Co-Chairmen give their views ahead of Chippenham clash
This evening we wish everyone very warm welcome back to Plainmoor for tonight’s clash under our brand-new LED floodlights. They look fantastic, so let’s hope the team shines just as brightly under the new spotlight! It’s another step forward for the club, and these lights will quite literally help guide our way toward the success we’re all striving for.
Tonight feels like an important one. After 12 games, we find ourselves sitting fourth in the table — a solid position, though we all know there’s plenty of work still to do. Our home form has been excellent, but our results on the road have not reached the standards we expect. Injuries haven’t helped, but Paul and the Board recognise that we need to turn away performances into away points. That said, this group has shown its quality here at Plainmoor, and we’re confident that consistency will come over the next few weeks.
We feel we must also pay tribute to our magnificent travelling supporters evidenced again in Buckinghamshire at Chesham on Saturday, when we made up at least half of the 1200 crowd. No club in this league — and few in the levels above — can match the commitment, passion, and loyalty of Torquay United fans. You spend your hard-earned money and travel thousands of miles to back the team week in, week out. That support means everything, and we’re determined to repay it with performances that make you proud, both home and away.
We’ve invested in a strong squad because we believe we have all the ingredients needed for success in an increasingly competitive league. The challenge now is to blend them in the right way. Like any good recipe, it takes patience, balance, and teamwork to make the cake rise — and we’re confident that with this group of players, that rise is coming. We’re only in October, and there’s a long road ahead, but our ambition to challenge for promotion remains absolutely clear.
Off the field, there’s plenty happening too. Tim Herbert is settling in extremely well as our new General Manager and is leading a thorough review of operations across the club. After years of underinvestment, we’ve been taking significant steps to modernise our infrastructure and strengthen the foundations of Torquay United — from our facilities and youth development programmes to community engagement and commercial programmes. These are investments that will stand us in good stead, not only for this season but for years to come.
Tonight, we are also pleased to welcome the leadership of Torbay Council to Plainmoor. Later this week, we’ll be meeting with them to map out our long-term vision for Torquay United as one of the area’s most important community assets. Our goal is to reset and strengthen the relationship between the Club and the Council, to work together for the benefit of the wider community, and to realise the full potential of this great football club as a force for good in Torbay.
Finally, a reminder that Torquay United Women host local rivals Exeter City here at Plainmoor this Sunday at 2pm in the first round proper of the FA Cup. It promises to be a fantastic occasion, and we’re aiming for a record-breaking crowd of over 1,000 — so please come down, bring your friends and family, and show your support for our women’s team as they chase FA Cup glory.
Enjoy the game under the new lights — and as always, Come on you Yellows!
Mark Bowes-Cavanagh, Michael Westcott & The Board.
