Boreham Wood v Torquay United - Saturday 13th March - KO 17:20

[brucie]

As usual Dazza posts things which have very little substance.

Firstly I have defended Umerah on plenty of occasions. Secondly your assertion that Suttons new striker from Bath prefers London to Torbay doesn't seem to actually hold a lot of water.

When he signed for Exeter he was quoted as saying that the reason he went there was because it was close to his Bristol home. Anyway who knows if he's any good BUT he got his team three points with the goal yesterday. He's 24 and described as pacy and powerful (probably two things you couldn't level at Boden or Street)

Johnson tells the supporters not to be miserable but looked like he was ready to throw himself under the team bus in his after match interview yesterday.

It may well be that Boden is unfit - he's certainly gone awol in both the last two matches in the second half when he's been as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

As for writing him off - he seems worse at heading the ball than Street, and is so slow its painful to watch.

[MellowYellow]

It matters very little who we individually rate as players, what we have is what we've got, we cannot afford top wages that some clubs are paying,

We are paying a lot more to our players than Boreham Wood - they are still a hybrid club with a much smaller budget to work on than us. To be expected having the lowest average attendance in the 2019/20 season of just 754. Just saying.

[Southampton Gull]

All these people bemoaning the scouting network. If we were at full strength and had suffered nothing like the injuries we have then I think we would be so far ahead by now the Championship would have been in the bag already. You just can't lose the numbers of players we have without form dipping. Players like Warren and Moxey were never intended to be playing every week but be available to pressure the younger players destined for the shirt originally. Nemane and Wright are huge losses as is an in form Little. I know people are frustrated but even the most impatient among us can see the obvious. At full strength we're there or thereabouts and the beatings dished out to the likes of Hartlepool and Stockport confirm that. I'm as frustrated as anyone but also mindful of the fact that we don't have an open chequebook. We can pick holes in Boden, Street, Warren and Moxey but with the quality of players we've had missing for large parts of the season it's not surprising our play is disjointed and certain players like Whitfield and CLE are trying just that little bit too much to ignite a spark. We have a good squad of players for this league, what we don't have is two first choice starting elevens.

[culmstockgull]

In reply to Mellowyellow, I agree we may be paying more than Borehamwood who are a hybrid club, modern parlance for part time.but a number if not all of their players are earning elsewhere, I remember last season or the season before trying to sign a player from a London club, and while we were offering more than the club he was at we couldn't make up the grand a week additional he was earning from driving a black cab . As for their small crowds , they do not really care too much financially, as Arsenal Ladies and Watford reserves pay to play and Watford manage the pitch. Our location makes the attraction of good players problematic and needs to be looked at from a fresh perspective, I remember when I was younger the club owned several houses in Sherwell Valley road that the players and families were housed in and this made their move to us more financially attractive.

[DWB]

All these people bemoaning the scouting network. If we were at full strength and had suffered nothing like the injuries we have then I think we would be so far ahead by now the Championship would have been in the bag already. You just can't lose the numbers of players we have without form dipping. Players like Warren and Moxey were never intended to be playing every week but be available to pressure the younger players destined for the shirt originally. Nemane and Wright are huge losses as is an in form Little. I know people are frustrated but even the most impatient among us can see the obvious. At full strength we're there or thereabouts and the beatings dished out to the likes of Hartlepool and Stockport confirm that. I'm as frustrated as anyone but also mindful of the fact that we don't have an open chequebook. We can pick holes in Boden, Street, Warren and Moxey but with the quality of players we've had missing for large parts of the season it's not surprising our play is disjointed and certain players like Whitfield and CLE are trying just that little bit too much to ignite a spark. We have a good squad of players for this league, what we don't have is two first choice starting elevens.

Totally agree and who’s to know that we didn’t try and get some of these so called better players to join us. We aren’t privy to what conversations are had behind the scenes. It takes a lot of work to get a player to agree to join us and there would be all sorts of reasons why a player doesn’t want to come to Torquay (along with I hope a lot of reasons why someone would).
Get a totally fit squad playing with confidence and we are unbeatable!!

[Modgull]

All these people bemoaning the scouting network. If we were at full strength and had suffered nothing like the injuries we have then I think we would be so far ahead by now the Championship would have been in the bag already. You just can't lose the numbers of players we have without form dipping. Players like Warren and Moxey were never intended to be playing every week but be available to pressure the younger players destined for the shirt originally. Nemane and Wright are huge losses as is an in form Little. I know people are frustrated but even the most impatient among us can see the obvious. At full strength we're there or thereabouts and the beatings dished out to the likes of Hartlepool and Stockport confirm that. I'm as frustrated as anyone but also mindful of the fact that we don't have an open chequebook. We can pick holes in Boden, Street, Warren and Moxey but with the quality of players we've had missing for large parts of the season it's not surprising our play is disjointed and certain players like Whitfield and CLE are trying just that little bit too much to ignite a spark. We have a good squad of players for this league, what we don't have is two first choice starting elevens.

Just about the best summary of our predicament I have seen. Couldn't agree more, well said Dave.

[Sesimbra]

It is difficult not to agree with SG. However there is one thing that is missing badly and that is confidence particularly in the forward line. An illustration of this is that previous to the New Year we were putting our penalties away without problems. Since then the same player has missed the two since. Also most of the team had put their name on the scoring list but no-one now seems capable of scoring now or even testing the goalkeeper.
Confidence seems to have seeped away and needs to be replaced very soon or we will be struggling to stay in the play-offs.

[SuperNickyWroe]

And the Notts County winner was scored by Mark Ellis on his debut, on loan from Tranmere.

Surely we could have been in the market for Wilson and Ellis. Instead we are lumbered with Street and Sheaf, who are clearly not up to it.

Gary's brother should be replaced, he has not any worthwhile contacts and is a total embarrasment.

Sparks and Blissett both scored yesterday for Maidenhead, just warming up for Tuesday.

I doubt whether Mark Ellis would have returned to Torquay in the current situation.
He is northern based and would have been looking to be as near to home as possible.

[SuperNickyWroe]

All these people bemoaning the scouting network. If we were at full strength and had suffered nothing like the injuries we have then I think we would be so far ahead by now the Championship would have been in the bag already. You just can't lose the numbers of players we have without form dipping. Players like Warren and Moxey were never intended to be playing every week but be available to pressure the younger players destined for the shirt originally. Nemane and Wright are huge losses as is an in form Little. I know people are frustrated but even the most impatient among us can see the obvious. At full strength we're there or thereabouts and the beatings dished out to the likes of Hartlepool and Stockport confirm that. I'm as frustrated as anyone but also mindful of the fact that we don't have an open chequebook. We can pick holes in Boden, Street, Warren and Moxey but with the quality of players we've had missing for large parts of the season it's not surprising our play is disjointed and certain players like Whitfield and CLE are trying just that little bit too much to ignite a spark. We have a good squad of players for this league, what we don't have is two first choice starting elevens.

You know that I fully agree with you Dave and have said the same things myself.
However, that doesn't seem to cut it on here with some posters for whatever reason.

[Louis]

Highlights

[MellowYellow]

I remember when I was younger the club owned several houses in Sherwell Valley road that the players and families were housed in and this made their move to us more financially attractive.

Your correct on the housing of players back then - I remember in the late 60's Tony Scott and his family living in Sherwell Valley Road in a corner house opposite Grennies fish and chip shop. Tony Boyce club Chairman at the time was in the estate/letting business which may explain why there was a decent accommodation set up.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Your correct on the housing of players back then - I remember in the late 60's Tony Scott and his family living in Sherwell Valley Road in a corner house opposite Grennies fish and chip shop. Tony Boyce club Chairman at the time was in the estate/letting business which may explain why there was a decent accommodation set up.

Think it carried on into the 70's too as (the hero) Andy Provan lived on Sherwell Valley Rd too.

[North Curry House]

Your correct on the housing of players back then - I remember in the late 60's Tony Scott and his family living in Sherwell Valley Road in a corner house opposite Grennies fish and chip shop. Tony Boyce club Chairman at the time was in the estate/letting business which may explain why there was a decent accommodation set up.

Tony Boyce was never in the estate /letting business, he was a solicitor, his sons have carried on with the profession.

The houses were owned by the Club, in no small measure due to the generosity of director Arthur Milner. When Arthur died in the early seventies, that is when the Club went into freefall.

We sold our best players, Bond. Cave, Scott etc to Bournemouth & sold the Club houses to balance the books.

Born and living in Chelston, I recall Tommy Spratt, Tony Scott, Alan Welsh living in Sherwell Valley Road. John Rudge lived opposite the school, Terry Adlington also lived 100 yards from the school.

Dennis Penford & Tommy Northcott lived in Drakes Avenue, Gordon Astall lived in Frobisher Green and George Webber in Queensway.

Oh for another Arthur Milner. He retired to Torquay from Birmingham and was instrumental in Robin Stubbs joining TUFC.

Talking to Robin last year, he said he fell in love with the town, the sea, sand and s**.

Signed from Brum, his only other football Club was Bristol Rovers (swap with John Rudge)....but he had many other clubs - The Casa Marina, Shiphay Manor, Mr Matts, Carlton Club. The Hideaway and a few others.

Blackpool, then in the first division (now Premiership) came sniffing for his services but he did not want to leave the Gulls.

[MellowYellow]

Tony Boyce was never in the estate /letting business, he was a solicitor, his sons have carried on with the profession.
The houses were owned by the Club, in no small measure due to the generosity of director Arthur Milner. When Arthur died in the early seventies, that is when the Club went into freefall.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane amazing how you can remember so much detail. The names of the nightclubs brought back to life some secrets never to be told. Your correct in that Tony founded Boyce Hatton Solicitors, I just thought there may have been a connection with his fathers (Leslie Boyce also a TU director) estate agency. Think I am right in saying ex-Chairman Arthur Milner was an exiled midlander and had a strong relationship with Birmingham City in the 60's hence players such as Robin Stubbs, Geoff Cox and Colin Bettany found their way to Plainmoor.