Support

[PlainmoorRoar]

Hats of to us for easily outnumbering the Stevenage fans today, although at times they easily out sung us.

However, highlighted how much of a prawn sandwich brigade of supporters we have,
One **** on my coach said he hadn't been to plainmoor for a game in 15 years!!!(another said around 5 a lot more agreed)
Thats insane then to spend +£51 on going OT, not even being a supporter.

I think it boils down to Torquay itself not embracing they have a LEAGUE football team, its like we are almost embarrassed to have a team,
Its really sad and something the club have to address, especially if we do look like we maybe lower down the table again, we wont survive many more seasons on gates we had this year, its really sad to see, cant wait till i move away from this miserable area!

Get off your arse people of Torquay and something f*king useful for once!

[yellowforever]

Agreed, amongst many of the town, they still think our club is a 'Joke' club with sh*t football and no ambition.

[andygull]

Agreed. Why spend money travelling to manchester to watch the gulls when you aren't even a supporter? Bizarre!!

[AlexGulls]

Because he was probably a Manure fan finnally getting a chance to go to Old Trafford.

[basil75]

Did you actually bother to ask them why?

Ultimately, anyone who's prepared to trek all the way to OT (a lot more hassle than going to Plainmoor) to watch us play is a potential fan we should be trying to get through the door. They must like football and Torquay Utd somewhat and it's unlikely they can go up to watch Man U play every week.

Their only option to go to a football match is Plainmoor and this is surely better than nothing - so we need to find out why so we can tackle the problem instead of quietly lamenting them in the corner.

Maybe a quick questionaire from the club on the supporters coaches would have been a good idea to try and establish some consensus amongst these people. I'm sure most would have been willing to spare 10 minutes filling it in given the length of the journey - another missed opportunity I think.

[bobby93]

it can be frustrating, but ultimately we should be encouraging, not discouraging, people to come to their first game in 15 years. hopefully theyll like what they see and come down more often. i doubt that was the case for many yesterday, but i actually took a mate of mine down who i can remember being at plainmoor in at least two or three years, and he certainly vowed to make the trip to plainmoor (and further afield) a few more times next year.

it seems totally pointless to me (and this isnt aimed at the OP or anyone in particular) to criticise people for simply turning up. i always try and focus on whats going on ON the pitch, and by chanting and shouting and whatever else, its more likely that those around will get involved, especially if emotions are running high and there is much at stake. if someone can be bothered to sit on a coach for 6 hours, they at least have a passing interest in the fortunes of torquay united and even if they dont want to sing at every opportunity, its important that that interest is developed. surely?

[highweekgull]

I totally agree we need to persuade these people to come more regularly

That takes effort from the actual club not just supporters groups who keep trying this

Also we need to perform when we get a good crowd - how many times have we win easily with 2000 of us there and then when the gate increases...

[NewtonGull]

Our vocal support was a joke. All these day trippers in the singing section not singing infuriated me. The fact we all had to move to the back of the stretford end to get some kind of atmosphere really does sum up how lame our vocal support is. Stevenage fans who were In the singing section all sang there hearts out. Why is it that it's left to 40 to 50 people to generate atmosphere for torquay games all the time. Why can't we all get behind our team? I'd rather have 2000 passionate fans singing there hearts out then people who only come for the big games.I don't want these people on a regular basis. They ruined the experience for me and a lot of other torquay fans. Rant over.

[Fletch]

I'd rather have 2000 passionate fans singing there hearts out then people who only come for the big games.I don't want these people on a regular basis. They ruined the experience for me and a lot of other torquay fans. Rant over.

I didnt realise games were supposed to be arranged for your likes and dislikes? With an attitude like that its no wonder we struggle for attendances....

[NewtonGull]

Just shut up. You know what I meant.

[Southampton Gull]

I didnt realise games were supposed to be arranged for your likes and dislikes? With an attitude like that its no wonder we struggle for attendances....

Typical response from you Fletch. He didn't say these fans weren't welcome, he didn't make the point you're inferring he made at all.

IF, the club create a "Singing Section" for us why the hell was it full of people who clearly had no interest in singing? I'll tell you why, it's because those in charge of handing out the tickets did nothing but carry on selling those tickets to all and sundry. All of the fans around me that I spoke to hadn't asked to be put in a singing section at all. I'm not into knocking our own fans whether they make 50 games a season or just one,but surely that was yet another chance to attract fans back to us on a regular basis that bit the dust.

If you were at Shrewsbury you couldn't have failed to be impressed by the noise excitement and most of all unity amongst those that were there. If that could have been recreated yesterday then I am of the opinion it could have helped spur the team on as well as given some day-trippers the enthusiasm to give Plainmoor a go next season. Surely even the most pedantic of posters can see the opportunity that was there?

[Dave]

I realized very quickly our singing section was going to be a waste of time,heard 3 different chants coming from 102,103,104 at the same time,i was sat in the very front row 103 me and my mate were singing loud and proud,and fair play to the old boy next to us who was doing his best bless him,the other 20 or so around us looked more horrified they had to stand,as for noise you could hear a pin drop from them,just wish i had realized everyone had gone to the back would have joined you.

[Fonda]

Perhaps Stevenage were making more noise because their team was giving them something to shout about? It's a two way thing. Of course the fans creating a noise can help, but when the team dish up the dross they did yesterday, it's difficult to maintain the positivity. I also feel we have certain fans that are too keen to be the ones 'starting' chants. I can think of several occasions yesterday where someone, perhaps not one of the regular pop-side singers would start a chant, only for another group to start one almost immediately drowning out the original one. There is a danger of a clique developing...

[kingsgull]

I realized very quickly our singing section was going to be a waste of time,heard 3 different chants coming from 102,103,104 at the same time,i was sat in the very front row 103 me and my mate were singing loud and proud,and fair play to the old boy next to us who was doing his best bless him,the other 20 or so around us looked more horrified they had to stand,as for noise you could hear a pin drop from them,just wish i had realized everyone had gone to the back would have joined you.

i was in WL102 and tried my damnest to get the support going....even blew the loud yellow horn alot too to get more noise going... :~D

[Kit_robin]

Did you actually bother to ask them why?

Ultimately, anyone who's prepared to trek all the way to OT (a lot more hassle than going to Plainmoor) to watch us play is a potential fan we should be trying to get through the door. They must like football and Torquay Utd somewhat and it's unlikely they can go up to watch Man U play every week.

Their only option to go to a football match is Plainmoor and this is surely better than nothing - so we need to find out why so we can tackle the problem instead of quietly lamenting them in the corner.

Maybe a quick questionaire from the club on the supporters coaches would have been a good idea to try and establish some consensus amongst these people. I'm sure most would have been willing to spare 10 minutes filling it in given the length of the journey - another missed opportunity I think.

This is bang on!

Everyone who went to Old Trafford has the potential to be a season ticket holder. It HAS to be viewed like this if we want to progress as a club, this is mainly the reason i was so annoyed with the ticket fiasco: I knew i would get a ticket and be there, and thats all that really mattered to me, but the occasional fan who hasn't been for 10 years just had his opinion of Torquay as a tinpot club completely reinforced.

Obviously the team winning would have done more to entice them back than any fan could, but the way i heard some of these "daytrippers" spoken to whilst i was at the ground yesterday made me cringe slightly. As Dave says quite often, this is OUR club, and although I can understand the frustrations when some bloke who hasn't been for donkeys comes and stands on your toes, we have to welcome them so they keep coming back, and keep giving us their money!