Fan Zone 12/09/2025
- TUST
- Sep 13
- 4 min read
FAN ZONE
By Nick Brodrick, TUST's Chair and TUFC board member.
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A NO FOOTBALL WEEK BUT SUNNY DAYS AHEAD FOR TORQUAY
NEW BIG SCREEN DEBUT FOR UNITED’S WOMEN’S PLAINMOOR SUNDAY MATCH
ARE YOU ONE OF 650 IN SEPTEMBER’S 1899 LOTTO DRAW?
Is there such a thing as a quiet week in the football season? There might have been no Torquay fixtures, much to the relief of manager Paul Wotton after a hectic eight matches in 28 days – clearly a big sigh of relief on his part, but there are still stories making the news.
And according to the i newspaper ‘Sunny days ahead for Torquay’.
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Not so good at Nottingham Forest as yet another manager bites the dust before the number of matches played reaches double figures. What happened to the old adage of seeing where we are after ten games?
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To brighten English fans the national side thumped Serbia 5-0 away with a team minus a number of its assumed top stars. But that’s the benefit of competition driving out complacency.
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At Torquay with all but one – Matt Worthington – of the summer signings on the injured list their absence has opened the door for others in the squad to claim a shirt.
However, at this week’s press call Wotton appeared upbeat as Callum Dolan and Dylan Morgan are not far away from returning. With Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Sonny Fish ahead of schedule it’s kind of positive news. On the flip side Nashi Sundire, who has a really infectious upbeat personality, is likely to be out of action until into next year. And the club are nursing Louis Dennis through a hamstring strain which, after his man of the first half performance against last Saturday’s visitors Slough Town, is a big disappointment.
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Off the field work this week has centred on installing the new digital screen, partly funded by the Supporters’ Trust, which will be seen in action for the first time at Plainmoor at Sunday’s Women’s match versus Sherborne.
There’s a special deal for children of TUST members, under the age of 18, to have free entry and members were sent an email earlier in the week with the details.
On Sunday there’s a special Sunday brunch deal in the Cove from 12 to 2 before the match which kicks off at 2pm. Our matchday ambassadors will be on hand to answer any queries.
United’s Women got their new season off to a start last Sunday with a point in a 1-1 draw at Pucklechurch with Matilda Franchi on the score sheet.
United’s Women have been drawn away to AFC St Austell next Sunday in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
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Talking of cup games, Wotton’s side travel to AFC Totton tomorrow in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. Like it or not the Yellow Army remember last season’s upset at Bishop’s Cleeve but to be fair United are, hopefully, a stronger unit this time around.
But the beauty of the FA Cup has always been its unpredictability with banana skins and shocks throughout the history of the competition.
Elsewhere, on Monday 15th United’s Youth team play AFC St Austell in the Youth FA Cup with the match played at Buckland’s Homers Heath.
And United’s Baywatch Graphics Devon St Luke’s Bowl fixture against Brixham is at Wall Park on Tuesday September 23rd.
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In most walks of life, you have to start at the bottom and work up and for the majority in football it’s no different whether a player or manager.
Let’s take for example Neil Warnock, United’s football advisor. As he says in a full interview in Tuesday’s Daily Telegraph Sport, “you don’t manage 1,626 games without knowing what you’re doing.” Neil started his managerial journey at lowly Gainsborough Trinity in 1980 with his last major appointment at Aberdeen in 2024.
It is encouraging to note that recent ex-Gulls are on what could be an upward trajectory with Tim Sills at Wimborne Town, Asa Hall at Tiverton Town and Kevin Nicholson assistant at Exeter City.
And on Friday Yeovil filled their manager vacancy by appointing Chesterfield’s assistant Danny Webb.
Another newspaper article appeared in the national press this week in Monday’s i newspaper as Daniel Storey’s recent visit to Plainmoor filled a whole page in the sports section – ‘The Gulls are on their way back from the brink’.
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Non-League Crowd Watch: Saturday & Mid-Week: Southend 8,093, Carlisle 7,539, York City 5,431, Scunthorpe 4,460, Torquay 3,159, Dulwich Hamlet 3,120, Kidderminster 3,007.
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Are you one of the 650 who play the 1899 Lotto? If not there’s still time to be in September’s draw – on 14th – by going to https://draw.ourclublotto.co.uk/tufc/
Last week we asked for suggestions for non-clothing items to be available in the club shop with Christmas in mind. Thank you to those who have contributed, there’s still time if you have a great idea. Send to fanszone.tu@gmail.com.
Safe journeys to those travelling to Totton.
COYY
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