Torquay United Top 100 Matches

[gateman49]

I didn't vote for the Bristol City match but I have fond memories of it as I sat next to a work colleague who had invited me to join him (he was and is an Ashton Gate season ticket holder). So, unusually for me, I didn't join the travelling army (there were quite a lot of TU fans there on the day) and watched from the main stand. I had a great view of the goal and it sticks in my memory now as Mark Loram created some space for a very juicy cross from out on the left touch line. David Caldwell met it just right and gave the keeper no chance.

Much as in the Aston Villa match, I then had to quietly make my way to the exit as the locals weren't happy!

[Plymouth Gull]

29th: Torquay United 3 - 2 Blackpool - 2000/01

13 points, 3 votes (6+5+2)

Division 3
Monday 28th August 2000
Plainmoor
Attendance: 2384

Torquay: Ryan Northmore, Robbie Herrera, Paul Holmes, Alex Watson, Troy Douglin, Kevin Hill, Jules Mendy, Mark Ford, Ryan Ashington, Kevin Parker, Habib Sissoko. Subs: Gary Neil, Steve Tully, Mark Platts, Mick O'Brien, Eifion Williams

Torquay scorers: Habib Sissoko, Eifion Williams (2)
Blackpool scorers: Brett Ormerod, Richie Wellens

Another match up at Plainmoor between Torquay and Blackpool kicks us off inside the top 30. This one was eight years before the 1-0 FA Cup victory that recently appeared on this list. Both sides were in Division 3 in the 2000/01 campaign, and Blackpool made the August Bank Holiday journey to South Devon. It started well too, as Brett Ormerod opened the scoring in the first half. Habib Sissoko equalised in the 51st minute with a volley. However, by the 67th minute the visitors were ahead again, this time through Richie Wellens. It looked for all the world like Blackpool would win - they had hit the woodwork twice too.

Step forward Eifion Williams. The 66th minute substitute equalised in stoppage time, rescuing an unlikely point for United. Or so they thought! Less than 60 seconds later, the Welshman found the net again, volleying in from 25 yards.

This sounds a crazy ending and something I wish I'd seen!

[gateman49]

You haven't mentioned the Blackpool streaker who came on while they were still 2 - 1 up just before the end. There was a delay to proceedings and perhaps that was enough to put off the Blackpool team who let those two late goals in.

[Plymouth Gull]

Ah, I wasn't sure if that was the game!

JOINT 28th: Exeter City 1 - 2 Torquay United - 2007/08

14 points, 3 votes (4+1+9)

Blue Square Premier Playoff Semi Final First Leg
Thursday 1st May 2008
St James Park
Attendance: 8276

Torquay: Simon Rayner, Chris Robertson, Chris Todd, Steve Woods, Lee Mansell, Kevin Nicholson, Chris Hargreaves, Steve Adams, Chris Zebroski, Tim Sills, Lee Phillips. Subs: Roscoe D'Sane, Martin Rice, Danny Stevens, Tony Bedeau, Kevin Hill

Exeter scorer: Wayne Carlisle
Torquay scorers: Tim Sills, Chris Zebroski

The 2007/08 season was a pretty memorable one. Finishing in the playoffs after being involved in a title race until March, and a first appearance at the new Wembley. When looking back, it wasn't too bad. The playoffs were good for 160 minutes, too. We travelled to Exeter in the first leg, with a sold out away end. Over 8500 were at St James Park. City were pretty dominant from the off - looking to protect their good home form from the regular league season. However, it was United who struck first. Lee Phillips swung in a cross which Tim Sills powered in, right in front of the travelling fans. We continued to hold on, with a previously unused sweeper system in place. It held until the 75th minute, when Wayne Carlisle equalised. It looked like City would go on to win the game, but then Paul Jones made a rather large mistake. Receiving a back pass, Jones proceeded to smash the ball into the back of Chris Zebroski - who calmly turned and slotted home in front of the Big Bank! The scenes on the away terrace were superb.

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JOINT 28th: Torquay United 8 - 3 Newport County

14 points, 3 votes (10+2+2)

Division 4
19th October 1963
Plainmoor
Attendance: 4442

Any game where your team score 8 times is likely to be hugely memorable. As with the games from a while ago, I have struggled to find much here. Did Stubbs score 5? If that's right then Wivel will be along in no time, I'm sure!

[EmetEdadsBeard]

Did you put your choices in?

No sorry Scott not been well then snowed under with stuff at work/home. It wasn't a criticism, it was an observation.

And as you are probably aware I'm an infrequent visitor these days for reasons you probably know!

It's up to 5 of the picks now

[gateman49]

I didn't pick the Newport match but I was there and remember it well. Yes, Robin did indeed score 5 and I think it was only 2 -1 well into the second half but then came the deluge! I think that we beat them away 3 - 0 that season so we ended up putting 11 past them all together.

[Uberwozza-san]

Bristol City game was one of my mine. Late 80's and early 90's were a fantastic time to be a TUFC fan and i saw a lot of games.

This one stands out for the coach journey, the massive away support on the big bank behind the goal and of course the West Country derby.

Slightly embaraased to say it but Dave Caldwell was my hero at the time! (partly still is), for the football, the bravado, the toughness, the ability to punch himself in the face and get a penalty (Swansea play off away ) and general carnage. I seem to recall he got arrested before he joined us after (and i think i can still remember the quote) 'getting rugby tackled on the motorway verge by a policeman because he had been celebrating his move to Torquay" not sure if it is true but there you go.

Anyway, main memory is Lors doing his magic on the left hand side and sending in a beautiful curling cross onto the penalty spot where Mr Caldwell launched a diving header - cue pandomonium. Glory Days.

Also recall the Orient Game earlier. big Jolly Boys outing to London and massive support. Still dont know how we did not score in the mother of all goalmouth scrambles at the end.

I love Torquay

[stefano]

JOINT 28th: Torquay United 8 - 3 Newport County

14 points, 3 votes (10+2+2)

Division 4
19th October 1963
Plainmoor
Attendance: 4442

Any game where your team score 8 times is likely to be hugely memorable. As with the games from a while ago, I have struggled to find much here. Did Stubbs score 5? If that's right then Wivel will be along in no time, I'm sure!

This was a routine Division 4 fixture and as Gateman mentioned with 20 minutes to go the score was 2-1 to Torquay. There was nothing to prepare the crowd for what was to happen next. With our new signing from Birmingham City Robin Stubbs leading the attack (he had scored 8 goals up to that point with one of them being a hat trick against Darlington) a crazy topsy turvy last 20 minutes saw the scoreline stretch to 8-3.

TORQUAY: Terry Adlington, Colin Bettany, George Allen, Frank Austin, Alan Smith, Dave Hancock, Bobby Webb, Tommy Northcott, Robin Stubbs, Reg Jenkins, Ernie Pym

SCORERS: Robin Stubbs (5), Reg Jenkins (2), Tommy Northcott

Incredibly this was not Robin's record in a first team game! Two seasons later we entered the new Western Counties Floodlit League. This was an official first team competition for the leading league and non league clubs in the region. It was intended to give some 'local derby' interest against teams we would not normally play like Bath City, Yeovil Town, and Weymouth Town, and also to generate some extra revenue.

The league started as intended with all clubs fielding their full first team. However that was all very well early in the season when the pitches were not as likely to be responsible for injuries, and there were no cup replays or postponed games to fit in to the schedule. Later on in the season though the league became difficult to fit in and could not be regarded as a priority, so clubs were fielding reserve and youth players and some games with agreement of the clubs and league were played for double points avoiding the necessity for a return fixture. All a bit Micky Mouse really for a first team competition, and what may have seemed like a good idea over a few beers after a local FA meeting became a millstone around the necks of the clubs involved when the league was exposed to the harsh realities of an English winter football season.

Anyway, on with the story! ....... one of the early fixtures when we were fielding our first team was at home to Cheltenham Town. I have got a feeling that Cheltenham either scored first or equalised our opening goal, and like the Newport game the first half gave no indication of what was to come. In the second half though the Rob Rob Robin came Bob Bob Bobbing along and ended up with 6!

Anyway I perhaps should not have commented yet on the Cheltenham game, as it may be the game that comes out on top of the '100 Top Matches' thread!

Added in 7 minutes 18 seconds:
I should of course have mentioned the final score ..... 7-1. Sorry early in morning and I am very old! =D

[samuel]

The Exeter game 1st May 2008. I was there and it was a sweet victory. Someone rang me up and said 'Are you at the Exeter game'. I said yes 'why'. They said they could hear me shouting 'you nobber ref' when he was watching the match on Sky or Sentanta or whatever it was and he recognised my voice. Re the Newport game, I was there too but can't remember too much about it. Stubbs was imperious and Stefano correctly points out his 6 against Cheltenham in the SWCFL. He was absolutely awesome and cool with it. He was dating Anthea Redfearn for goodness sake. How I wanted to be like him but my ginger afro and complete lack of skill when playing football ruled this out.

[wivelgull]

The Newport game is mine (at least I am one of the three who included it in their list). However, it is - and will always remain - NUMBER ONE with me. What a game! What a team! Those wonderful names.....Pym, Northcott, Jenkins, The Beast, Adlington (our best EVER 'keeper).....When you think of United's glory days you usually think of at least a couple of seasons after this, so this was a precursor of things to come. Ah, Robin!!

[gateman49]

Adlington best ever, hmm, Wakeham, Gill, Donnelly, Mahoney, I could go on!

[stefano]

Adlington best ever, hmm, Wakeham, Gill, Donnelly, Mahoney, I could go on!

...Dunn, McGuire, Robbins, Veysey, Southall, Olejnik.

Mind you, Terry Adlington would be up there strongly in contention, but we have had a few good keepers. I suppose Torquay is the kind of club that needs a good keeper!

[gateman49]

Right on, Stefano, you've taken up where I left off as it were! Even Michael Poke deserves a mention, as much for that save at Histon as for anything else.

In any event I'd definitely include Terry Adlington in my list (I saw his last match as a keeper, when he damaged a finger at Shrewsbury in a cup match).

[Southampton Gull]

I'm glad Stef mentioned Olejnik. Although his career hasn't taken off as I thought it would, his first season with us he was practically flawless and is far and away the best in all my years watching keepers play for Torquay. His work ethic pre-match was astounding and the only one I've ever seen exceed that is John Burridge, but he was absolutely nuts (rubbed off on me when I was playing).

[gateman49]

Agree about Olejnik, not least because he is of Polish extraction! We mustn't forget John Turner either.