Play off Final Torquay V Cambridge 17th May 2009

Well this is it. Most of you will have probably left home as I will be shortly.The 'jonah's' have be banned from going (two in the bay & one in London). It is said that p**s poor preparation leads to a p**s poor performance but I'm sure that Bucks & the team will
be properly prepared and up for it.
Bit concerned about the quality of the referee, this is the type of game that is awarded for ability & achievement so we will have to wait & see. Its pouring with rain to the south of London but is clearing up for this afternoon, good footballing weather.
Good luck to us all,safe journeys and ..........
'Come on you yellows'

What a great day and what a result, but then I said this morning it was not going to end in tears of sorrow for us the fans of TUFC today.

What a day out I had to miss, still I got to watch the game on the TV and I cried the same way I would have if I had been there. My first tears came when Lewis walked our team out on the pitch; he looked so smart in his kit and yellow boots that you the forum members provided for him.

I also felt last Monday when Grahame phoned me in tears, to let me know that Lewis was going to be our mascot today that this brave young man would not only bring us luck, but inspire the whole team. He performed his duties so well and we need to get him to as many games as possible next season.

I think I was very angry when I heard that Cambridge were playing their loan keeper, you just felt it was done to give them a better chance of winning the game, so it was so sweet to have to watch him pick the ball out of his net two times.

To be fair Cambridge looked the better side in the first half, had most of the ball, but failed to really do anything with it in the last third of the pitch. Our defenders were on top form and Poke dealt with everything he had too well, they looked liked they had made up their minds they were not going to let Cambridge score a goal,

Just when you were thinking that you hoped the first half would end soon, so Bucks could get the team in and sort out a few things, we only go and take the lead. What a great goal it was by Hargreaves, Benyon played a good ball in that was meant for Carlisle, he was fouled but Hargreaves had continued his run and hit such a powerful shot with his weaker right foot.

It would not have mattered who had been in goal, as no keeper would have stopped that rocket going in. I did think the ref was a bit quick getting his cards out in the first half, Sills was booked rather harshly, but Carlisle could not really complain about his booking as he brought his man down from behind.

In at half time one up and while I expected Cambridge to come out all guns blazing; I did not feel we would end up losing the game. Cambridge have nearly twice the procession in the fist half of the second half, but they never looked liked scoring at any time.

How fitting that a player who unfairly this season has had far too much stick from some fans, should provide the perfect cross for our second goal. Carlisle had a super game today, never gave the ball away, won tackles where he had to and was so much in control when he had the ball.

Yes at this point Cambridge were down to ten men, but a nice ball was played out to Carlisle by Benyon, he then looked and measured his cross perfectly. What ground Sills made to even get on the end of the ball, another player who worked his socks off today. Bucks said Sills ankle was huge after his knock he got in the first half; he was given injections during the break. He came out and just got on with playing his part in this great victory.

I could not fault one single player, they all gave everything and fully deserved to win the game, they did all the right things at all the right times and they should all feel very proud as they have done so well to get TUFC back into the football league.

We must not forget to give Paul Buckle the full praise he fully deserves, some have knocked him at every opportunity, and some said he did not have the balls when it mattered. Well sorry he did and we now need to give him the full support he deserves, as there are not many first time managers who have done what he has done in two short seasons.

I would also like to thank our wonderful board, they came in and saved our club after Roberts mucked it up and cost us our league position, thier hard work, their cash and their desire as fans to see TUFC back in the football league, is a main reason why we have done it and we should put our hands together and thank each and everyone of them.

It took Exeter five seasons to get back, we have done it in two, I’m sure we will see a few new faces in the team next season as what we must do is make sure we cement our place in DIVISION TWO for many years to come, unless that is we can push on and sometime go up to division one.

Well done TUFC, I have never felt as proud as I do today, being a league club means everything and you have got us back home where we truly do belong.

Pete I'm sure we will see threads and many posts about the retained list during the week, even more so has Hargreave scored today.

For now it will be all about the great win today and the victory parade and you can bet I'll be there to get all the photo's I can for the forum

Well I've not long got in, shattered, emotionally drained and physically hurting.....................so how does Sillsy feel with that ballooned ankle or Old Man Greavsie or even Wayne Hatswell after Sillsy clumped him goodo early doors and gave the big hard man something to think about each time he went in after that?

I've just heard Gary Brabin talking the biggest load of bollox on the radio about how "they were the better team" Is he serious, because if he is then it's no wonder they have failed to score against us in three games this season and been outwitted tactically twice. Running your team into the strength sapping Wembley turf is no way to approach the first half an hour Brabs. No good leaving them with heavy legs so that when we got one up we were able to pass the ball into space at will and have them running even more into the ground. How many shots caused any difficulty to our keeper Mr Brabin? Just one in the whole game whilst we scored twice, hit the woodwork missed a sitter...................there, that's 4-0 it could easily have been and it wouldn't have been any injustice.

It's no good having twice as much early possession if you don't know how to use it just as it's no good having twice as many fans if they're going to get stunned into silence and start pissing off home fifteen minutes before the final whistle.

It's no good playing in a "special Wembley Kit" if you're not up to putting in a special Wembley performance just as it's no good celebrating winning a semi final as if you've already won the final when you're going to get totally outclassed and out thought, out maneuvered and out fought by a team who just took their semi final victory with a degree of humility and kept their focus all the way through.

Paul Buckle and every player has done us proud this afternoon and the fans who did get along to be part of the 35,000 crowd (I hear it was just 12,000 of us) all played their part with some wonderfully vocal and colourful support so that means there were probably in excess of twenty thousand in there supporting Cambridge.

That's three times I have now witnessed us achieving promotion on a pitch on the day (Wembley twice and Southend) and one other time when we had to wait a week or so (at Darlington) to achieve the fourth one and it doesn't get any less spectacular, nor less memorable or even approaching getting any where near blase in any way.

I'm off to bed now because I am drained and I'll enlighten and expand on events tomorrow and in the coming days!

WE DID IT!

Just got back and I'm knackered and delighted in equal measure!
Brilliant - what a display - everyone a hero on that pitch.
Assured from Poke through the rest of the team.
Couldn't really pick a MOTM, but Wroe left me feeling that for a player that stuttered so much at the start of the season he was immense today - in an understated way, so well positioned, so intelligent with the use of the ball and very mature.
Every player has a story as to how the got there today - looking forward to musing on that all and reading this site over the next few days. Got to go to sleep now though!

Finally though -



Exactly - loved their arrogance this week, I knew that would work in our favour. From soaking Rebecca Lowe in champagne in the SEMI-final to their tedious updates as to how many tickets they had sold compared to us. ANY CHANCE OF UPDATING US AS TO HOW MANY TICKETS FOR HISTON YOURE SELLING NEXT SEASON CAMBRIDGE?? - HOPE YOUR 20,000 FANS CAN ALL GET IN!!!

Oh - and to those cambridge morons chanting "your support is f***** s***" on Wembley way - it was superb today and your can only dream about fans backing their players all the way to victory - suck it up, losers!

Got back about half hour ago.
Oh what a perfect day!
Couldn't pick a man of the match-all starters were contenders. Our fans were brilliant. Amusing to see all the Cambridge day-trippers leaving before the end-they couldn't even stay to applaud their team's efforts. We did that for them.
Both goals worthy of the venue and the occasion.
My red wine tastes much better than last night's glass!
Well done to young Jack on my minibus who predicted a 2-0 scoreline, which agreed with my forecast. First time I've got it right all season.
Looking forward to seeing the retained list.
Colin Lee said on 606 that there will be a parade on Thursday.
YEEEEAH!!!!