgrims' great rivals, Portsmouth, at St James Park.
In League One, Yeovil Town host Doncaster Rovers who were also relegated from the Championship with the Glovers.
YOUNGY LOOKING TO FILL A EUNAN SHAPED GAP
After putting pen to paper on a two-year contract with Torquay United, many of the Plainmoor faithful will be pining their hopes on former Plymouth Argyle midfielder Luke Young filling the void in the Gulls' central midfield left by Eunan O'Kane's 2012 departure to AFC Bournemouth.
Young, 21, who hails from Ivybridge is Torquay manager Chris Hargreaves' second signing of the close season - after Louis Briscoe- and is hoped his arrival will inject new spark and creativity into the Gulls' midfield.
Since O'Kane's £175,000 switch to the Goldsands Stadium, Torquay have badly missed the skill of the young Irishman- leaving a void that Hargreaves' predecesors, Martin Ling and Alan Knill, were unable to fill.
Several players were deployed in his former position: Ian Morris, Nathan Craig and Joss Labadie to name but a few; sadly none of them proved to be an effective long-term solution.
Young now has the opportunity to plug the gap and make the position his own.
After he was handed his professional debut, as a 17 year-old, by Peter Reid against Bournemouth in January 2011, shortly before the Pilgrims went into Administration, Young went on to make a further 107 appearances- in all competitions- and scored eight goals, the first of which came against the Gulls on New Year's Day 2012.
The experience that he gained during that time will stand him in good stead as he looked set to benefit from further opportunities of regular first team football at Plainmoor, and there is also possibility of him earning England C' honours.
Shortly after he was released by Pilgrims' manager John Sheridan, Young said the decision could be the making of him, and his acquisition by Torquay could help to turn Hargreaves' plans to get the Gulls back into the Football League as soon as possible into reality.
Young, 21, who hails from Ivybridge is Torquay manager Chris Hargreaves' second signing of the close season - after Louis Briscoe- and is hoped his arrival will inject new spark and creativity into the Gulls' midfield.
Since O'Kane's £175,000 switch to the Goldsands Stadium, Torquay have badly missed the skill of the young Irishman- leaving a void that Hargreaves' predecesors, Martin Ling and Alan Knill, were unable to fill.
Several players were deployed in his former position: Ian Morris, Nathan Craig and Joss Labadie to name but a few; sadly none of them proved to be an effective long-term solution.
Young now has the opportunity to plug the gap and make the position his own.
After he was handed his professional debut, as a 17 year-old, by Peter Reid against Bournemouth in January 2011, shortly before the Pilgrims went into Administration, Young went on to make a further 107 appearances- in all competitions- and scored eight goals, the first of which came against the Gulls on New Year's Day 2012.
The experience that he gained during that time will stand him in good stead as he looked set to benefit from further opportunities of regular first team football at Plainmoor, and there is also possibility of him earning England C' honours.
Shortly after he was released by Pilgrims' manager John Sheridan, Young said the decision could be the making of him, and his acquisition by Torquay could help to turn Hargreaves' plans to get the Gulls back into the Football League as soon as possible into reality.
Monday, 16 June 2014
A BIT MORE OF THE IRISH FOR ARGYLE
Plymouth Argyle have strengthened their Irish connections recently- with their latest signing and loaning out one of their young prospects.
Argyle manager John Sheridan- who won 34 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a player- has secured the services of current Eire Under-21 international Carl McHugh, following his release from Bradford City, and has sent young prospect Jamie Richards out on loan to Northern Irish side Linfield.
McHugh, 21, is a left-sided centre back, who can also at left back, and becomes Sheridan's fourth summer signing following the arrival of Deane Smalley, Lee Cox and Reuben Reid.
His career highlights to date is arguably helping Bradford reach the final of the Capital One last season; he appeared in their victories over Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa- he also found the target in their semi-final first leg win over the Villains- before featuring against Swansea City in the final.
McHugh has also been capped twice by the Republic of Ireland at Under-21 level, and has also represented them at youth level.
He joins fellow countryman in current Argyle skipper Conor Hourihane- who hails from Cork- and will be looking to build a solid defensive partnership with Curtis Nelson.
Meanwhile, Pilgrims' youth product Jamie Richards has joined Linfield, managed by former Pilgrim Warren Feeney, on a six-month loan deal as he looks to continue his footballing education with the Belfast based Blues- who have lifted the Irish League title on a record 51 occasions.
Richards has so far made two appearances for Argyle, which both came in the 2012-13 campaign.
Argyle manager John Sheridan- who won 34 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a player- has secured the services of current Eire Under-21 international Carl McHugh, following his release from Bradford City, and has sent young prospect Jamie Richards out on loan to Northern Irish side Linfield.
McHugh, 21, is a left-sided centre back, who can also at left back, and becomes Sheridan's fourth summer signing following the arrival of Deane Smalley, Lee Cox and Reuben Reid.
His career highlights to date is arguably helping Bradford reach the final of the Capital One last season; he appeared in their victories over Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa- he also found the target in their semi-final first leg win over the Villains- before featuring against Swansea City in the final.
McHugh has also been capped twice by the Republic of Ireland at Under-21 level, and has also represented them at youth level.
He joins fellow countryman in current Argyle skipper Conor Hourihane- who hails from Cork- and will be looking to build a solid defensive partnership with Curtis Nelson.
Meanwhile, Pilgrims' youth product Jamie Richards has joined Linfield, managed by former Pilgrim Warren Feeney, on a six-month loan deal as he looks to continue his footballing education with the Belfast based Blues- who have lifted the Irish League title on a record 51 occasions.
Richards has so far made two appearances for Argyle, which both came in the 2012-13 campaign.
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