Copy of Fan Zone 29/08/2025
- TUST
- Aug 30
- 4 min read
FAN ZONE
By Nick Brodrick, TUST's Chair and TUFC board member.
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A REPLICA BMW, A FOUR YEAR OLD, A MATCH BALL BECOME A NATIONAL NEWS STORY
A JAY WALKER CLINCHES THREE BANK HOLIDAY POINTS AS IT’S DOVER AND OUT
SUPPORTERS’ TRUST MEMBERS AGREE PART FUNDING OF NEW SCREEN
Welcome to the crazy world of non-league football where after only a handful of games managers are being sacked – at Yeovil Town, York City and Weymouth, to name just a few – and Harrison, a four- year- old, delivers the match ball at Plainmoor in a BMW.
Yes, Yeovil part company with Mark Cooper, York City say goodbye to Adam Hinshelwood and Warren Feeney leaves Weymouth all after only five games. And Truro City are finding life tough in the National League losing their first five.
The BMW match ball delivery became a national story thanks to a post by Daniel Storey which The Sun picked up.
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Amazingly – and somewhat surprisingly – after United’s miserable defeat at Horsham last Saturday whisper it but there was criticism of Paul Wotton on social media.
So, when does it become the manager’s head to roll or the players’ responsibility? Surely, there’s now enough experience in United’s squad – Worthington, Jay, Dennis for example – who have all played at a higher level with many professional appearances to their credit to have used their leadership skills.
Seems, though, that on Sunday the senior players did the talking to ensure matters were put right on Bank Holiday Monday.
Dover travelled on Sunday with the chairman/owner Jim Parmenter paying for an overnight stay after they had won their last three matches following promotion.
It was certainly an open, end-to-end game and while the score was 2-2 the result was in the balance but Matt Jay is a proven goalscorer. And whilst he might not be first choice at the moment he’s a great talent to be able to bring on as a sub.
And so it proved as he scored the 90th minute winner, cue wild scenes with the Yellow Army going home happy. As managers tell us it’s a squad game with every player, over the course of the season, getting plenty of game time.
With seven subs allowed it now means a bigger matchday squad; trying to keep every player happy is a management skill in itself.
United, of course, have an unfortunate mini injury crisis which is not helpful.
Especially as the National South fixture schedule has not proved popular – Saturday, Tuesday evening, Saturday, Monday afternoon. Why the need to cram in four games?
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Non-League Crowd Watch: Saturday: Morecambe 3,730, Hartlepool 3,416, Truro 3,067. Monday: Southend 8,516, Carlisle 6,761, Scunthorpe 5,377, Torquay 3,597, Bury FC 3,299, Woking 3,198.
That’s three home games and three wins with the Plainmoor crowds averaging 3,629 which taken in the context of Torbay being the most deprived local authority in the South West and in the top 15pc in England for poverty levels is pretty encouraging.
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In Monday’s crowd I was pleased to host, on behalf of the club, Daniel Storey, the chief football reporter for the i newspaper. Readers may recall Daniel wrote a piece about Torquay back in February last year with the article published a few hours before Clarke Osborne’s announcement to put the club into administration. This next article is likely to appear during the forthcoming international break.
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Supporters’ Trust members are well aware that we recently contacted you about the urgency for a new digital screen. We would like to thank the hundred or so who responded to our consultation proposing we contribute up to £8,400 towards the overall total, roughly 30pc.
98% of respondents were in favour and we are now in discussions with the club negotiating final terms to ensure that TUST gets screen time and to pass on members’ suggestions.
A few members questioned whether funding might be available to the club from other sources but these have been exhausted and there is a pressing need to replace the screen. There was also a suggestion that the Trust might consider a loan but the TUST board decided it should be a grant.
Work on the new screen is expected to start in the second week of September. Our contribution is a further example of our developing relationship with the Bryn Consortium.
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The club this week launched its new website with more additions expected on it in the coming weeks. Meanwhile our own trust website has an updated Meet the Team feature which can be viewed at: Meet the Team | TUST
After several months’ discussion by the Supporters’ Trust board and following the Members’ Consultation event in May, our Strategic Plan for the next three years has just been published and can be found here: https://www.tust.co.uk/about
Our core objectives remain unchanged but the Plan recognises the very different environment and ownership in which the club now operates. It is subtitled ‘Building for the Future’.
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United’s Women have their final pre-season warm-up game at Weston-super-Mare on Sunday before the first competitive fixture on September 7th.
Four more signings have been announced to bolster the squad including the latest recruit Roxy Thomas.
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Rightly or wrongly, there is talk amongst supporters about United’s away form on 3G/4G pitches and away performances in general.
There are now two trips coming up, first a swift return to Hemel Hempstead on Saturday probably not a 2,000 Yellow Army but certainly a good number of exiles from the M25 areas. Then on Tuesday, a match covered by National TV/DAZN at Hampton.
COYY
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