With The Bryn Consortium officially taking ownership of Torquay United FC last week, here’s a chance for the Yellow Army to find out a bit more about The Gulls’ new board!
Led by two co-chairmen, the consortium’s board comprises of a total of six directors and three non-exec directors, including interim CEO Joe Lovell.
Although they may have different memories of TUFC and highlights over the years, as you will find out below, all nine individuals are equally passionate about bringing success back to Plainmoor!
Here’s a bit more about them…
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Co-Chairmen
Mark Bowes-Cavanagh
Mark Bowes-Cavanagh is a seasoned entrepreneur and founder of ADSL, a leading consultancy in the UK cosmetics and pharmaceutical market, trusted by major retailers like Unilever, Boots, PZ Cussons, and M&S. Mark has numerous investments in food, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, branding, sustainable models, and hospitality, including a distillery and spirit school. A passionate Liverpool FC supporter, he once played a memorable seven-a-side match with former Liverpool players. Originally from Surrey, but holidaying in Torquay as a boy, saw him fall in love with the area and now residing in Torquay.
Favourite Game: Torquay United vs Tottenham Hotspur in 1987-1988 season when Torquay won 1-0.
Favourite Player: Darren Moore
Favourite Manager: John Impey
First Game: Torquay United vs Exeter City in 1985, the result was 1-1.
Funny Story About You and Torquay United: Once I went into the ‘Gulls Nest’ as I was given a ticket by the former goalkeeper Kenny Veysey. I thought it was a hospitality ticket, so me and my friend ate all the buffet. The host then came up to me and said ‘who are you’ and I realised I was not meant to be in the suite! The host was Georges Adroit, who is now a good friend of mine and lives one mile from my house!
Michael Westcott
Torquay born and bred, a former reporter on the Herald Express, son of a Plainmoor stadium announcer, season-ticket holder and lifelong fan. Michael co-founded the multi-award winning CloserStill Group(named after two Joy Division albums) with two partners in a converted pig shed in Warwickshire in 2009 with six staff, and is today one of the world’s fastest growing B2B media and events businesses focussed on the technology, healthcare, transport and infrastructure sectors with 750 employees across Europe, North America and Asia and global revenues of £200m. Today he focuses on corporate development and mergers and acquisitions for CloserStill.
Favourite Game: Southend away and promotion in League One (May 8, 2004).
Favourite Player: Alex Russell
Favourite Manager: Cyril Knowles
First Game: v Hereford 1972 (FA Cup)
Story About You and Torquay United: Waking up on a dark, empty train at Liverpool Street Station with only David Graham’s sock for comfort, following the biggest post-game party imaginable along with Helen Chamberlain and friends in Southend, after we’d won promotion to League One on a dramatic day at Roots Hall.
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Directors
Tom Allen
Tom hails from Dartmouth and has been a devoted Torquay supporter since the age of 10, attending matches with his dad and grandad. His career in the music industry took him to London, where he initially worked in the early days of digital for record labels. Tom then launched a music royalties platform, reporting a significant amount of the royalties in the independent music sector. Currently, he serves as CTO for one of the largest music companies in the world, with a keen interest in the intersection of technology and entertainment to foster deeper fan connections. Despite living away from the area, Tom maintains strong ties to Torbay, with much of his extended family still residing there, and he still watches Torquay matches whenever possible.
Favourite Game: Playoff Final 2021 vs. Hartlepool. What a game, what a goal in the last minute of normal time.
Favourite Player: Eifion Williams
Favourite Manager: Leroy Rosenior
First Game: Sometime in the 96/97 season, although I’ve no idea…
Story About Torquay United: I have no specific amusing story about Torquay (seriously, did nothing remarkable happen in all those years?!). But supporting a club that was always bottom of the league, narrowly avoiding relegation, freezing in mid-winter in a car with a rubbish heater – what a joy it all was as a boy, and having those Saturdays with my Dad, Grandad and brother really is what a football club is made of.
Matt Corby
Matt Corby, originally from Ivybridge, is a lifelong supporter of Torquay and a former leading badminton player who represented England on several occasions. His career in the vehicle rental industry began in 2003 at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Matt has since held senior positions at RBS Corporate Finance (LVM vehicle leasing), Drive Assist, and Hertz Accident Support. In 2016, he founded Vehicle Replacement Group (VRG), serving as its Managing Director. Under his leadership, VRG became highly successful and was sold in December 2020 in a multimillion-pound deal.
Favourite Game: Southend 2-1 and promotion…what a day!
Favourite Player: Tim Sills
Favourite Manager: Leroy!
First Game: v Scarborough 1997
Funny Story About You and Torquay United: Convincing Rob Hawes that we knew David Graham (which we didn’t) and he would give him his shirt if he waited by his car after a game!!
Rob Hawes
Rob was brought up in Paignton, and began attending games with his father in the 1980s as a very young fan. His career took him away from the bay, leading to roles with several large corporate firms before he decided to venture out on his own. Six years ago, Rob founded a vehicle claims management business, which has since grown into the largest same-day vehicle claims management company in the UK. A lifelong supporter of Torquay, Rob is excited to be part of this new fan-led chapter for the club.
rite Game: 2-1 Away to Southend 2004, promotion and the best Torquay team I’ve witnessed!!
Favourite Player: David Graham
Favourite Manager: Cyril Knowles
First Game: v Oxford FA Cup 1983
Funny Story About You and Torquay United: A few of my mates thought it would be comedy gold to convince me that they knew David Graham and had arranged for him to give me his shirt after a game if I wait by his car, I duly waited by David’s Audi TT for David to politely inform me I’d been ‘had’!
Simon Robinson
Simon is a successful businessman managing a family-owned commercial property enterprise in the Midlands. Before venturing into business, Simon was a professional footballer, playing for Blackpool, Mansfield and Walsall, along with a career as a Maths teacher after his footballing days were ended by injury. A lifelong visitor to South Devon, Simon attended his first match in 1973 and is currently a dedicated season ticket holder in Bristow’s Bench.
Favourite game: Playoff Final v Blackpool in 1991 – this is also my least favourite game! (as explained below).
Favourite player: Lee Sharpe.
Favourite manager: Neil Warnock
First game: v Plymouth (29th August 1973). Lost 0-2.
Story About Torquay United: The reason my favourite game is also my least favourite is that it cost me money. I was a player for Blackpool at the time (in the squad but didn’t make the team) and when Torquay won on penalties it cost me a nice little promotion bonus. Delighted for Torquay, gutted for my bank balance. I still haven’t forgiven Dave Bamber!
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Non-Exec Directors
Sam Barnes
Sam grew up in Paignton and started supporting the Gulls from a young age alongside his Dad and brother. After not managing to make it through Torquay’s youth team ranks he is now a leading commercial lawyer based in London. He has acted for Premier League clubs on a variety of legal matters and advised on some of football’s largest sports marketing deals at player, club and international level. Sam is back in the Bay regularly seeing his family and school friends.
Favourite game: Blackpool Play Off final in 1991
Favourite player: Neville Southall
Favourite Manager: Paul Wotton!
First game: In the 1987/88 season
Story about you and Torquay United: A personal low point would have to be doing the cross bar challenge at half time in 2013. I was supremely confident (helped by a pre match visit to Ye Olde Cider Bar in Newton Abbot) but then failed to even get the ball off the ground on both attempts.
Joe Lovell
Born and raised in Brixham, Torbay, Joe regularly attended Plainmoor with his dad, before becoming a season ticket holder in his teenage years. After a spell in Bristol working in project management, alongside playing rugby for Clifton RFC, Joe returned to the bay, playing for and then coaching Brixham RFC. Having worked in sports retail, followed by a stint as Managing Director at Gul Watersports, he now heads up Torbay-based sportswear brand, VX3. Joe now lives in Broadsands with his wife and 2 daughters.
Favourite game: Southend away 03/04
Favourite player: Alex Russell (football genius!)
Favourite Manager: Leroy
First game: Preston North End home – 1995 (all I remember is it being freezing cold).
Story about you and Torquay United: I got a bit brave as a teenager, giving some Yeovil fans a bit of stick after our first win at Huish Park (Jo Kuffour’s cheeky back heel), only for them to have a sense of humour failure and catch us up at the next set of traffic lights. Luckily my mate’s dad diffused the situation while we slunk in the back seat. Lesson learned!
Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock, of course, is no stranger to Plainmoor, having overseen United’s 1992/93 escape from Football League relegation, before resuming his legendary managerial career at the likes of Huddersfield, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield United and Cardiff City amongst others.
After finally bringing the curtain down on a glittering managerial career north of the border with Aberdeen, Neil had been in the dugout for over 40 years, covering almost 2,000 matches – the most of any manager in the history of English professional football.
Over the course of four decades and fifteen clubs, he’s had a remarkable eight promotions at seven different clubs – another English Football League record, including leading three different teams to the English Premier League.
Having achieved so much in the game, Neil is now looking forward to taking on a whole new challenge with The Gulls.