XI v XI

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Loved Stefano's choice of players and having seen all of them in action can vouch for their ability and talent-nearly all would be in my X1 as well. Don't remember Trevor Shepherd being that great though-was it him that scored a screamer versus Bury in the match featured on MOTD?

[stefano]

Don't remember Trevor Shepherd being that great though-was it him that scored a screamer versus Bury in the match featured on MOTD?

Yes that was him having had another great strike ruled out in the first half. Another screamer of a goal that day was from full back Bobby Baxter. He was one of the players I had in mind when I said we had so many excellent players in the squad at that time that I had to leave out some good ones.

[tomogull]

Haha, sorry Tomo, I don't mean to make it so hard. That said, if my father is anything to go by, remembering stuff from 50 years ago is simple, it's remembering what happened this morning that's the problem.
Matt.

Your old man is spot on - fifty years ago, no problem. Last week - that's a different story. Er .... have I posted on this thread before ? Okay then - I've got my anorak on and zipped up and here are my teams.

Agree 100% with Stefano that the team of 1967/68 was Torquay's best ever. At Easter, we were well clear at the top of the league 3 (now Div 1) and then it all went pear shaped and we picked up only one point from our last three games. Rumours were rife that the Board felt we couldn't afford to go up. Other players who played a number of games that season were Eric Burgess, Bobby Baxter (full backs) And Donnelly (goalkeeper) and ? Barnes (winger). Incidentally, to anyone who has the Torquay United Centenary Book, there is a photo of the 1967/68 squad with names underneath and for John Bond and John Benson it says 'unknown'. I don't believe it !!

Eric Webber's 1956/57 team missed out on promotion to the second tier on goal average. We drew our final game (away to Southampton I think) and Ipswich won their last game, pipping us at the post. That squad was - Peter Wakeham, Mervyn Gill (goalkeepers): John Smith, Harry Smith, Dennis Lewis, Griff Norman, Jimmy James, Ron Shaw, Sammy Collins, Ted Calland, Don Mills, Tony Collins.

The next good season was 1997/98 (note - they don't come around very often !!) - Kevin Hodges lads -
Kenny Veysey, Matthew Gregg (goalkeepers); Andy Gurney, Jamie Robinson, John Gittens, Alex Watson, Phil Gibbs; Steve McCall, Garry Clayton, Rodney Jack, Tony Bedeau, Kevin Hill. A young Wayne Thomas also played a few games and a certain Jason Roberts arrived on loan towards the end of the season. We were beaten in the play off final against Colchester by a dreadful 'ball-to-hand' penalty decision against Gittens. There were other refereeing decisions that didn't go our way that day either.

Then, just six seasons later - 2003/04 - Leroy arrived and took us back up to Div 3. His squad was - Kevin Dearden, Arjen Van Heusdon; Lee Canoville, Reuben Hazell, Craig Taylor, Steve Woods, ? McGlinchy; Jason Fowler, Matt Hockley, Kevin Hill, Alex Russell, Joe Kuffour. Davy Graham, Martin Gritton

There was also Dave Smith's 1990/91 that won promotion with a great win against Blackpool in the Play Off Final at Wembley. Those of us who were there will always remember that day. Unfortunately, we came straight back down again the following season!

There you are, Matt - pick the bones out of that lot. Good thread - brought back lots of great memories.

[chunkygull]

agree with 90/91, 97/98, 03/04, but what about cyrils lot of 87/88, did you not rate them?

03/04 was the best football team by miles but 87/88 probably would have kicked them off the park, earnt the right to play and won a narrow win.

all of the best 11's from those 4 seasons would have beaten any of our best in the last 8 years easily.

[hector]

Your old man is spot on - fifty years ago, no problem. Last week - that's a different story. Er .... have I posted on this thread before ? Okay then - I've got my anorak on and zipped up and here are my teams.

Agree 100% with Stefano that the team of 1967/68 was Torquay's best ever. At Easter, we were well clear at the top of the league 3 (now Div 1) and then it all went pear shaped and we picked up only one point from our last three games. Rumours were rife that the Board felt we couldn't afford to go up. Other players who played a number of games that season were Eric Burgess, Bobby Baxter (full backs) And Donnelly (goalkeeper) and ? Barnes (winger). Incidentally, to anyone who has the Torquay United Centenary Book, there is a photo of the 1967/68 squad with names underneath and for John Bond and John Benson it says 'unknown'. I don't believe it !!

My Grandad always used to say that to me, that the club 'threw' promotion. With the likes of O'Farrell, Bond, Benson, Stubbs etc involved, it would seem difficult to believe but during the mid-to-late 80s when I was at South Devon Tech, Bobby Baxter used to take us for football. I put my Grandad's theory to him and he insisted my Grandad was indeed correct. Frustrating if true. Would our future have been very different if they had gone up to the Second Division in 1968?

[tomogull]

agree with 90/91, 97/98, 03/04, but what about cyrils lot of 87/88, did you not rate them?

03/04 was the best football team by miles but 87/88 probably would have kicked them off the park, earnt the right to play and won a narrow win.

all of the best 11's from those 4 seasons would have beaten any of our best in the last 8 years easily.

Gawd yes, Chunky - however could I have left out Cyril's 87/88 team? A great season with entertaining football and a larger than life manager. No nonsense players such as Jim McNichol, John Impey, Sean Haselgrave, and skilled players such as Mark Loram and Paul Dobson.

Interesting Hector about 1967/68. There were strong rumours about the Board not wanting promotion, but I haven't heard before that any of the players said it was true. Where would we be now if we'd gone up? Probably exactly where we are now - in the fourth tier !!

[chunkygull]

i have also heard the rumours down the years of the board holding back the 67/68 team. indeed my dad absolutely swears blind they did.

this came up when i was a young boy a few times because at the end of 87/88 a few of the plainmoor cranks were bringing up conspiracy theories that it was happening again.

the fact that we spectacularly fluffed promotion in the last few games and there were inexplicable errors from players who had been dependable and solid had a few declaring - "they're bleddy at it again, this 'appened before, the board dont want 'em to go up". then the rumours of 67/68 were recounted quite a few times.

indeed, in 97/98 it came up again when promotion was blown. the story of 67/68, and how it was happening again. leading to conversations and rantings including, "its bleddy bateson, ee's 'oldin 'em back", "bleddy bateson,'ee don't want 'em to go up", "ee don't want promotion", "its 'im, its 'im". " they do it 'ya know, its 'appened before, its 'appened before".

you never know there might be something in it.

[hector]

i have also heard the rumours down the years of the board holding back the 67/68 team. indeed my dad absolutely swears blind they did.

this came up when i was a young boy a few times because at the end of 87/88 a few of the plainmoor cranks were bringing up conspiracy theories that it was happening again.

the fact that we spectacularly fluffed promotion in the last few games and there were inexplicable errors from players who had been dependable and solid had a few declaring - "they're bleddy at it again, this 'appened before, the board dont want 'em to go up". then the rumours of 67/68 were recounted quite a few times.

indeed, in 97/98 it came up again when promotion was blown. the story of 67/68, and how it was happening again. leading to conversations and rantings including, "its bleddy bateson, ee's 'oldin 'em back", "bleddy bateson,'ee don't want 'em to go up", "ee don't want promotion", "its 'im, its 'im". " they do it 'ya know, its 'appened before, its 'appened before".

you never know there might be something in it.

67/68, 87/88, 97/98, 07/08 - all years we threw promotion away...don't put any bets on promotion in the year 17/18

[yellowforever]

Van Heusden
Canoville Taylor Woods McGlinchey
Rosenior Fowler Russell Hill
Graham Kuffour

[Colorado Gull]

Van Heusden
Canoville Taylor Woods McGlinchey
Rosenior Fowler Russell Hill
Graham Kuffour

[hector]

Van Heusden
Canoville Taylor Woods McGlinchey
Rosenior Fowler Russell Hill
Graham Kuffour

An excellent side, although I was thinking who missed out as Hockley was a virtual ever present in that side.

[Lloyder5]

My Grandad always used to say that to me, that the club 'threw' promotion. With the likes of O'Farrell, Bond, Benson, Stubbs etc involved, it would seem difficult to believe but during the mid-to-late 80s when I was at South Devon Tech, Bobby Baxter used to take us for football. I put my Grandad's theory to him and he insisted my Grandad was indeed correct. Frustrating if true. Would our future have been very different if they had gone up to the Second Division in 1968?

I used to play in the lunchtime 5-a-side run by Bobby back then. I remember being very proud after scoring a goal assisted by Bobby.

[yellowforever]

An excellent side, although I was thinking who missed out as Hockley was a virtual ever present in that side.

Indeed. Unfortunately some had to miss out, and so did Bedeau and Gritton.

Top side that was, unfortunately I'm not old enough to remember some of the other great sides suggested in earlier posts.