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Fan Zone 02/11/2023


WESTON-SUPER-NIGHTMARE FOLLOWED BY A HAMPTON HORROR CLUB’S CEO FACED THE MUSIC AS IRATE FANS QUIZZED HIM


TUST’S FANS’ FORUM NEXT WEDNESDAY

‘What’s happening at my football club?’ is what most Torquay United fans are asking following another disastrous week with two embarrassing away defeats.

As if going down 3-2 at Weston-Super-Mare in mid-week wasn’t bad enough, worse was to come last Saturday at Hampton.

Tuesday’s loss was certainly a Weston-Super-Nightmare as an early Halloween frightener for the 850 Yellow Army who braved a super soaking. The evening was not helped by the manager disappearing immediately after the match finished and sending his assistant Aaron Downes to carry out the post match interview.

Even CEO George Edwards couldn’t escape the depth of feeling but worse was to come for him following the defeat by Hampton & Richmond when he was grilled by an irate group of fans fed up with the way the club is run.

Edwards was asked why he won’t engage with TUST but dismissed the trust as not being important. He was also asked whether he would be attending our Fans’ Forum but said there was no need.

“Would the club hold its own fans’ forum?”, he was asked. “We’ve already had one. A Q&A with the manager.” But, of course, this was only open for season ticket holders.

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TUST’s Fans’ Forum is open to all supporters, members and non-members. It’s at the Livermead Cliff Hotel on Wednesday November 8, 6.30pm for a 7pm start. There’s room for 200 and available on Zoom for those who cannot attend here:

So, what is happening at my football club? Those who read this column have been United supporters for years and years and sadly many have been voting with their feet and staying away.

The current ownership is driving away the very supporters who are the lifeblood of any football club.

Why? Why does the club appear intent on driving fans away? What happened to the family, friendly club we all fell in love with?

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Each one of us have our memories of our first Torquay match and how following the Gulls became addictive.

Mine began on January 9 1965 when, as a 14 year-old, recently moved into Torbay after my father took over what was then Martin’s Bank, later Barclays, in Torquay’s Fleet Street, he and I stood in a crowd of 21,000 to watch Robin Stubbs’ two goals give United a famous 3-3 FA Cup draw against high-flying Tottenham Hotspur.

Others will have their own stories and memories.

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Edwards claimed on Saturday that players won’t relocate to South Devon and Gary Johnson has been citing this recently too as if to justify why only last Friday did a loan player turn up. Reports suggest that Callum Dolan was streets ahead in quality and ability compared with any of Johnson’s recruits.

Take for example calamity Ross Marshall who’s given away three penalties in the last four outings, not to mention his three red cards.

The myth that players won’t come to Torbay was blown when Dolan joined from Fleetwood and then days later Theo Williams joined on loan…from Fleetwood!

Interesting that on Twitter former chairman Alex Rowe had this to say, “In my experience players will come to Torquay if you offer competitive terms, a positive outlook, professionalism and ambition. Owners and managers have huge influence over these factors but ours seem prepared to tolerate mediocrity indefinitely. Our fans deserve so much better.”

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“Our fans deserve so much better”. All of us have given our loyalty and hard earned money to support our club which the owner said was his desire to see back in the Football League yet here we are again in regional football.

When questioned at Hampton Edwards confirmed there is no problem with the budget.

And following Saturday’s defeat we find ourselves out of the play-off places and a whopping ten points behind Yeovil who come to Plainmoor next week.

Many have asked for someone from the club to speak and BBC Radio Devon asked the same question on Saturday.

How is all this going to end? With two difficult home matches coming, first Bath City, who are third, on Saturday and leaders Yeovil next Tuesday night.

When you recall Yeovil were in disarray in the summer with the fans protesting against their then owner following relegation, he finally sold the club to a local businessman who was an avid Yeovil fan. As a result he’s turned the club around and a crowd of 3,708 shows fans are returning. A model to copy?

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Unfortunately United’s Women are having a tough time too as a missed second half penalty saw them go down 2-1 at Abingdon Ladies on Sunday. Non-League Crowd Watch: Oldham v Altrincham 7,137, York v FC Halifax 4,740, Kidderminster v Chesterfield, 3,913, Scunthorpe v Bishops Stortford, 3,610.

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What’s your view about what’s happening at your football club? fanszone.tu@gmail.com or Twitter/X: @FanszoneT


And finally TUST sends 89th birthday greetings to Family Stand season ticket holder Stanley Quaintance. Hope you had a great day on Monday.


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