United’s 2022/23 campaign comes to a close tomorrow, as National League champions Wrexham head to Plainmoor.
Although Altrincham’s late leveller left Gary Johnson’s men hoping for an improbable set of scorelines – involving at least a seven-goal swing in the process – to salvage their National League status, The Gulls will be looking to sign off the season in style in front of their beloved Yellow Army, in the hope that good fortune dictates that scorelines elsewhere go their way.
Who’s The Boss?
Phil Parkinson arrived at Wrexham in July 2021, and was instantly charged with turning the Club’s Hollywood ambitions into a Football League reality. That fifteen-year dream finally became a reality last weekend, with victory over Boreham Wood securing the side the National League title, following on from last season’s play-off semi-final defeat.
With his playing career seeing him make over 500 league appearances during fifteen years in the colours of Bury and Reading, it was with Colchester United that Parkinson cut his managerial teeth in 2003, with his first promotion coming three years later, as he led the Us to the second tier of English football for the first time in their history.
Despite that notable success, a switch to Hull City followed swiftly after, where he was unable to replicate those heroics during an ill-fated six month spell at the KC stadium. It wasn’t until two years later that Phil returned to the dugout, with a two-year stint at Charlton Athletic his next destination.
Although he was unable to lift Athletic out of League One, spells and Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers saw a return to previous glories for Parkinson, with both clubs tasting promotion under his tenure, before a year at Sunderland preceded his first job at National League level.
How Have They Been Doing?
Although their 2022/23 title-winning exploits may have come as little surprise given their status as pre-season promotion favourites, few could have predicted the nature of their weekly battle for National League supremacy with rivals Notts County, with the Welsh club’s record-breaking tally of 110 points eventually proving enough to clinch their long-awaiting return to the EFL.
Player to Watch
Former Cambridge United striker Paul Mullin has unsurprisingly taken centre stage at The Racecourse Ground since his arrival in the summer of 2021, with the former Liverpool youngster notching 64 goals in just 83 league outings.
Despite not quite making the grade at Huddersfield Town, a move to Morecambe saw Mullin secure the first-team football he craved, and although he was a regular goalscorer for them, his form for The Shrimpers – and at subsequent clubs, Swindon and Tranmere – was almost pedestrian compared to his prolific form at Cambridge, with his 32 goals in 46 appearances playing a huge part in helping the Us secure League 2 promotion, prior to his move to North Wales.
Played For Both
Former Gulls centre-forward Danny Wright remains a firm favourite with both Torquay and Wrexham fans, having come close to ending both Club’s respective stays in non-League football.
Quickly identified as one of Histon’s most promising assets, a move to nearby Cambridge saw Danny continue his goalscoring exploits, before a move to Wrexham saw Wright taste glory and despair in equal measure, as FA Trophy silverware against Grimsby was swiftly forgotten by a disappointing Play-Off final defeat to Welsh rivals Newport at the same Wembley venue just a few weeks later.
Stints at Forest Green, Gateshead and Kidderminster preceded his first link-up with current Gulls boss Gary Johnson at Cheltenham, and after helping Town to regain their EFL status at the first time of asking, two successful years at Solihull Moors bridged the gap until Danny rejoined Johnson at Plainmoor.
Spearheading The Gulls’ attack in 2020/21, his superb form – most memorably displayed with a brace in the 4-2 Play-Off semi-final win over Notts County – saw Torquay come within a whisker of returning to the promised land of the Football League, with only that controversial penalty shoot-out defeat against Hartlepool denying them at Ashton Gate.
One more year on the English Riviera followed, before Wright moved on to continue his career at Havant & Waterlooville.
Previous Encounter
United 3 – 1 Wrexham, 5th December 2020, National League
The Yellow Army enjoyed a winning return to Plainmoor in December 2020, as United ran out 3-1 winners over Wrexham.
Ben Whitfield gave United the perfect start, with the lead soon doubled by skipper Asa Hall from the penalty spot. The deficit was almost immediately reduced by Theo Vassell though, and the fans had to wait until deep into the second-half for Connor Lemonheigh-Evans to put clear daylight between the two sides once again.
29/04/23 5:30pm KO | Vanarama National League | Torquay v Wrexham | Plainmoor