Co-Chairmen SHARE THEIR thoughts AHEAD OF TOday’s clash with HORSHAM…
Good afternoon everyone, and welcome back to Plainmoor.
Before anything else, we want to say a huge thank you to all of you who turned out on Tuesday night. In filthy conditions, with the rain hammering down, nearly 4,000 of you came through the gates and roared the team on. The noise inside Plainmoor was outstanding — as good as we’ve heard it for much of the season — and the players felt it. There was a real edge, a real energy, and a real sense that everybody inside the ground was pulling in the same direction.
That mattered.
It has been a tough few weeks. There is no point pretending otherwise. But on Tuesday night, in the middle of some awful weather, Plainmoor felt alive. The overwhelming feeling was one of togetherness — on the pitch, in the stands and around the club. From our perspective, that was genuinely humbling. Your support was incredible, and we thank you for it.
We also want to place on record our sincere thanks to Neil Warnock and Ronnie Jepson, who stepped in to help steady the ship at a very difficult moment for the club. We know what their presence has meant in the dressing room and around the training ground, and we feel lucky and privileged to have been able to call on one of the most experienced duos in English football during such an incredibly challenging time. Their support, calmness and know-how have been invaluable.
There were encouraging signs on the pitch too on Tuesday. Against a very good, well-organised Dorking side, we saw positive glimpses of what Jimmy Ball is trying to build. Jimmy has settled in quickly and has a clear idea of how he wants this team to play and compete in the run-in. These things take time, but Tuesday showed there is something to work with and something to build on.
It was also a real boost to see a full bench again for the first time in a while. After what has felt like a long, dark tunnel with injuries, there is finally a sense that we are getting some bodies back and that there is light at the end of it. That gives everyone a lift — staff, players and supporters alike.
Jimmy has also been working hard behind the scenes to strengthen the group further. In the lead-up to today’s game, he has been pushing to bring in one or two additions to give us more depth and more strength for the final stretch. He is also reshaping and strengthening the back-room operation, because that matters too. The small details, the standards, the support around the squad — all of it helps drive better performances on the pitch, and we are fully behind him as he gets to work.
The biggest thing we took from Tuesday is this: the story of this season is not yet written.
There is still plenty to fight for. There are still twists to come. And if Tuesday night is remembered as a moment when something stirred — in the team, in the crowd, in the place as a whole — then let’s make sure it is the springboard, not the exception.
We have said before that this is a resilient club. That has been tested in recent weeks, but resilience is not just about enjoying the good times. It is about sticking together in the difficult moments, riding out the storms and coming through them stronger. That is what Torquay United has always had at its heart. So let’s bring that same spirit again today. Get behind the lads, make yourselves heard, and let’s see if we can turn Tuesday’s feeling into real momentum.
Mark Bowes-Cavanagh, Michael Westcott and the Board
