FAN ZONE
TUST's Chair and TUFC board member, Nick Brodrick's column in this week's Herald Express - updated for the latest news.
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UNITED’S UNBEATEN HOME RECORD CONTINUES AT FORTRESS PLAINMOOR
ROBIN STUBBS BACK ON THE PITCH AS THOSE THERE 60 YEARS AGO REMEMBER
TAMWORTH MISS OUT ON MONEY SPINNING FA CUP REPLAY
Could this be some kind of strange record for Torquay United? When Saturday’s half-time 50-50 draw ticket winner’s prize was more than the afternoon’s attendance. Unbelievable, maybe, but on both counts. A whopping £3,998 for the winning ticket (it was a double roll-over) and 3,794 inside Plainmoor to watch a National South League fixture.
Who could have predicted that the Bryn feel good factor plus a team at the top of the table would see the club’s season’s average of 3,498 to be the best for over 50 years?
Credit too, to the 29 Welling fans who made the 450 mile round trip to support their team and for 20 minutes or so in the second half when the visitors were on top and equalised, they made plenty of noise.
Despite their lowly league position Welling made a game of it and it was two pieces of brilliance from Jordan Young’s magic wand of a left foot that created United’s two goals for a grateful Jordan Dyer.
United wrapped up the three points to ensure it remained ‘fortress Plainmoor’ as the home unbeaten run continued. That’s now 14 and the 12th consecutive league match without defeat.
With Boreham Wood’s match postponed Maidstone took advantage to move up into second two points behind.
Predictably, it’s going to be a tight finish to the season as things stand.
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As readers of this column are aware Saturday saw the 60th anniversary of United’s 3-3 FA Cup Third Round draw with Tottenham Hotspur. It was great to see the Prince of Plainmoor, Robin Stubbs, honoured at half-time on the pitch and in the day’s match programme containing a specially written poem by long time fan Nick Wotton.
From time to time in conversations up comes a discussion topic, do you remember where you were when a key event took place? Where were you when you watched JFK shot in America? Where were you when you heard Elvis had died? Or when Princess Diana was killed in that car crash?
Closer to home, those of us of a certain age who were fortunate enough to be there on January 9th 1965 have many memories of the day itself.
What is striking about those reminiscing is how young so many were on that Saturday. A 2.45pm kick-off to accommodate the Spurs squad getting their train back to London after the finish meant those attending were queuing from really early waiting for the gates to open. Hundreds of youngsters were to watch from a specially constructed Boys’ Paddock fenced area.
Nick Wotton was ten and went with his brother Tim, 14, and watched from the Babbacombe end Rod Currey was nine and went with a friend, their first ever Torquay game with Rod still a fan. He recalls an electric atmosphere and confesses to being one of those who ran on the pitch. Simon Howarth was 12 and stood on a wooden crate!
Great memories and thanks to those who sent theirs in.
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In recent columns we’ve discussed the FA’s decision to call a halt to FA Cup replays and how this has deprived lower league and non-league sides from important revenue. Just think what not going to White Hart Lane in front of 55,000 would have meant back in 1965. The revenue that United accumulated from the two ties helped to fund the club’s promotion the following season.
And over the weekend Tamworth were denied a money spinning replay, ironically against Spurs, as their game went into extra time instead when class finally told.
It’s such a shame that this new rule has been implemented.
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Talk about the luck of the draw. Our two Devon neighbours both have plum home Round Four ties to look forward to with Premier League opposition. Argyle get Liverpool while Exeter have Nottingham Forest.
One wonders what might have been had the result at Bishop’s Cleeve been different; oh well, there’s always next season.
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United’s Women’s side finally had their first league fixture of the New Year following a couple of postponements but went down to a promotion rival 1-0. Playing at yet another ‘home’ ground, Exwick, Marine Academy Plymouth just edged it taking back the three points.
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Non-League Crowd Watch: Torquay 3,794, Macclesfield 3,451, Yeovil 3,188, Maidstone 2,659, Boston 1,909.
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Thanks to those who contacted me at fanszone.tu@gmail.com to say we are better off out of the Trophy.
This has been another week without a game giving manager Paul Wotton valuable time on the training ground with a visit to St. Albans on Saturday. The home side are yet another who have recently installed a new manager, Ian Culverhouse, and they get decent home gates but there should be plenty of the Yellow Army in attendance.
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