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. 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. 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
Results summary
Results by round
Season diary 1 August: Darren Mullings joins after his release from Bristol Rovers 1 August: Chris Zebroski joins on loan from Millwall 12 August: Torquay play their first ever game in the Conference, a 0–0 draw away to Grays Athletic 14 August: Ishmael Welsh joins on loan from Yeovil Town 20 September: Scott Laird joins on a month's loan from Plymouth Argyle 21 September: Defender Mark Ellis joins on loan from Bolton Wanderers 11 November: Torquay beat League One Yeovil Town in an FA Cup First Round televised live by the BBC 1 December: Torquay lose at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup second round 19 December: Mark Ellis extends his loan stay until the end of the season 22 December: Torquay exit Conference League Cup in Fourth Round after defeat away to St Albans City 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 spell 4 January: Manager Paul Buckle signs a new two-and-a-half-year contract 7 January: Goalkeeper Michael Poke joins on loan from Southampton 17 January: Goalkeeper Simon Rayner joins Boston United on loan 24 January: Loanee Leslie Thompson returns to Bolton Wanderers 27 January: Kaid Mohamed joins on loan from Swindon Town 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 contract 31 January: Danny Wring leaves Torquay by mutual consent 26 February: Mikkel Andersen joins on loan from Droylsden 29 February: Jody Banim joins on loan from Droylsden 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 City 10 May: Torquay lose in final of FA Trophy to Ebbsfleet United at Wembley Stadium 10 May: Kevin Hill breaks club appearance record 13 May: Tony Bedeau, Matthew Hockley, Paul Hinshelwood and Darren Mullings released on free transfers 16 May: Lee Phillips joins Rushden & Diamonds for an undisclosed fee 19 May: Michael Brough joins from Forest Green Rovers 20 May: Tyrone Thompson joins from Crawley Town on a two-year contract 21 May: Mark Ellis joins from Bolton Wanderers on a two-year contract 21 May: Lee Mansell signs new two-year contract 28 May: Roscoe D'Sane signs a new one-year contract 28 May: Nicky Wroe joins from York City for an undisclosed fee 2 June: Matt Green joins from Cardiff City on a two-year contract 3 June: Former Torquay player and manager Paul Compton appointed head of Torquay's new youth system 11 June: Simon Rayner and Chris Robertson placed on transfer list 13 June: Lee Hodges joins from Wycombe Wanderers 30 June: Simon Rayner leaves to join Crawley Town
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
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 May 2008Exeter CityAway2–1Sills, Zebroski8,2765 May 2008Exeter CityHome1–4Hill6,015Exeter City won 5–3 on aggregate
FA Cup
WinDrawLoss +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultTorquay United's score shown firstScorersAttendance27 October 2007Bath CityAway2–0Phillips, Stevens2,14911 November 2007Yeovil TownHome4–1Todd (2), Stevens (2)3,7181 December 2007Brighton & Hove AlbionHome0–2—4,010
FA Trophy
WinDrawLoss +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultTorquay United's score shown firstScorersAttendance15 December 2007BashleyHome1–0Sills1,27712 January 2008Newport CountyAway2–1Hargreaves (2)1,5104 February 2008AFC WimbledonAway2–0D'Sane, Phillips4,08523 February 2008Crawley TownHome4–1D'Sane, Mohamed (2), Phillips2,3017 March 2008York CityHome2–0Sills, Phillips2,28615 March 2008York CityAway0–1—3,62510 May 2008Ebbsfleet UnitedWembley0–1—40,186
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 RC 24 1207019010 36 30003000 12 80008010 15 2304027040 9 2258030510 20 1936225530 25 2237029330 14 38314252580 11 1327120300 2 71108110 16 2914033150 20 20002000 10 4112135541760 7 34114048171 23 1024214400 17 61107111 3 46116062100 27 40206000 1 3003033000 21 9011020010 5 2328031230 8 4419154592350 19 29210339520 24 10102000 6 42515257780 18 1814022400 4 2108029050 12 60107000 26 4618151611970
Notes
References