2007–08 Torquay United F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Torquay United 2007–08 Paul Buckle Alex Rowe Conference National 3rd FA Cup Second round FA Trophy Runners-up Conference League Cup Fourth round Tim Sills (19) Tim Sills (23) 6,015 v Exeter City, 1 May 2008 (Conference National play-off) 1,277 v Bashley, 15 Dec 2007 (FA Trophy) 3,864 _thinbluesides FFD700 FFD700 FFD700 FFD700 FFD700 0000FF _collarwhite 0000FF _yellowstripesside 0000FF 0000FF 0000FF 0000FF 0000FF 0000FF 2006–07 2008–09 The 2007–08 season was Torquay United's first season in the Conference National after being relegated from League Two. The season runs from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008. Overview Having been a Football League team for 80 years, Torquay United were finally relegated at the end of the 2006–07 season. After the most chaotic and disastrous season in Torquay's history, chairman Mike Bateson eventually sold the club to an eight-man consortium with Alex Rowe appointed as the new chairman and former-Gull Colin Lee returning as chief executive.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6688245.stm Takeover is completed at Torquay BBC Sport 2007-05-24 2012-03-09http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6692997.stm Lee back in new role at Torquay BBC Sport 2007-05-25 2012-03-09 Although Leroy Rosenior had previously been announced as the new manager, the consortium decided to go in a different direction and install ex-Torquay midfielder and current Exeter City assistant manager Paul Buckle as the new boss.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6675217.stm Gulls set to reveal Rosenior exit BBC Sport 2007-05-21 2012-03-09http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6714703.stm Buckle named as new Torquay boss BBC Sport 2007-06-02 2012-03-09 With only a handful of players still on the club's books, Buckle had to work fast to build a new team in time for Torquay's first season in the Conference. Despite a slightly nervous 0–0 draw with Grays Athletic in their first ever Conference match, the Gulls soon established themselves within the division and quickly became the team to beat. Buckle had managed to create a particularly potent strike force with new signings Tim Sills, Chris Zebroski and Lee Phillips combining to score nearly 50 league goals between them and Torquay were never out of the play-off spots all season. United were also enjoying more TV coverage than ever before with Setanta Sports now televising live Conference games and the BBC even coming to Plainmoor to broadcast the 4–1 FA Cup first-round victory over League One side Yeovil Town. Yeovil had themselves previously inflicted a cup 'upset' over Torquay in 1992 when they were a non-League side, so it was sweet revenge for the Gulls now that the two team's fortunes had been reversed. After eventually finishing 3rd in the Conference, Torquay met their local rivals Exeter City in the play-off semi-final. Despite coming away from St James Park with a 2–1 lead in the first leg and going 1–0 up in the return match at Plainmoor, Exeter managed to score four goals in the final 18 minutes of the match to condemn Torquay to a 5–3 aggregate defeat and another season in the Conference. There was the possibility of a consolation for Torquay just a few days later as they had reached the final of the FA Trophy which entailed a trip to the new Wembley Stadium. However, a 1–0 defeat by Ebbsfleet United resulted in another disappointing day for the Gulls. Maybe the only highlight of the day was a late substitute appearance from Kevin Hill who made his 474th and final appearance for Torquay United, breaking the all-time appearance record which had been set by Dennis Lewis back in 1958. Although Torquay United were perhaps a club who were fortunate to even still be in existence after the débâcle of the previous season, this was a campaign which had promised to deliver so much but had ultimately ended in disappointment. Having failed to return to the Football League at the first attempt, Torquay would now have to make sure they achieved it at the second time of asking. League statistics Conference National 2007–08 Football Conference#Conference Premier Conference Premier y TOR Results summary 15 3 5 39 21 11 5 7 44 36 Torquay United January 2012 Results by round table b Round Ground H/A/A/H/A/H/H/A/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/A/H/H/A/H/H/A/H/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/A/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/H Result D/W/W/W/D/W/W/L/W/W/W/W/W/L/D/W/W/L/W/W/W/L/W/W/L/D/W/W/D/W/D/L/L/L/W/W/D/W/L/W/W/W/L/D/L/L Position 13/2/1/1/1/1/1/3/1/1/1/1/1/1/2/1/1/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/3/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/3/4/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/3 Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss 1st 2nd blue1 red1 Torquay United June 2011 Season diary 1 August: Darren Mullings joins after his release from Bristol Rovershttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6258340.stm Torquay sign ex-Pirates youngster BBC Sport 2007-08-01 2008-12-26 1 August: Chris Zebroski joins on loan from Millwallhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/6926812.stm Torquay swoop for Lions striker BBC Sport 2007-08-01 2008-12-26 12 August: Torquay play their first ever game in the Conference, a 0–0 draw away to Grays Athletichttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/6931246.stm Torquay 0-0 Grays BBC Sport 2007-08-12 2008-12-16 14 August: Ishmael Welsh joins on loan from Yeovil Townhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/y/yeovil/6948361.stm Man Utd youngster joins Glovers BBC Sport 2007-08-14 2008-12-26 20 September: Scott Laird joins on a month's loan from Plymouth Argylehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7004932.stm Plymouth loan out Laird to Gulls BBC Sport 2007-09-20 2008-12-26 21 September: Defender Mark Ellis joins on loan from Bolton Wanderershttp://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=45119 https://web.archive.org/web/20120830201541/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=45119 usurped 30 August 2012 Second loanee for Buckle NonLeagueDaily 2007-09-21 2009-01-13 11 November: Torquay beat League One Yeovil Town in an FA Cup First Round televised live by the BBChttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7090417.stm Boss hails Torquay's cup success BBC Sport 2007-11-12 2008-12-05http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/match_of_the_day/7067553.stm BBC to show Torquay-Yeovil game BBC Sport 2007-10-29 2009-01-13 1 December: Torquay lose at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup second roundhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7110739.stm Torquay 0-2 Brighton BBC Sport 2007-12-01 2009-01-13 19 December: Mark Ellis extends his loan stay until the end of the seasonhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7171735.stm Torquay extend Ellis loan stay BBC Sport 2007-12-19 2009-01-13 22 December: Torquay exit Conference League Cup in Fourth Round after defeat away to St Albans Cityhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/6903365.stm Setanta Shield results 2007-08 BBC Sport 2008-04-04 2009-01-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20090113141812/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/6903365.stm 13 January 2009 live 3 January: Winger Leslie Thompson joins on loan from Bolton Wanderers as a replacement for Ishmael Welsh who was recalled by Yeovil from his loan spellhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7169599.stm Torquay get Bolton winger on loan BBC Sport 2008-01-03 2009-01-13 4 January: Manager Paul Buckle signs a new two-and-a-half-year contracthttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7171735.stm Gulls boss Buckle agrees new deal BBC Sport 2008-01-04 2009-01-13 7 January: Goalkeeper Michael Poke joins on loan from Southamptonhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7174964.stm Torquay sign Southampton goalkeeper BBC Sport 2008-01-07 2009-01-13 17 January: Goalkeeper Simon Rayner joins Boston United on loanhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7193659.stm Torquay's Rayner loaned to Boston BBC Sport 2008-01-17 2009-01-13 24 January: Loanee Leslie Thompson returns to Bolton Wanderershttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7206635.stm Thompson heads back to Bolton BBC News 2008-01-24 2009-01-13 27 January: Kaid Mohamed joins on loan from Swindon Townhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7209653.stm Torquay complete triple signing BBC Sport 2008-01-27 2009-01-09 27 January: Steve Adams joins from Swindon Town on a free transfer 27 January: Roscoe D'Sane joins from Accrington Stanley 31 January: Danny Stevens signs new two-and-a-half-year contracthttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7219517.stm Stevens pens new Torquay contract BBC Sport 2008-01-31 2009-01-09 31 January: Danny Wring leaves Torquay by mutual consent 26 February: Mikkel Andersen joins on loan from Droylsdenhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7265382.stm Gulls sign Dane Andersen on loan BBC Sport 2008-02-26 2009-01-09 29 February: Jody Banim joins on loan from Droylsdenhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7271636.stm Gulls sign Banim as Bedeau leaves BBC Sport 2008-05-12 2009-01-09 29 February: Tony Bedeau joins Weymouth on loan 5 May: Torquay exit Conference play-offs at semi-final stage after 5–3 aggregate defeat by Exeter Cityhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7385027.stm Gull's heartbroken by loss - Todd BBC Sport 2008-05-06 2009-01-09 10 May: Torquay lose in final of FA Trophy to Ebbsfleet United at Wembley Stadiumhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7382167.stm Ebbsfleet 1-0 Torquay BBC Sport 2008-05-10 2009-01-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20090221234300/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7382167.stm 21 February 2009 live 10 May: Kevin Hill breaks club appearance recordhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7395554.stm Hill's bitter sweet Wembley day BBC Sport 2008-05-12 2009-01-09 13 May: Tony Bedeau, Matthew Hockley, Paul Hinshelwood and Darren Mullings released on free transfershttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7398268.stm Bedeau among four leaving Torquay BBC Sport 2008-05-13 2008-12-04 16 May: Lee Phillips joins Rushden & Diamonds for an undisclosed feehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7404092.stm Torquay striker moves to Rushden BBC Sport 2008-05-16 2009-01-09 19 May: Michael Brough joins from Forest Green Rovershttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7407908.stm Torquay sign Forest Green skipper BBC Sport 2008-05-19 2008-12-04 20 May: Tyrone Thompson joins from Crawley Town on a two-year contracthttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7410361.stm Torquay sign Crawley midfielder BBC Sport 2008-05-20 2009-01-06 21 May: Mark Ellis joins from Bolton Wanderers on a two-year contracthttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7412007.stm Midfield pair sign Torquay deals BBC Sport 2008-05-21 2009-01-06 21 May: Lee Mansell signs new two-year contract 28 May: Roscoe D'Sane signs a new one-year contracthttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7423093.stm D'Sane signs new Plainmoor deal BBC Sport 2008-05-28 2009-01-06 28 May: Nicky Wroe joins from York City for an undisclosed feehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7423921.stm Torquay sign Wroe from York City BBC Sport 2008-05-28 2009-01-06 2 June: Matt Green joins from Cardiff City on a two-year contracthttp://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=50371 https://web.archive.org/web/20120827041528/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=50371 usurped 27 August 2012 Green switches to Devon NonLeagueDaily 2008-06-02 2009-01-06 3 June: Former Torquay player and manager Paul Compton appointed head of Torquay's new youth systemhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7433418.stm Former boss returns to Plainmoor BBC Sport 2008-06-03 2009-01-06 11 June: Simon Rayner and Chris Robertson placed on transfer listhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7447606.stm Torquay pair put on transfer list BBC Sport 2008-06-11 2009-01-06 13 June: Lee Hodges joins from Wycombe Wanderershttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7452193.stm Torquay bag ex-Argyle man Hodges BBC Sport 2008-06-13 2009-01-06 30 June: Simon Rayner leaves to join Crawley Townhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crawley_town/7480999.stm Crawley bag Torquay keeper Rayner BBC Sport 2008-06-30 2009-01-06 Match results All friendly matches and first team games in Conference National, FA Cup, FA Trophy and Conference League Cup are listed below. Reserve matches and regional cup competitions are not included. Conference National Conference National 2007–08 WinDrawLoss +DateOpponentVenueResultTorquay United's score shown firstScorersAttendancePosition12 August 2007Grays AthleticHome0–0 4,0121315 August 2007Aldershot TownAway3–0Sills, Stevens, Zebroski3,139218 August 2007Northwich VictoriaAway3–1Sills, Phillips (2)1,117125 August 2007Rushden & DiamondsHome3–2Sills, Phillips, Zebroski3,107127 August 2007Forest Green RoversAway2–2Hargreaves, Robertson2,38211 September 2007Stafford RangersHome2–0Todd, Benyon2,98014 September 2007Salisbury CityHome4–0Todd, Phillips, Sills (2)3,215110 September 2007Burton AlbionAway1–3Benyon2,086314 September 2007Halifax TownHome3–1Robertson, Sills, Hockley2,727118 September 2007Histon TownAway5–4Sills, Mullings, Zebroski (2), Todd763122 September 2007Kidderminster HarriersAway5–2Hinshelwood, Sills, Zebroski (2), Phillips2,027125 September 2007WeymouthHome3–2Zebroski, Phillips, Hill3,548129 September 2007DroylsdenHome2–1Sills, Phillips3,32116 October 2007Ebbsfleet UnitedAway1–2Ellis1,386111 October 2007Oxford UnitedAway3–3Welsh, Zebroski, Sills4,633214 October 2007Stevenage BoroughHome4–2Zebroski (2), Julian (og), Phillips3,744121 October 2007York CityAway1–0Todd2,48313 November 2007Cambridge UnitedHome1–2Benyon3,368217 November 2007Crawley TownAway3–2Mansell, Ellis, Sills1,848224 November 2007WokingHome2–0Benyon, Hargreaves3,275212 December 2007Farsley CelticAway2–1Zebroski, Stevens717226 December 2007Exeter CityAway3–4Todd, Phillips, Nicholson7,839229 December 2007WokingAway1–0Sills2,18121 January 2008Exeter CityHome1–0Sills6,02127 January 2008Burton AlbionHome1–2Zebroski2,359219 January 2008Salisbury CityAway0–0 2,633328 January 2008HistonHome1–0Sills2,48229 February 2008Kidderminster HarriersHome1–0Ellis3,012212 February 2008WeymouthAway0–0 1,970216 February 2008Ebbsfleet UnitedHome3–1Mohamed (2), Zebroski2,704226 February 2008AltrinchamHome1–1Zebroski2,31021 March 2008Grays AthleticAway0–2 1,01823 March 2008Aldershot TownHome1–2Phillips4,510211 March 2008Halifax TownAway2–3Phillips (2)894322 March 2008Stafford RangersAway2–0Sills, Dsane905424 March 2008Forest Green RoversHome1–0Dsane3,071229 March 2008AltrinchamAway1–1Hill1,16321 April 2008DroylsdenAway2–1Sills, Dsane47625 April 2008Farsley CelticHome0–1 2,40628 April 2008Oxford UnitedHome3–2Zebroski (2), Sills2,241212 April 2008Stevenage BoroughAway3–1Hargreaves, Zebroski, Sills2,673215 April 2008Northwich VictoriaHome1–0Zebroski2,270217 April 2008Rushden & DiamondsAway1–2Benyon1,276219 April 2008York CityHome0–0 2,165222 April 2008Cambridge UnitedAway0–2 4,100226 April 2008Crawley TownHome1–2Sills3,1213 Conference National play-offs WinDrawLoss +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultTorquay United's score shown firstScorersAttendance1 Semi-Final(first leg)1 May 2008Exeter CityAway2–1Sills, Zebroski8,2762 Semi-Final(second leg)5 May 2008Exeter CityHome1–4Hill6,015Exeter City won 5–3 on aggregate FA Cup 2007–08 FA Cup WinDrawLoss +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultTorquay United's score shown firstScorersAttendance1 4th Qualifying Round27 October 2007Bath CityAway2–0Phillips, Stevens2,1492 1st Round11 November 2007Yeovil TownHome4–1Todd (2), Stevens (2)3,7183 2nd Round1 December 2007Brighton & Hove AlbionHome0–2—4,010 FA Trophy 2007–08 FA Trophy WinDrawLoss +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultTorquay United's score shown firstScorersAttendance1 1st Round15 December 2007BashleyHome1–0Sills1,2772 2nd Round12 January 2008Newport CountyAway2–1Hargreaves (2)1,5103 3rd Round4 February 2008AFC WimbledonAway2–0D'Sane, Phillips4,0854 4th Round23 February 2008Crawley TownHome4–1D'Sane, Mohamed (2), Phillips2,3015 Semi-final (first leg)7 March 2008York CityHome2–0Sills, Phillips2,2866 Semi-final (second leg)15 March 2008York CityAway0–1Torquay United won 2–1 on aggregate—3,6257 Final10 May 2008Ebbsfleet UnitedWembley0–1—40,186 Conference League Cup 2007–08 Conference League Cup +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendance4th Round22 December 2007St Albans CityAway0–1454 Player statistics As of final game of the season on 10 May 2008Cup games include the FA Cup (including the FA Cup 4th round qualifying match not reported by Soccerbase), the FA Trophy and the Conference League Cup but not any other competition. Conference play-off appearances are included within Cup Apps No.PlayerLeague AppsLeague GoalsCup AppsCup GoalsTotal AppsTotal GoalsYC 10pxRC 10px24 England Steve Adams Steve Adams (footballer, born 1980) 1207019010 36 Denmark Mikkel Andersen Mikkel Andersen (footballer) 30003000 12 England Jody Banim 1 80008010 15 Grenada Tony Bedeau 2304027040 9 England Elliot Benyon 2258030510 20 England Roscoe D'Sane 1936225530 25 England Mark Ellis Mark Ellis (footballer born 1988) 2237029330 14 England Chris Hargreaves 38314252580 11 England Kevin Hill Kevin Hill (footballer) 1327120300 2 England Paul Hinshelwood 71108110 16 England Matthew Hockley 2914033150 20 England Scott Laird 20002000 10 England Lee Phillips Lee Phillips (footballer born 1980) 4112135541760 7 England Lee Mansell 34114048171 23 Wales Kaid Mohamed 1024214400 17 England Darren Mullings 61107111 3 England Kevin Nicholson Kevin Nicholson (footballer) 46116062100 27 England Michael Poke 40206000 1 Canada Simon Rayner 3003033000 21 England Martin Rice 9011020010 5 Scotland Chris Robertson Chris Robertson (footballer, born 1986) 2328031230 8 England Tim Sills 4419154592350 19 England Danny Stevens Danny Stevens (footballer, born 1986) 29210339520 24 England Leslie Thompson Les Thompson (footballer born 1988) 10102000 6 Wales Chris Todd 42515257780 18 England Ishmael Welsh 1814022400 4 England Steve Woods 2108029050 12 England Danny Wring 60107000 26 England Chris Zebroski 4618151611970 Notes References 2 Category:Torquay United F.C. seasons Torquay United