2009–10 Torquay United F.C. season

Overview

Despite a 2–0 win over Chesterfield providing an encouraging start to the season, the Gulls soon stumbled upon a run of bad form which saw them play eleven games in League Two without a win. They had slightly more success in the early rounds of the cup competitions; aside from an early exit to Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup, Torquay enjoyed emphatic 3–1 victories over Cheltenham Town in the first rounds of both the FA Cup and Johnstone Paints Trophy. But, while they were beaten on penalties in the second round of the latter competition by eventual winners Southampton, the Gulls were finally knocked out in the third round of the FA Cup by Brighton after achieving a convincing 4–0 win against Stockport County in the second round.

With relegation from League Two still a real threat in late March, Torquay finally found the winning formula at just the right time, winning six and drawing two of their last eight games. The most impressive display during this run was a 5–0 thrashing of league leaders Rochdale at Plainmoor, a result which earned Torquay the F&C Investments Performance Of The Week Award from the League Managers Association. The dramatic upturn in the Gulls' on-field performances meant that their league survival was assured with three games to spare following a 3–0 victory away to relegation rivals Grimsby Town. Remarkably, Torquay managed to keep a clean sheet in all of their last seven games of the season and, in the process, set a new club record of 691 minutes played without conceding a goal.

League statistics

League Two

Results summary

Results by round

Results

League Two

Main article: 2009–10 Football League Two

Mansell

Green
Scott Thomas Wroe Benyon
Hargreaves Carayol

Hargreaves Benyon Charnock

Carayol O'Neill Furlong

Brandon

Wroe Nicholson Fletcher

Hargreaves

Nicholson Sweeney

Bencherif
Benyon

Chalmers

Benyon Robertson Jones Dawson Sodje

Davies Hughes Sills

Rendell Carlisle Duffy
Jevons Mullin Craney

Thomson Hargreaves Gilligan

Hibbert Charnock Hargreaves Poke

Thompson Ellison
Le Fondre

Taylor Mansell Rendell Smith Wroe

Rendell Thomson Ellis Pipe

Procter Joyce Grant Zebroski

Carlisle Rendell Benyon Harsley
Smith

Wroe Mansell Poke Valentine

Bradbury Connell Partington Cummings Feeney
Pitman Thomson Carlisle Mansell Rendell Smith Robertson
Poke

Conlon Boden

Robertson
Hargreaves Smith Harrad
Taylor

Breen Jarrett

Zebroski Benyon Williams Evans
Clarke

Jones Cox Benyon Wroe Stevens

Benyon Griffith Richards

Gunning Roberts

Alsop Carayol

Rowe-Turner Mansell Kempson Symes

Zebroski Gain

Main Barnes O'Kane Mansell Carayol

Zebroski Carlisle Mansell

Wroe
Smith Zebroski Hughton

Roche Stanley Branston

Branston
Carayol Rendell Bevan Skarz

Herbert

Benyon
Wroe
Carayol

Rendell

Wroe
Benyon
Branston Carayol

Sodje Mansell
Stevens
Rendell

Ellis
Charnock Bishop
Rodgers

FA Cup

Main article: 2009–10 FA Cup

Low Ridley

Rendell

Hargreaves Smith Virgo

League Cup

Main article: 2009–10 Football League Cup

Fonte Sills Todd

League Trophy

Main article: 2009–10 Football League Trophy

Hayles Artus Benyon Charnock Wroe

Davis
Papa Waigo
Wroe Papa Waigo James Mills Wotton Robertson Nicholson Mansell

Friendlies

Joyce

Seip Benyon Sawyer Summerfield

Duffy
Rigg

Devon St Luke's Bowl

Knight
Carayol
Stevens Searle

Club statistics

First team appearances

|} Source: Torquay United

Top scorers

Source: Torquay United

Disciplinary record

Source: Torquay United

Transfers

In

Out

Loans in

Loans out

Notes

. This match was played at a neutral venue due to the poor state of the pitch at Stockport's Edgeley Park ground.

References

References

1. "Five goal stunner warns Gulls the award". [[League Managers Association]].
2. (2010-04-17). "Torquay secure status". [[Sky Sports]].
3. (2010-05-08). "Gulls hold Magpies at home". [[Sky Sports]].
4. (2009-07-10). "Trialist agrees contract with Gulls". torquayutd.com.
5. (2009-08-05). "Charnock agrees Gulls move". [[Sky Sports]].
6. (2009-09-01). "Williams joins Gulls". [[Sky Sports]].
7. (2010-01-06). "Torquay United sign Wycombe Wanderers' Chris Zebroski". [[BBC Sport]].
8. (2010-01-11). "Gulls swoop for O'Kane". [[Sky Sports]].
9. (2010-02-01). "Torquay sign Leicester man Lathaniel Rowe-Turner". [[BBC Sport]].
10. (2010-02-11). "Gulls land Camara". [[Sky Sports]].
11. (2010-05-25). "Six-month Gulls deals for striker Yeoman and centre-half Palmer". Herald Express.
12. (2010-05-27). "Torquay snap up former Cambridge keeper Danny Potter". [[BBC Sport]].
13. (2010-06-03). "Kee makes Torquay switch". [[Sky Sports]].
14. (2010-06-30). "Winger Lloyd Macklin set to sign for Torquay". [[BBC Sport]].
15. (2009-12-04). "Torquay set for Stanley clash". Herald Express.
16. (2010-01-15). "Stevenage sign striker Tim Sills from Torquay United". [[BBC Sport]].
17. (2010-01-29). "Torquay veteran Chris Hargreaves clinches Oxford return". [[BBC Sport]].
18. (2010-05-14). "Seven players released by Torquay United". [[BBC Sport]].
19. (2010-04-30). "Torquay to release Thompson". [[Sky Sports]].
20. (2010-05-20). "Carayol makes Lincoln move". [[Sky Sports]].
21. (2010-08-17). "Carayol will cost £35,000". vitalfootball.co.uk.
22. (2010-06-08). "Green joins Oxford from Gulls". [[Sky Sports]].
23. (2009-07-28). "Rendell moves to Torquay on loan". [[BBC Sport]].
24. (2009-09-01). "Torquay loan keeper Poke". [[Sky Sports]].
25. (2009-09-18). "Gulls sign striker Mills on loan". [[BBC Sport]].
26. (2009-10-21). "Posh recall Mills". [[Sky Sports]].
27. (2009-10-27). "Torquay scoop Saints midfielder". [[BBC Sport]].
28. (2009-11-21). "Gulls land duo". [[Sky Sports]].
29. (2009-12-30). "Smith sticks with Gulls". [[Sky Sports]].
30. (2010-01-19). "Gulls agree Cox deal". [[Sky Sports]].
31. (2010-01-29). "Torquay sign defender Guy Branston from Burton Albion". [[BBC Sport]].
32. (2010-02-09). "Torquay sign Plymouth striker Ashley Barnes on loan". [[BBC Sport]].
33. (2010-03-12). "United press on without Barnes". Herald Express.
34. (2010-02-19). "Macklin makes Gulls move". [[Sky Sports]].
35. (2010-03-22). "Buckle aims to beat deadline". Herald Express.
36. (2010-05-06). "Collis to aid Gulls". [[Sky Sports]].
37. (2009-08-18). "Forest Green snap up Torquay duo". [[BBC Sport]].
38. (2009-09-16). "Adams and Ellis return to Plainmoor". Herald Express.
39. (2009-08-29). "Gulls keeper in loan deal". Herald Express.
40. (2009-09-26). "Brough chooses the Stevenage option". Herald Express.
41. (2009-10-01). "Joyce Completes Move To Weston". torquayunited.com.
42. (2009-10-09). "Hodges goes west". Herald Express.
43. (2010-01-13). "Torquay's Steve Adams and Lee Hodges to stay at Truro". [[BBC Sport]].
44. (2009-10-12). "Now Adams goes on loan". Herald Express.
45. (2009-11-04). "Mansfield sign midfielder Brough". [[BBC Sport]].
46. (2010-01-07). "Mansfield Town sign Michael Brough from Torquay". [[BBC Sport]].
47. (2009-11-27). "Salisbury bring Todd back on loan". [[BBC Sport]].
48. (2010-01-10). "Newport loan for Torquay defender Chris Todd". [[BBC Sport]].