Torquay United Top 100 Matches

[stefano]

How can beating someone 4-1, 7-2 on aggregate, including a very classy McCall goal, which secured a trip to Wembley not be a top match? Even allowing for those hazy glory days those of us under 70 haven't seen (and therefore can't vote for)?

You should have checked Wivel's list which he posted on the main thread before having a go at him! He voted for the Scarborough game!

Second bit isn't correct either. I voted for games in 1927, 1955, and 1957, but saw my first game at the age of 11 in 1963. Why? Because the thread title is 'Torquay United Top 100 Matches', and the history of the club did not start when I saw my first game.

PS. I voted for the Scarborough game too.

[Plymouth Gull]

3rd: Barnet 2 - 3 Torquay United - 2000/01

126 points, 17 votes (9+10+9+2+10+5+7+7+8+7+10+6+5+8+9+6+8)

Division 3
Saturday 5th May 2001
Underhill
Attendance: 5523

Torquay: Stuart Jones, Ryan Green, Jimmy Aggrey, Paul Holmes, Lee Russell, Kevin Hill, Richard Kell, Jason Rees, Tony Bedeau, David Graham, Eifion Williams. Subs: Alex Watson, John Gayle, Mick O'Brien, Ryan Ashington, Ryan Northmore.

Barnet scorers: Ryan Green (O.G), Wayne Purser
Torquay scorers: Jason Rees, Kevin Hill, David Graham

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Kicking off the top 3 is probably the most famous result in the Gulls history - I feel that had it been more recent and more voters had seen it, it would have finished in the top two. Alas, it's that memorable day at Underhill. I'm sure that even if you weren't there, you know what an occasion it was for both clubs, so I won't go into it in too much detail. It was very much a 'winner-takes-all' situation. United, backed by 1500 in the ground but with lots more locked out - Barnet hadn't made the game all ticket which was a silly error - banged in 3 goals in the first 45 minutes. It was dramatic right from the off.

Straight from the kick off, United launched a ball forward. Barnet keeper Lee Harrison came and challenged with Eifion Williams and injured himself, and on came youngster Danny Naisbitt. 10 minutes later, United were ahead through a Jason Rees thunderbolt. This soon became two as Kevin Hill headed home from a corner. Just before half time, Barnet were awarded a penalty after a silly handball from Jimmy Aggrey. However, Gulls keeper Stuart Jones denied Darren Currie, keeping the score at 0-2. This quickly became three as David Graham slammed the ball home after holding off his marker - 0-3 and looking like safety secured. However, this is Torquay United and it's never a breeze, is it?

By the hour mark, right back Ryan Green had headed into his own net. 1-3. Barnet were putting balls into the box from all directions now, and they got a questionable second through Wayne Purser - poking home after Jones dropped a cross (looks a foul from the highlights). Unfortunately for our hosts, they still needed two more and time was quickly running out. As it was, the match finished at 2-3. Barnet were relegated while United survived.

It is no surprise to see this one in the top 3 - as I say I am a little surprised it has only come in at third! This is the one game I truly wish I had been at.

Highlights:

(part 1)
(part 2)

[samuel]

The Barnet game. There were two remarkable incidents in this game which added to the greatness of the occasion and are often forgotten. First of all two streakers went on the pitch and a Barnet player tried to kick them but missed. I felt sure he was going to get sent off for violent conduct but he didn't. Secondly, their goalkeeper went up for a corner at the end, Barnet lost possession and their keeper literally wrestled one of our players in the centre circle to stop him scoring. I felt sure he was going to get sent off but he wasn't.

[Kit_robin]

Second bit isn't correct either. I voted for games in 1927, 1955, and 1957, but saw my first game at the age of 11 in 1963. Why? Because the thread title is 'Torquay United Top 100 Matches', and the history of the club did not start when I saw my first game.
)

I know plainmoor gull said we could vote for any matches we like, but he did also say "your top 10 games". I missed getting my votes in, but I don't think I would have put in any of those obviously important historical games into my top ten, because I have no (or little) emotional attachment to them having not been even alive for most of them.

I know my TUFC history, and if the thread was vote for your top ten most important games I would have included lots from before I was born (in 83). But my top ten in my head are all games I've been to.

By the way, really liking this thread, only gutted I missed the deadline!

Added in 5 minutes 18 seconds:
Barnet game - I almost missed it because the friend who was driving insisted on stopping at a pub for lunch on the outskirts, despite my protestations that we needed to get there early to guarantee our spot!

My girlfriend at the time was meeting us there and had saved us a spot in the queue, so we did get in. A bit cheeky I know, but think my loyalty over the years deserved it...

[stefano]

I know plainmoor gull said we could vote for any matches we like, but he did also say "your top 10 games". I missed getting my votes in, but I don't think I would have put in any of those obviously important historical games into my top ten, because I have no (or little) emotional attachment to them having not been even alive for most of them.

I know my TUFC history, and if the thread was vote for your top ten most important games I would have included lots from before I was born (in 83). But my top ten in my head are all games I've been to.

By the way, really liking this thread, only gutted I missed the deadline!

Yes the thread is extremely interesting.

In the OP Plymouth Gull (not Plainmoor Gull) said 'I have no problems if you go for matches before your time....". I did it my way, you did it yours (or at least would have if you had managed to get a list in in the 5 weeks allowed), but the thread title is still 'Torquay United Top 100 Matches'.

[Plymouth Gull]

2nd: Southend United 1 - 2 Torquay United - 2003/04

175 points, 21 votes (8+9+10+10+8+1+10+8+7+8+10+8+9+3+9+10+9+10+10+8+10)

Division 3
Saturday 8th May 2004
Roots Hall
Attendance: 8894

Torquay: Arjan van Heusden, Reuben Hazell, Steve Woods, Craig Taylor, Brian McGlinchey, Liam Rosenior, Matt Hockley, Alex Russell, Kevin Hill, David Graham, Jo Kuffour. Subs: Martin Gritton, Tony Bedeau, Dave Woozley, Jason Fowler, Lee Canoville.

Southend scorer: Lawrie Dudfield
Torquay scorers: Steve Woods, David Graham

----

Finishing 49 points ahead of third place is the last time Torquay United won automatic promotion. The 2003/04 campaign was one of the brightest in the Gulls history, and it ended with a final day victory at Southend, which saw us leapfrog Huddersfield Town into third place. All season long we had been scratching around the top 10, and we made a real push from January onwards. Through February and some of March, we won 8 out of 9 games which really lifted us into contention. The penultimate match of the season saw us drop points at home to Kidderminster, so we travelled to Roots Hall sat in 4th, two points behind Huddersfield. They had travelled to Cheltenham, knowing a win sealed promotion.

The biggest Torquay following I've seen (for a normal league game) rocked up in Essex. They had been told to expect around 1,000 by chairman Mike Bateson, so it was a bit of a kerfuffle with tickets when over double that number arrived. However, we were in. And we couldn't have asked for a better start. Inside 3 minutes, we were ahead, as Steve Woods volleyed home from a corner. By the 10th, it was 0-2! Jo Kuffour used his magic down the left, reached the byline and cut back for David Graham to stoop a header into the bottom corner. Delirium in the away end, as we were in 3rd as things stood.

Southend pulled a goal back in the 22nd minute through Lawrie Dudfield, showing they were up for spoiling our potential party. Soon after that goal, Huddersfield scored, meaning we dropped into 4th. It was a tense afternoon. Our game was still 2-1 - despite a couple of huge penalty shouts for the hosts. And in the second half, news filtered through that Cheltenham had scored an equaliser! The away end erupted and we were back in pole position.

Huddersfield's game finished before ours, and finished 1-1 meaning that if we held on, we won. We managed to do just that, and the final whistle was greeted with an unbelievable roar from the away end.

This was my number one - I don't think anything will beat this match for me. A truly great day.

Highlights:

[Plymouth Gull]

And as you've probably all guessed which game is going to be number one....


1st: Cambridge United 0 - 2 Torquay United - 2008/09



198 points, 25 votes (6+7+8+10+10+9+1+5+8+9+6+9+10+10+7+8+8+10+6+9+10+10+3+10+9)

Blue Square Premier Playoff Final
Sunday 17th May 2009
Wembley Stadium
Attendance: 35089

Torquay: Michael Poke, Lee Mansell, Chris Todd, Chris Robertson, Kevin Nicholson, Wayne Carlisle, Nicky Wroe, Chris Hargreaves, Danny Stevens, Elliot Benyon, Tim Sills. Subs: Lee Hodges, Mustapha Carayol, Tyrone Thompson, Matt Green, Martin Rice.

Torquay scorers: Chris Hargreaves, Tim Sills

----

The day we thought we had escaped non-league football for good. Featuring in all but six lists, Torquay's playoff final victory over Cambridge seven years ago comes in at number one. Having beaten Histon over two legs, we travelled to Wembley to meet Cambridge. The U's had finished 2nd, just short of winners Burton Albion. They had also lost in the previous season's playoff final, against Exeter City. This was meant to be their day. A chance for redemption after last season's near miss. And we ruined it.

Over 35,000 were at Wembley on this warm summers day. Torquay fans were heavily outnumbered in the stands, but on the pitch we smashed it. A tense opening period saw Cambridge enjoy the lions share of chances. Then, with 10 minutes to go until half time, we took the lead. A long kick from Michael Poke was flicked on by Elliot Benyon. He was able to get the ball into the path of Chris Hargreaves, who took a touch before slamming it into the top corner from the edge of the box. 0-1 United! It was very much against the run of play, but we didn't mind one jot!

In the second half, it was a lot more open. We were looking for a second while Cambridge hunted an equaliser. Things got worse for our opponents as defender Phil Bolland received a second yellow card. Shortly afterwards, we sealed promotion, and it was one of the most memorable goals Torquay have scored in recent years. A swift counter saw Benyon surge over the half way line. He played it wide to Carlisle, who hesitated before crossing. This worked perfectly, as it allowed Tim Sills to storm in and power a header past Adam Bartlett. The Gulls fans at that end went crazy, and promotion had been secured!

The final 15 minutes were a relative non-contest to be honest - we were comfortably ahead and Cambridge had effectively given up.

Winning at Wembley is a fantastic way to get promotion, especially when it signals a return to the Football League. It is no surprise to see this one win this poll.

------------

And that's it from me. It's taken a little longer than anticipated but I want to say thank you to everyone who got involved and helped to make this thread what it is!

Lets hope for some more memorable games to come!

[pnutgull]

Three excellent games to finish with and all very different. I think if the Barnet game had been more recent it would have gone higher as that had everything you could possibly ask for in a game of football..... including the fear that I wouldn't get in to watch it. Southend was a rollercoaster of emotions where just for once it all went our way and the Cambridge match was really just FUN...and that's a rarity too.

Thanks to Plymouth Gull for coming up with this thread and doing the hard work. It's been a great run through memory lane and a reminder of why supporting Torquay United is worth it. Hopefully there will be many more similar moments to come.

[TUST_Member_Rob]

the obvious no.1 choice, you have to have some highlights though!!!

Here's the highlights of our run in vs Burton, play off semis vs Histon and that wembley win!




Good job plymouth Gull!

[gateman49]

I have happy memories of the final three matches listed and as they are relatively fresh in the memory they deserve to be up there.

An interesting debate has gone on as to whether we should have voted only for matches that we attended in person, why any form of defeat should have been listed and why any match in the Conference should have been considered etc. All that is done and dusted and the positive is that it brought to the fore matches that I wouldn't have otherwise specifically remembered.

Thank you PlymouthGull for co-ordinating such a task! You've given me and many others the opportunity to wallow in a bit of nostalgia just at a time when our spirits needed lifting. We move on and the team has taken up that challenge now with some stirring results in recent days. Let's hope that it doesn't go down to the wire this season and that the Guiseley match isn't going to feature in some future list.

[Eirik]

A great read. Myself being a fan of Torquay since the mid-90's and my knowledge of the team/players through Championship Manager and fixtures/results on the tele-text here in Norway in the early years, it sure has been interesting to read the review of the old matches.

Thanks for a great job Plymouth Gull

[Royalmgull]

A TUESDAY NIGHT AWAY AT WOLVES . UNBEATEN IN 2 seasons at home less than 400 made the trip . 20 odd thousand sent home unhappy , what a night ...

[Gulliball]

He is far too modest to mention this himself, but Nick (Plymouth Gull) who has run this fabulous feature, will be cycling from John O'Groats to Lands End this summer with his dad and brother, raising money and awareness for Age UK.

It'll involve around 1000 miles in the saddle and they are raising money through this page: https://www.justgiving.com/Garlick-JOGLE

If you have enjoyed this feature then all donations will be greatly appreciated. And if you didn't enjoy it because your own favourite matches weren't remembered by anyone else, then you're likely to be of an age where you will be first to benefit from any money raised, so no excuses for anyone.

[wivelgull]

Carlisle......he's looking for Benyon.....SILLS!!!

[Eirik]

Carlisle......he's looking for Benyon.....SILLS!!!

Torquay United are close to the promised land