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Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 31 Dec 2014, 13:00
by Plymouth Gull
Over 25 lists in, come on everyone, get involved!

:)

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 31 Dec 2014, 13:27
by barrytw
Sorry Plymouth Gull - can't count - and all football is about XI's to me.
Please drop poor old Willie Brown from my list

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 31 Dec 2014, 13:53
by Plymouth Gull
Haha, no worries. Thanks!

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 31 Dec 2014, 14:39
by chunkygull
Just put my list in. This is going to be interesting. It is very tough as there are many who could have been in the second half of the list, any of my top 20 from 5 to 15 could be interchangable. Looking forward to see how it turms out.

Come on everyone, get your lists in.

:scarf:

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 31 Dec 2014, 17:06
by Plymouth Gull
Final bump of this thread before I start counting the votes, so if you haven't already then send your list over by PM please!

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 02 Jan 2015, 21:54
by Plymouth Gull
Okay I will be starting this on Monday so if you still want to get a list in you can. I've added all the scores up so far, from the 29 lists received.

:)

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 05 Jan 2015, 15:50
by Plymouth Gull
Okay, the countdown begins. I received 29 lists in total, which consisted of 73 different players. Not quite the top 100 I was hoping for, but at least there's a few names. I will start from the bottom and work my way through, giving you time to talk about the players mentioned. Players will be done one-by-one, with a brief look at their careers at Torquay and any anecdotes I can remember from those players.

Anyway, without further ado, we must start.

So, in joint 34th place, with a single point to his name, it's…

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Chris Brandon

Time spent at club: 1999-2002
Gulls Appearances: 83
Gulls Goals: 10

Chris Brandon joined us after a successful trial in August 1999, having spent years in the youth team of Bradford Park Avenue. His first game in the Yellow shirt saw us win away at Shrewsbury at the start of the 1999/00 campaign, where we eventually finished just short of a top-7 finish in Division 3. He managed over 50 appearances in all competitions that season, hitting the net five times. After the success of that season, he agreed a two-year contract with the club, before injury saw him spent much of the next season on the sidelines. United went on to survive from relegation on that famous day at Barnet, as the club struggled to achieve what they'd done in Brandon's first year in TQ1. The 2001/02 season was a bit of a mixed bag, making 31 appearances and scoring 4 goals in all competitions.

Once his two year contract expired, Brandon went on to join Division 2 side Chesterfield. He since went to play for Huddersfield and Blackpool, before going finishing at Bradford City in 2010. Wikipedia states Brandon now plies his trade in Thailand, having signed for BEC Tero Sasana in 2011.

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 05 Jan 2015, 16:34
by KeithMalone
I wonder if an alleged incident involving a palm tree on Torquay Sea Front and the injury that subsequently followed are the reason that Mr Brandon does not feature more highly on the list

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 05 Jan 2015, 16:38
by Scott Brehaut
Good player that Chrissie Brandon - was in the same team as Mick O'Brien and Brian Healy (if memory serves me correctly).

Not in my top 10, but a good player nonetheless.

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 05 Jan 2015, 19:20
by tommyg
KeithMalone wrote:I wonder if an alleged incident involving a palm tree on Torquay Sea Front and the injury that subsequently followed are the reason that Mr Brandon does not feature more highly on the list
I'm pretty sure alcohol was involved too! I always thought he under-achieved at Plainmoor. He wouldn't make my top 100. The best thing about him was his ability playing 'in the hole' on Champ Man 01/02!

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 06 Jan 2015, 15:50
by Plymouth Gull
There are seven players that picked up a single point. The second player on the list, level with Chris Brandon on 1 point in joint 34th place is...

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Clint Boulton

Time spent at the club: 1971-1979
Gulls Appearances: 286
Gulls Goals: 36

Clint Boulton is the next to feature on the list. Way before my time, Boulton is very much a 'two-club' man. Having come through the academy at Port Vale, he stayed at the Valiants for 6 years as a professional, helping them to promotion from the 4th Division in 1970. In November 1971, United paid £10,000 for his services, and he stayed at the club until 1979. In that time the defender racked up nearly 300 appearances, scoring 36 goals.

Boulton held down a regular spot in the Torquay back line for several years, under various managers. He won the clubs Player of the Year in 1976/77, and played regularly until the 1978/79 season, in which he featured just 11 times. He left that summer, and had a testimonial match against Southampton in January 1980.

He later played for Minehead, after leaving Torquay.

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 06 Jan 2015, 21:41
by Plymouth Gull
The third player to get a single point is a much more recent Gull, and any fans who saw him will probably struggle to forget him, for various reasons. Its…

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Morike Sako

Time spent at club: 2005-2006
Gulls Appearances: 28
Gulls Goals: 3

Morike Sako was part of the French Revolution at the start of the 2005-06 campaign. Having been relegated from League One on the final day, Leroy Rosenior turned to a handful of Frenchman to lead the way back to the third tier. Sako was joined by Mamadou Sow and Carl Priso. Of the three, Sako was the most popular in TQ1, although it must be said that that is no real reason to celebrate. His best moment in a yellow shirt came at the Memorial Stadium, where he ran from the halfway line and banged in a late 35 yard winner, causing chaotic scenes on the touchline. He scored again the following game as we drew 2-2 against Wycombe. His third, and only other goal, for Torquay came in a home defeat to Rochdale.

His career at Plainmoor came to an end that summer, as Ian Atkins released the lanky midfielder. He has since had stints at Rochdale, making 17 appearances, before going to play in Germany with St Pauli and Armenia Bielefield. His last known club is German team Hessen Kassel.

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 06 Jan 2015, 23:50
by madgull
Scott Brehaut wrote:Good player that Chrissie Brandon - was in the same team as Mick O'Brien and Brian Healy (if memory serves me correctly).

Not in my top 10, but a good player nonetheless.
It does, the first ever Torquay team I saw was:

Neville Southall
Steve Tully
Wayne Thomas/Jimmy Aggrey
Alex Watson
Lee Russell
Robbie Herrera
Chris Brandon
Brian Healy
Mick O'Brien
Eifion Williams
Tony Bedeau

Oh, the nostalgia!

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 07 Jan 2015, 15:41
by Plymouth Gull
Ha! Who can forget that goal at Rovers though?!

Anyway, we move on to the next player. Without wanting to give it all away, it's another one from across the channel, with a single point to his name…



Jean Pierre Simb

Time spent at club: 1999-2000
Gulls Appearances: 20
Gulls Goals: 1

Unfortunately I couldn't find any photos of Jean Pierre Simb in action on the internet, so I've had to go without. Anyway, Simb, like Sako came from France, having previously played for Red Star 1993. He joined United in March 1999, making his debut in a 3-0 win over Hartlepool at Plainmoor. This game included an 80-yard run from his own penalty area, to assist Eifion Williams' first goal. Simb's first, and only, goal for the club came against Rotherham, as we beat the Millers 2-0.

His spell at Plainmoor turned a bit sour the following season, as he barely featured, and was eventually released by the club in February 2000.

Top 100 Torquay United Players

Posted: 07 Jan 2015, 15:56
by Behind-the-Gulls
Seems like Forum members who have participated in this have treated it as a bit of a joke, given the last two nominations!
I can think of several hundred better players than these two-Simb in particular was useless;though he did make me laugh,with his antics and inability to do even the basics properly.