Torquay United Co-Chairman Michael Westcott says the resilience of the Yellow Army has given the Club renewed optimism ahead of tomorrow’s season opener against Horsham at Plainmoor (3pm).
Speaking to John Acres on BBC Radio Devon’s Breakfast Show on Friday morning, Westcott reflected on two agonising near-misses in successive seasons, including May’s play-off defeat to Hornchurch after United had been just three minutes from promotion.
“This football club has had its heart broken a couple of times in the last few years, but it hasn’t lost its heart,” he said.
“The last two seasons have shown us how cruel football can be, but they’ve also shown us how resilient the Torquay United community is.
“Our supporters, staff, sponsors and volunteers have simply rolled up their sleeves – and we go again.”
Westcott said preparations under manager Jimmy Ball had created “a lot of positivity and optimism”, with United completing their summer recruitment early and emerging from pre-season without any significant injury concerns.
With ticket sales indicating a crowd of around 4,000 for Saturday’s National League South opener, Westcott paid tribute to supporters who have delivered the Club’s highest attendances in 50 years.
“We’re absolutely desperate to deliver the success our fans deserve,” he added.
“The campaign starts again tomorrow afternoon. We’d love to see everyone at Plainmoor – think of it as a day out, with a football match in the middle.”
