Fan Zone 05/07/2025
- TUST
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
FAN ZONE
By Nick Brodrick, TUST's Chair and TUFC board member.
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CLOSE SEASON? IT’S FOOTBALL ALL-YEAR ROUND NOW
CHANGES ARE COMING BUT ARE THEY A LOAD OF BALLS?
IT’S FAREWELL TO DOM BUT THANKS FROM ALL OF US AT TUST
The heat continues, Wimbledon started this week, England are playing India in the second test match, UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 begins and the Yellow Army are only eight days away from the first pre-season friendly as United take on Buckland Athletic. What’s not to like?
Did you catch the Devon St Luke’s Bowl draw? Week commencing September 22ndit’s Torquay United v Brixham, should be a cracking game but what kind of side will the Gulls put out?
United’s squad have been in training now for over a week with pictures and videos being released. Eagle eyed fans have been trying to play ‘spot the trialist’. Could one of them be a goalkeeper? Could it possibly be Harry Kite recently at Exeter City?
Whilst the close season used to be just that, it seems that football continues all year round with the successful England Under-21 side beating Germany 3-2 in extra time in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, retaining the trophy they won in 2023 and the under-whelming Club World Cup.
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The close season also seems to be a time when the various football bodies sit down to re-write some of the laws of the game or introduce new ideas.
Take the National League. Now with new sponsors, Enterprise, for the three leagues, Errea for kit and Mitre for footballs, they have announced a new concept – eight extra footballs!
Obviously, one ball is in play while a second stays with the fourth official but eight others will be around the pitch sitting on cones next to a ball retriever. Should be fun!
And what happens when more than one ball is on the pitch? It’ll be down to the referee to sort out, as if they didn’t have enough to do.
So, will clubs have to appoint a ball retriever teacher?
Could having ten balls be something to do with the league’s new sponsorship?
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One close season decision, taken by the FA, which will be popular is confirmation that FA Cup qualifying round replays are here to stay.
Whilst, FA Cup replays were scrapped from Round 1, following consultation the FA have said replays are to stay for the foreseeable future.
Another change coming is that this season Premier League television coverage will feature touchline interviews with substituted players. Camera operators will also be allowed to enter the field of play to capture close-up footage of goal celebrations and will be granted access to changing rooms.
What’s your view on all these changes? You can contact me at: fanszone.tu@gmail.com.
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TUST, along with the supporters’ trusts at the two other Devon professional clubs, make up the south-west supporters’ trusts’ group and delegates from all three trusts met recently at Plainmoor.
Amongst other things, we discussed expanding our group, the voting at the recent FSA AGM and the Football Governance Bill.
Regarding the latter, this Bill looks as if it will become law before this Parliament stops later this month for its summer break. That means the introduction of an independent football regulator who will oversee the Premier League down to the National League but not Nationals North and South.
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Regular readers and TUST members will be aware that we organised the appointment of Paul Bastard as Supporter Liaison Officer. In addition, TUST also set up the re-introduction of the popular matchday ambassadors and to date we have ten volunteers. We can, though, accommodate more so please contact slo@torquayunited.com.
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It wouldn’t be right if this column didn’t recognise the debt of gratitude, we at TUST owe to Dom Garrett-Mee who left the club in the middle of last month to take up a new job elsewhere.
I was pleased to be invited to a lunch time leaving moment for Dom as Michael Westcott and myself spoke about Dom’s massive contributions to Torquay United over a number of years, many of which were under difficult circumstances with the previous regime.
Both Michael and myself presented Dom with leaving gifts, ours from all the TUST board members.
Dom was throughout a person with whom we were able to communicate, he was always cheerful and always supportive. We will all miss him.
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TUST’s June board meeting was an evening getting to know United’s new CEO, Mark Thomas and plans are already in place for us to meet regularly to keep open the channels of communication.
Next Wednesday it’s our CSI investors Golf Day while on Thursday evening it’s Meet the Manager and Neil Warnock in Boots & Laces. For those who cannot make it the evening is being filmed and highlights will be available later. July’s 1899 Lotto draw is on 14th with another big jackpot and other great prizes. You have to be in it to win it!
Details at: https://draw.ourclublotto.co.uk/tufc/.
Finally, as clarification, this column goes out to all TUST members and now it’s on TorquayTalk and my grateful thanks to the guys at TT for allowing this.
COYY
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