Get a grip

[Pea]

Right,shoot me down or not, I don't care.


Will you guys PLEASE have a bit of faith. Today's game was bad, and it didn't offer much by the way of positives. I know its not an excuse but Chris has had six games. SIX GAMES. He's inherited a team that is a mess, but we have mustered 6 points from these games. We played a brilliant game at Portsmouth,despite the cold, and it was great. You all seem to be forgetting that. We could have zero points in six.


I know for a fact half of you wouldn't be moaning had we won today, wouldn't be nearly as worried that we'd be going down. I know for a fact that despite what he says, ferrarilover and all you other hardcore fans bemoaning the club and the performance of today will be there on Tuesday. Yes, it might be begrudgingly, but you'll be there because you're a fan, because you love your club, and you still have hope.

If you mask that hope, and spend countless hours on here and twitter berating the players non stop, do you think that's going to help?

Im not saying don't be mad, and don't have an opinion, but don't let that overrule. Today was bad, there's no excuse, but if you all keep moaning how s**t it all was, and how every player isn't fit to lick the Cr*p from your shoes nearmind play L2 football, what's that telling your team?!

I'm not the most avid football fan, in fact, I know piss all about football, BUT, I do know how to be a fan.

We all get mad, feel hurt and betrayed that we invest so much time into something for it not to work, but that I'm afraid ladies and gentlemen is life.

Its the clubs job to get you those wins, its what they're paid for. But would you be trying your best as a player for your fans right now? Fans who won't turn up, won't sing,boo the players off the pitch..!?

The players need something to fight for. That something is YOU. The fan who is there, spurring them on.

I used to swim competitively. Swimming and footie are miles apart but there's a point to this. The Gala's where the crowd support was there were the best. You could fight through the pain, the burn, the sheer agony at points. You could dive further, pull harder, and swim faster.

The gala's where it was a stony silence where the hardest.

Get behind the players, let's have one last push eh? We turn up at Plainmoor on Tuesday. We sing and we stomp and cheer - if the old geriatrics as Matt likes to call them won't join in, we sing for two. We bring as many supporters as we can. We resist booing the team, whoever plays, we get behind them.

We show Torquay United what they have to fight for, and maybe just maybe, we show Burton that we won't go down without a fight, that Torquay United are here to stay.


I've been with you all as a fan since the beginning of this season, and not ONCE have I seen that support level yet. Its time for all of us to do our bit.

COYY!!

[gullno4]

don't get too dissapointed when we're relegated mate.

[Mysonjackg]

Well said Pea! Essentially what I was trying to say in the thread I started. If we give up now, how is that going to help. Given our position and what is required would you rather have Hargreaves or Knill in charhe? At least we stand half a chance of fighting for our survival?

[bengull]

Appreciate and respect your sentiment; indeed last week I was the single lone voice arguing against the tide of despondency.

Today's apathy and general damning criticism is not borne out of a direct circumstance of just losing to Accrington, its a build up of years of our club not learning its lessons, not doing things properly etc. Its a culmination not just of today, but a season full of disappointing home performances. Its the defeated voices of plenty of loyal fans you are hearing, many been doing this for years, we were told things were going to be different when we somewhat fortuitously got a second stab at league football 5 years ago, in reality not a lot has changed. Once the hysteria dissipated its still the same loyal 1500 fans who had never left who end up going through the maelstrom of fighting relegation season after season once again.

Yes, many are empty threats, most will be back for more pain on Tuesday, duty-bound like a good fan always will. Muster any excitement? Its a difficult thing to do when you know exactly what's coming. Today was painful, wasn't enjoyable to watch, the worst of it all? It was all so inevitable.

All these dissenting voices, they all love Torquay, they know precisely the limitations of supporting Torquay, the continual struggle, minnows in a massive pond. Doesn't make it any easier to stomach when your team loses to a team as limited as Accrington, the job to remain positive gets harder still when you know that things that could be done to improve the situation, aren't being done.

Most of us will keep going, its all we have ever known. Its not over until its over, of course you're right. Preparing for the worst however, will make the bitter, bitter pill easier to swallow when it does eventually come along.

We can and should get behind the guys, but they need to give us a tangible reason to start believing again. I didn't see any such evidence today.

[taxilady]

'that level of support' was there at Fratton Park; one of the best atmospheres as a fan in ages. Now a ditty for you.....
'facing Tuesday evening with dread
following Torquay U-ni-ted;
fatalistic anticipation
of impending relegation
.....must want my head read.'



off to amend my signature

[Dave]

Appreciate and respect your sentiment; indeed last week I was the single lone voice arguing against the tide of despondency.

Today's apathy and general damning criticism is not borne out of a direct circumstance of just losing to Accrington, its a build up of years of our club not learning its lessons, not doing things properly etc. Its a culmination not just of today, but a season full of disappointing home performances. Its the defeated voices of plenty of loyal fans you are hearing, many been doing this for years, we were told things were going to be different when we somewhat fortuitously got a second stab at league football 5 years ago, in reality not a lot has changed. Once the hysteria dissipated its still the same loyal 1500 fans who had never left who end up going through the maelstrom of fighting relegation season after season once again.

Yes, many are empty threats, most will be back for more pain on Tuesday, duty-bound like a good fan always will. Muster any excitement? Its a difficult thing to do when you know exactly what's coming. Today was painful, wasn't enjoyable to watch, the worst of it all? It was all so inevitable.

All these dissenting voices, they all love Torquay, they know precisely the limitations of supporting Torquay, the continual struggle, minnows in a massive pond. Doesn't make it any easier to stomach when your team loses to a team as limited as Accrington, the job to remain positive gets harder still when you know that things that could be done to improve the situation, aren't being done.

Most of us will keep going, its all we have ever known. Its not over until its over, of course you're right. Preparing for the worst however, will make the bitter, bitter pill easier to swallow when it does eventually come along.

We can and should get behind the guys, but they need to give us a tangible reason to start believing again. I didn't see any such evidence today.

Sorry pea, nice post from you, but Ben has called it spot on, he has put across everything I'm feeling right now better than I ever could..

[DevonYellow]

Right,shoot me down or not, I don't care.


Will you guys PLEASE have a bit of faith. Today's game was bad, and it didn't offer much by the way of positives. I know its not an excuse but Chris has had six games. SIX GAMES. He's inherited a team that is a mess, but we have mustered 6 points from these games. We played a brilliant game at Portsmouth,despite the cold, and it was great. You all seem to be forgetting that. We could have zero points in six.


I know for a fact half of you wouldn't be moaning had we won today, wouldn't be nearly as worried that we'd be going down. I know for a fact that despite what he says, ferrarilover and all you other hardcore fans bemoaning the club and the performance of today will be there on Tuesday. Yes, it might be begrudgingly, but you'll be there because you're a fan, because you love your club, and you still have hope.

If you mask that hope, and spend countless hours on here and twitter berating the players non stop, do you think that's going to help?

Im not saying don't be mad, and don't have an opinion, but don't let that overrule. Today was bad, there's no excuse, but if you all keep moaning how s**t it all was, and how every player isn't fit to lick the Cr*p from your shoes nearmind play L2 football, what's that telling your team?!

I'm not the most avid football fan, in fact, I know piss all about football, BUT, I do know how to be a fan.

We all get mad, feel hurt and betrayed that we invest so much time into something for it not to work, but that I'm afraid ladies and gentlemen is life.

Its the clubs job to get you those wins, its what they're paid for. But would you be trying your best as a player for your fans right now? Fans who won't turn up, won't sing,boo the players off the pitch..!?

The players need something to fight for. That something is YOU. The fan who is there, spurring them on.

I used to swim competitively. Swimming and footie are miles apart but there's a point to this. The Gala's where the crowd support was there were the best. You could fight through the pain, the burn, the sheer agony at points. You could dive further, pull harder, and swim faster.

The gala's where it was a stony silence where the hardest.

Get behind the players, let's have one last push eh? We turn up at Plainmoor on Tuesday. We sing and we stomp and cheer - if the old geriatrics as Matt likes to call them won't join in, we sing for two. We bring as many supporters as we can. We resist booing the team, whoever plays, we get behind them.

We show Torquay United what they have to fight for, and maybe just maybe, we show Burton that we won't go down without a fight, that Torquay United are here to stay.


I've been with you all as a fan since the beginning of this season, and not ONCE have I seen that support level yet. Its time for all of us to do our bit.

COYY!!

Of course there wouldn't have been as much moaning if we'd have won yesterday that's pretty obvious!

The reason everyone is so downbeat is we have surrendered so weakly in our last two must-win home games. After the Northampton shambles that level of performance and effort should never have been allowed to happen again. It did and it's not acceptable.

I've been a season ticket holder for years. I'll be there Tuesday, I'll be there in the conference south and below if it came to it. What makes me really angry is the way this is happening. I won't boo my team off, I won't boo my own players, but I certainly didn't clap them off yesterday.

We're 5 points from safety and with our players, pitch and style of football I can't see how we can overcome it.

Will live in hope though.

[gullintwoplaces]

I would love to have your level of hope Pea, but my hope is zero. For the past 18 months or so our team has been pi** poor for the most part (a few exceptions, but not many), and most fans feel very badly let down. We turn up, we give our support, the inevitable happens, the atmosphere becomes poisonous, we lose and then we go home feeling depressed and angry. Enough is enough. I can't put myself through that nonsense again for a while. I wish Chris Hargreaves my best in his impossible job. He is struggling with team selection, like moving around the deckchairs on a proverbial sinking ship. Trouble is, half the deckchairs appear to be from Poundland and a few chairs are broken beyond repair. I don't blame Thea for this, bless her she has provided so much financial support, but I do blame some other Board members. One in particular should hang his head in shame.

[hector]

Appreciate and respect your sentiment; indeed last week I was the single lone voice arguing against the tide of despondency.

Today's apathy and general damning criticism is not borne out of a direct circumstance of just losing to Accrington, its a build up of years of our club not learning its lessons, not doing things properly etc. Its a culmination not just of today, but a season full of disappointing home performances. Its the defeated voices of plenty of loyal fans you are hearing, many been doing this for years, we were told things were going to be different when we somewhat fortuitously got a second stab at league football 5 years ago, in reality not a lot has changed. Once the hysteria dissipated its still the same loyal 1500 fans who had never left who end up going through the maelstrom of fighting relegation season after season once again.

Yes, many are empty threats, most will be back for more pain on Tuesday, duty-bound like a good fan always will. Muster any excitement? Its a difficult thing to do when you know exactly what's coming. Today was painful, wasn't enjoyable to watch, the worst of it all? It was all so inevitable.

All these dissenting voices, they all love Torquay, they know precisely the limitations of supporting Torquay, the continual struggle, minnows in a massive pond. Doesn't make it any easier to stomach when your team loses to a team as limited as Accrington, the job to remain positive gets harder still when you know that things that could be done to improve the situation, aren't being done.

Most of us will keep going, its all we have ever known. Its not over until its over, of course you're right. Preparing for the worst however, will make the bitter, bitter pill easier to swallow when it does eventually come along.

We can and should get behind the guys, but they need to give us a tangible reason to start believing again. I didn't see any such evidence today.

A very well written post, Ben, that captures perfectly how fans are feeling. I hope somebody at the club reads it, digests it and acts upon, although I fear it is far too late, even if the will was there. Persisting with Knill for so long was the death knell as it left so little time to reverse the decline.

[brucie]

The one thing that you have got wrong is that the supporters who were there yesterday won't all be back on Tuesday. Seriously I doubt whether we will have 1500 there. People were walking out in their droves yesterday before the board went up for injury time.
Its heartbreaking really to see the club die like this.
I have spent 53 years going to Plainmoor. My dad took me when I was four and I was hooked from then on in. Because I have never lived in Torbay since I was sixteen I have travelled thousands of miles in total just going to home games. I was there at Morecambe and Northampton at the end of last season when we needed the points.
We will most likely be all but relegated in three or four weeks.
It just boils down to us not having the required number of players who are fit for purpose for this league. Thats it pure and simple.
In previous years we may not have had the best team but where are the Howes,Zebroski's etc players who can make a difference.
Just look at the team that finished the game yesterday.
Stevens - hasn't kicked a football in anger for a year. Light years away from being league quality. He would struggle to get a game in my North Devon League side.
Nicholson - loyal servant but he has gone in.
O'Brien - nowhere near league quality
Wilkinson - first league start - out of his depth.
Keeping the faith isn't going to keep the faith. We are going down, the crowd know it and the manager does as well.

[wivelgull]

As always, brucie is right. The crux of the matter is that the players aren't good enough. The worst aspect of all is the quality of the loanees. I can remember us bringing in Jason Roberts and Dean Sturridge on loan; they were (and remain) quality p;layers. The loanees we have now are not (in most cases) even reserve team players for their home club. This season's disaster began in close season when no decent players (except Pearce) were signed.

[leetufc]

I really admire your faith, but the fact of the matter is if we had won today there would have been just two points between us and Wycombe and Accrington. As it is we are now five behind Wycombe (who managed to pick up their first win in ages) and a further 8 behind Accrington. That's why it is all doom and gloom, a win yesterday completely changes the complexion of the league.

6 points in 6 games just isn't enough in our situation. On that basis we'll get another 15 this season and finish on a mighty 44 points. We are going to need 7 wins (or equivalent) just to get to 50, and that wasn't enough last season.

[Dockers Pal]

Chris Hargreaves is a new manager and is going through a common phase for new managers, learning to find his feet. I remember that last year new managers eg Wayne Burnett at D&R and Leam Richardson at Acc. Stanley had difficult spells and each team survived by the skin of their teeth. They also had spells of defeats. I see nothing different with Chris Hargreaves. I expect him to find his feet in time. Knill didn't do so well in his first few games - I suppose thats not very compelling though!!
At the moment he's gained 6 points from 6 games, Wilder has gained 7 from 5 and Richie Barker has gained 14 points from 13 games. Only Flitcroft of the recently appointed managers at our end of the table has produced strong results - 17 points from 11 games.

[okehampton gull]

more bad news , Bodin out for the season sounds like, I read lathrope might get a recall, why the hell was he dropped, he has played well every game since his return, its not like we have a surplus of good players , we have heaps of crap ones. And downes left out , ,,,, I think the management must be on drugs,,,,, they have got absolutely no idea, they couldn't manage a piss up in a brewery, get Geoff harrop in now ,, it is our only chance ,, I cant read any more crap about chris Hargreaves , he was an average div 2 player , why has he suddenly become a saviour of a manager. he is one of the boys ,, not a manager.............. signing stevens
has to be the biggest piss take I have ever seen,,,, dropping lathrope for him give me **** strength....................

[ferrarilover]

If you're going to wank while watching porn on your laptop, please try not to come on the keyboard, it's playing havoc with your comma button.

Matt.