i grew up in Paignton in the 50s &60s so Torquay Utd were my first proper taste of football. Sammy Collins & Don Mills were the star turns. Collins regularly scored in the region of 40 goals a season how much would he have been worth today!
Eric Webber was Player Manager! imagine that a player manager in lge football. A fine centre half he was too. My biggest memory of the 50s was when we played a fine Birmingham City with Astall , Govern ,Boyd, & i think Gil Merrick who was Englands goalie at the time if i remember correctly. Any way we ended up getting thrashed 7-1 by Brum on their way to the cup final where they lost to Man City.
The closest they ever came to playing in the old 2nd Division was in 1957 when they lost out on the final match of the season on goal average as it was then known to Ipswich Town managed by a certain Alf Ramsey !
Torquay did have a fine side in the late 60s with Stubbs Pym Bond Mitchin & should/ could have got promoted then . I believe Frank O Farrell later to become Man Utd manager was in charge around that time .
Also remember in the 60 s being at Plainmoor when we played Spurs in the cup , losing 3-1 with minutes to go & up popped Robin Stubbs with 2 late goals to end up 3-3 the ground erupted! Unfortunately lost the replay 5-1 but had our moment
Happy times when it was "proper" football & the cursed money grabbing Premiership was just a distant night mare in the future
So hope they get promoted this season best of luck United
