With the new campaign edging ever closer, Dean Moxey talks about his pre-season plans, and hopes for the new campaign.
Since arriving at Plainmoor from local rivals Exeter City in the summer of 2020, Moxey has gone on to become a firm favourite with the Yellow Army after producing a whole host of committed displays in The Gulls’ backline over the past two seasons.
Having won promotion from the National League, League Two, League One and the Championship, the experienced defender clearly still harbours aspirations of adding to that tally, as he assessed 2021/22, before looking ahead to preparations beginning on the training ground next week.
“The second half was really good, but we just obviously fell short towards the end,” said Dean.
“The first half of the season we really just didn’t start well enough, yes it was a new group, but it was too slow for us, and we had too much of a gap to claw back. It was disappointing, but the second half of the season gave us a bit of hope towards the end but unfortunately we just fell short.”
“I’ve done too many pre-seasons – I actually saw Moysey’s interview the other day with him saying he enjoys it, but he’s a fit lad and runs around all the time, and he’s only young!
“I could never get my head around pre-season. I did my own pre season programme and stuff like that but I’m not a fan of it as it’s so hot! You run around a field with no footballs, but it’s something you have to do, and you have to be fit to win any league – especially this one where only one team goes up on their own and then one through the play-offs.
“To be fair, with Torquay it’s a bit of both. You obviously have to do your hard running, but the footballs come out pretty soon after that, so you have to mix up the horrible stuff with some of the enjoyable stuff. Hopefully everybody stays fit as you don’t want to be playing catch up yourself, running on your own while the other lads are playing football, so it’s a case of staying fit and trying to stay away from any stupid little injuries.”
Having played two seasons almost back-to-back, Moxey understandably enjoyed a well-earned break, but is now fully-focused on starting the new term strongly out on the pitch.
“We had two weeks off where we could do whatever we wanted to do, and relax to let the muscles and the joints relax after what felt like a long two seasons, the way they were close together. We then had a four week programme which meant I’ve been getting up at 6am and trying to run while I have been on holiday so I could do it before it got too hot. I’m sure the other lads have been doing it as well, as if you don’t do it you get found out, and then you will probably be doing extra running while the other lads are playing football!”
“Obviously we want to get promoted and that is our main thing. Hopefully we can get off to a way-better start then we did last season, because as I said last year was nowhere near what we wanted to do. You don’t want to be playing catch up to the big teams, there is a lot of money in those top teams. If you look at last season’s results, we did better against the top teams.
“Hopefully the fans can back us again next season. The boys that have left the club have said good things about the fans and I’m the same, since I came in, obviously as an ex-Exeter City player I wasn’t sure how they would take to me, but they have been fantastic with me and I can only thank them for welcoming me and my family.”