The new club shared the use of Plainmoor
with its rivals Babbacombe. After the end of the First World War
there was pressure for Torquay Town and Babbacombe to merge, which
they did in 1921 and adopted their present name, Torquay United.
Kit
The original colours were light and dark blue, but after the merger
in 1927 they adopted the Newcastle United style of black and white
stripes, earning them the name of the Magpies. At the same time
they were elected to Division Three (South) of the Football League.
They wore their Magpies colours for over thirty years, until the
1954/55 season, when they changed to gold and blue to represent
the sand and sea of Torbay. This year saw their greatest ever FA
Cup victory. After wins against Cambridge United and Blyth Spartans,
Torquay were up against Leeds, and although they lost by nil one
to Leeds, for them success lay in the fact that they had got to
play a First Division club.
Torquay Today
Since the early 1980s the team’s nickname has switched from
The Magpies to The Gulls to reflect their proximity to the sea and
their sand and sea kit. They were not able to take the full name
of The Seagulls as that had already gone to Brighton.
Like their early nomadic existence between grounds, The Gulls have
led a similar existence through the League Divisions. After making
their League debut in the third division, they were relegated to
the newly-created Fourth in the 1957/58 season, were promoted back
to Division Three in 1960, and relegated again to Division Four
in the early Seventies. They almost lost League position completely
in the 1984/85 campaign, but after that climbed up through Division
Three in 1992 and on to their present position in Division One.
Players
Torquay boasts a multi-national and multi-cultural
team, with plenty of talent under the tutelage of head coach Leroy
Rosenior. Lee Canonville, voted Capital Gulls’ Player of the
Season last campaign, worked his apprenticeship at Arsenal, and
was also part of England’s youth; David Graham was a trainee
at Glasgow Rangers, where he made three substitute appearances for
them; and Jo Kuffour is also ex-Arsenal. Kevin Dearden is ex-Spurs.
Budding junior stars take note: the club runs a YTS scheme, which
is how Matt Hockley, Jimmy Benefield, Graham Killoughery and Ben
Camara started their careers.
Young Players
The Gulls run several holiday and after school
and weekend courses, at Westlands School, next to Plainmoor, and
at various other schools and sports centres throughout South Devon.
Soccer Tots can start at five years, and they can play up through
the classes until they are twelve. There is a waiting list for some
of the indoor classes because numbers are limited, but on the outside
fields they have the capacity for far more players. Application
forms area available from Reception on 328666. For more information
on courses, call Frank Price on 322551.
The club also holds football birthday parties, which offer a meal,
leather ball and card signed by all the players, tour of the ground
and a game of football. Again, details of prices and numbers are
available at Reception.
Boys who show a special skill can try for
the Centre of Excellence, whose aim is to bring young players up
to scratch for the first team. Training is once or twice a week,
with groups for the under tens to the under seventeens. Scouts watch
local school and weekend community games to pass on names to the
club about up and coming talent. Otherwise, boys can apply direct
to Robbie Herrera at the club who is the head of the Centre of Excellence.
For boys who are determined to make football a career, the Youth
Training scheme is full time and lasts for two years from the age
of seventeen. While on the scheme the boys do anything from cleaning
boots to training, after which the club hopes they will get their
first professional contract, which normally runs for a year.
Tickets and
Services
A seat at the home end of Plainmoor will cost you £12 per
match, or £240 for a season. Under 12s can get a season ticket
for just £25, when bought with an adult ticket. For more information,
contact Torquay United direct at: Plainmoor, Torquay, Devon, TQ1
3PS; tel: 01803-328666; or e-mail them at: gullsfc@freeuk.com.
