Staying Up - Relegation Battle

[The Great Muta!]

For 6th tier football, part time could easily be justified, I wouldn't have an issue with it myself, just so we can get more stable off the pitch.

[Nick Potkins]

I guess this is more of a question and needs exploring more. Is our catchment area large enough for part time football at this level. As I've said below, I would explore moving training out of area a little. Could we tap into areas like Bristol. Further, a lot depends on the league we find ourselves in, the new owners budget and if we exist - maybe our biggest battle.

[AdrianC]

I think the population of Devon plus Cornwall would be sufficient. The area supports a number of Southern League sides, if you could recruit the best two or three from each you potentially have a competitive NLS side, although perhaps not one that would immediately push for promotion. Tiverton for example have taken players on loan from Argyle (Plymouth not Okehampton!) WSM and Gloucester City, I’m sure we’d be a bigger pull than Tiverton.

[Brewers boy]

Weston Taunton and Truro have all done ok against us with local players. The advantage of local players is that they are already nearby. Full time players often have to relocate and I think that this is the big stumbling block. It's ok for a young lad to move into a flat or the gulls nest , but for an older player who has a settled life and perhaps children as well it is a big thing to uproot and move, particularly if it means buying and selling a house. That aside, I can't think of anywhere better than South Devon to live and bring up a family.

[culmstockgull]

Weston Taunton and Truro have all done ok against us with local players. The advantage of local players is that they are already nearby. Full time players often have to relocate and I think that this is the big stumbling block. It's ok for a young lad to move into a flat or the gulls nest , but for an older player who has a settled life and perhaps children as well it is a big thing to uproot and move, particularly if it means buying and selling a house. That aside, I can't think of anywhere better than South Devon to live and bring up a family.

Dont disagree with your views on the south west, however the drag of a scouser or a geordie back to their home environment is massive, they do feel like a duck out of water when they are away from home,food and beer is different, we arent half as friendly as geordie's , etc etc. Go to the midlands say and if you drop out of a league team there are dozens of paying local teams to play for within reasonable travelling, We need a new, innovative and fresh strategy to encourage these players towards us. I do not subscribe to the theory there are no good local players, logic says otherwise, Booth is going to be a good player at our level, Ollie Bray another we missed out on, what we need is a local based scouting system, because logic dictates the players are out there.

[Hereford Gull66]

Full Time, Part Time, at this stage what ever allows us to survive.

However before a decision is made, hopefully somebody within the club or investors will investigate where some clubs adopted hybrid Part Time.
I might be incorrect but did not Woking operate 48 weeks full time then 4 weeks nothing, this at the time was called part time. They also had some players who were genuine part time, but what really defines part
We have seen genuine Part Time teams do not succeed in the National conference, but let’s worry about that later as we do need to get back to that level first.

[BigDave]

Dont disagree with your views on the south west, however the drag of a scouser or a geordie back to their home environment is massive, they do feel like a duck out of water when they are away from home,food and beer is different, we arent half as friendly as geordie's , etc etc. Go to the midlands say and if you drop out of a league team there are dozens of paying local teams to play for within reasonable travelling, We need a new, innovative and fresh strategy to encourage these players towards us. I do not subscribe to the theory there are no good local players, logic says otherwise, Booth is going to be a good player at our level, Ollie Bray another we missed out on, what we need is a local based scouting system, because logic dictates the players are out there.

Part-time local players are fine if the club is going to yo-yo between NL and NLS but if there are ambitions to push for a return to the EFL the players will need to be full-time and there is not enough local talent available for that. Plymouth and Exeter take the pick of the best local players who have full-time aspirations and whilst they may loan players to Torquay, that can only be a stop-gap measure. There are players like Moore and Watkins who might have been signed if we were in a Seventies time-warp but in recent years any local players who have been offered the opportunity have generally failed to make the grade. Whilst GJ is now derided he did have contacts such as his son who were able to loan him players from EFL clubs away from Devon - and several of the better Torquay players in recent seasons have been such loanees - but without such a manager and/or a wealthy owner it is difficult to be sanguine about Torquay's prospects. However, one potential advantage of the geographical location is that experienced players released by SW clubs like Argyle, Exeter, Bristol City and Rovers and even Yeovil may be prepared to play for Torquay if it means that they do not have to relocate their homes and families. It used to be the case that ex Plymouth stalwarts played their last couple of seasons at Plainmoor but that no longer seems to be the case - perhaps Truro or Taunton are a more attractive proposition but that should not be so. On the bright side if Torquay can avert relegation the prospects of potentially winning local derbies against the SW teams like Taunton, Truro, Weston, Weymouth and maybe Forest Green, in a couple of years time, are surely more enticing than trips to Hartlepool or Gateshead.

[Brewers boy]

Part-time local players are fine if the club is going to yo-yo between NL and NLS but if there are ambitions to push for a return to the EFL the players will need to be full-time and there is not enough local talent available for that. Plymouth and Exeter take the pick of the best local players who have full-time aspirations and whilst they may loan players to Torquay, that can only be a stop-gap measure. There are players like Moore and Watkins who might have been signed if we were in a Seventies time-warp but in recent years any local players who have been offered the opportunity have generally failed to make the grade. Whilst GJ is now derided he did have contacts such as his son who were able to loan him players from EFL clubs away from Devon - and several of the better Torquay players in recent seasons have been such loanees - but without such a manager and/or a wealthy owner it is difficult to be sanguine about Torquay's prospects. However, one potential advantage of the geographical location is that experienced players released by SW clubs like Argyle, Exeter, Bristol City and Rovers and even Yeovil may be prepared to play for Torquay if it means that they do not have to relocate their homes and families. It used to be the case that ex Plymouth stalwarts played their last couple of seasons at Plainmoor but that no longer seems to be the case - perhaps Truro or Taunton are a more attractive proposition but that should not be so. On the bright side if Torquay can avert relegation the prospects of potentially winning local derbies against the SW teams like Taunton, Truro, Weston, Weymouth and maybe Forest Green, in a couple of years time, are surely more enticing than trips to Hartlepool or Gateshead.

If we change to part time, there is nothing to stop us going back to full time if we progress up the league. To be honest, what matters is getting the best players that we can afford in.

[BigDave]

If we change to part time, there is nothing to stop us going back to full time if we progress up the league. To be honest, what matters is getting the best players that we can afford in.

Nothing ...... apart from finances. Of course the club needs to employ the best players that it can afford but that probably will not be on full-time wages if the club wants to avoid future administrations etc. Also, what is the incentive for part-time players if they know that they will be jettisoned if they do achieve promotion?

[desperado]

Need to pull our fingers out on Monday with the next 4 away after that. Dartford playing Eastbourne too.
For God's sake play DOA up with Ash , these opposition defences have their cigars out when facing our 'attack'. Give them something to think about .
Stobbs the best winger in this league Aaron ?
You having a laugh mate.

[standupsitdown]

Expected result today but with Hemel, Dartford, Eastbourne & Taunton losing we’ve marginally improved our position as they have one less game to catch us. We very probably have to finish above two of these.
With so many games in hand and a win today Truro will probably be ok.

Concern that there are a lot of games between our four main rivals so points will be picked up.

If it’s not going to go down to the last day of the season a win or at least a point on Monday is vital. As may be avoiding defeat at Taunton.

[portugull]

I have just had a look at the remaining fixtures in April. I have assumed Dover, Havant and Eastbourne are going down.
So it is one from 4 to join them namely Hemel Hempstead 45 points to date, TUFC 44 points, Dartford 40 points and Taunton 40 points.
Dartford are -16 goal diff and play Worthing at Home and Yeovil away and only have 5 games left.
Hemel Hempstead also have 5 games left but 3 are away including Braintree.
Torquay with 6 games left have 4 away and our away form is shocking. However Truro and Taunton both away should be interesting as both clubs have loads of games to play and if they get injuries they will be fielding weakened teams. When we play Truro on 8th April it will be their 4th game in 8 days. When we play Taunton on 16th April it will be their 7th game in 16 days.
Heaven knows what will happen if Taunton find their pitch unplayable with more rain this coming week.
Our 6 games excluding Bath City are against teams currently 15th (WSM) and below so on paper we should be OK. Mondays game is a must win. COYY

[standupsitdown]

Looking at the fixtures today for our relegation rivals, most would be expected to drop points (but of course may not) but with Dartford playing Eastbourne one or both of them will pick up points. A draw would be ideal for us.
Obviously our own result is far more important but anything less than a win will need us to pick up some points away and / or win our last game of the season.

[standupsitdown]

With other teams losing twice and games running out our one point this weekend has actually strengthened our position.

Torquay 41 45 -8
Hemel 42 45 -17
Eastbourne41 41 -26
Dartford` 42 40 -18
Taunton 38 40 -21

Two from the above to go down.

Hard to judge as there are several games between these teams but here’s a best estimate of points required:

With no unexpected results 47 points (above Dartford & Eastbourne) should be enough.
Or 48 if one of these pick up more points and Hemel lose to Taunton.
Or 46 if Taunton beat us but lose to Hemel.

One more win should be enough as probably should drawing at Taunton and losing the rest.

But there may well be unexpected results and we really don’t want to leave it until the last day so need to pick up something in the coming four away games.

Torquay

Welling - away
Truro – away
Bath – away
Taunton – away
Havant – home

3 points (to 48), plus what we get from Taunton?


Hemel

Truro – away
Dover – home
Slough – home
Taunton – away

Only 4 games left. Worst form of everyone.
3 points (to 48), plus what they get from Taunton?
48 – lose to Taunton
51 – beat Taunton


Eastbourne

Weymouth – home
Truro – away
Chippenham – home
Weston – away
Braintree – away

No easy games.
6 points max? Takes them to 47


Dartford

Havant – away
Worthing – home
Yeovil – away
Truro – home

Only 4 games left 2 of which are difficult and poor form.
6 points max? Takes them to 46


Taunton

Maidstone – home
Hampton -away
Braintree – away
Farnborough – away
Torquay – home
Weston – home
Hemel - home

Their next three fixtures are hard and their form poor. Plus a lot of games in a short time.
3 points (to 43), plus what they get from Torquay & Hemel?

43 – lose to Hemel
46 – beat Hemel

Plus what they get from us.

[GULL 67]

Looks a bit better when you see this. Sadly I cannot see us winning any of our remaining games. We are just so poor. Maybe we can scrape a draw or two to limp into safety. It'll be squeaky but time and I'm sure I will enduree it rather than enjoy. So Strange how I actually pay this money that I haven't really got, to stand and suffer. I must be mad.