Crisis Club
For those who like me regard the Plainmoor roar of Torquay 2014 as perhaps the happiest ever footballing moment, helped by a positive welcome from that club, its rather sad to hear of the continuing financial turmoil of Torquay with serious questions over its future survival.
Initially funded, like Newport, by a local lottery winner with the best of intentions but perhaps limited business sense, Torquay were in dire financial straits in the summer before being rescued by a consortium of local businessmen. Sadly that consortium seems to be breaking up with director resignations and today the manager has walked as well. The future doesnt look healthy at all.
All rather sad.
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Unfortunately it was announced a few weeks ago in the local press that some staff dismissed last season were about to be successful in their claims for unfair dismissal which would have cost the club money they do not have hence today's news.As highlighted one person funding the club is not healthy as they can easily lose interest.In Torquays case the lottery winner passed away a few years ago and the wife took over as chairman .
So much for lotto winners, when they see the upkeep of a Football League Club, the hobbist soon becomes a realist.
I often read the Exiles forums and up until last season was forking out @40K per Month.
Having spent a lot of time in sunny TQ1 (Folks lived 10 mins away for years) this is really sad news. Have been following the fortunes nowadays through social media but the future is not bright. I remember when Brighton nearly went out of business back in 96 fans from all over went to watch the game v York as solidarity.. Guess no one would really care if a once proud small club like TUFC goes to the wall.
I've been to Wembley 3 times with TUFC - 1989 v Bolton in the Football League Trophy final (now the JP), lost 4-1, att 46513. Once against Ebbsfleet in the FA Trophy final (2008) - lost 1-0 with a crowd of 40186! and as winners in the playoffs v Cambridge in 2009 won 2-0 att 35089. I seem to remember on both the last 2 games there were about 15000 TUFC fans each time. I wonder where they are now. This is a real shame. One of the scorers at Wembley was Chris Hargreaves who was Manager on 27/4/14 who lost his job during this summers "takeover" (Thea Bristow allegedly sold the club for £1 despite owning an 80%/£3m stake) . The council own the land the ground is on.
Please have a look at their very good wiki page (apart from one glaring error about the 27/4/15!).
I hope to God that they survive and we welcome them back to AP in the football league one day.
And to think that if any of those Bristol Rovers shots against Mansfield had been half an inch lower then it could be Wycombe Wanderers instead of Torquay in this situation.
Hundreds of plymouth fans are attending the game tomorrow Torquay v Boreham Wood to add their support so fair play to them for doing that.
Terrible to see any club go under, but I've got so much fondness for Torquay, not just because of that amazing day and the way the club and their fans behaved that day - so many good wishes walking away from the ground, despite the fact they'd just lost their league place - but for so many great weekends down there over the years. Great club and great fans.
To be fair, Exeter supporters are also planning to support the game. If i can get off work in time, I may well represent the Chairboys too. Even before 2014, they were always my favourite Devon club. Be nice to give a little clap of encouragement to Junior Morias too.