Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2009 6:13:03 GMT
 Bobby Gray was another young keeper who was brought to the club at the same time as Pat Roche and used to play for Newton Spurs when not required for Western League duty. I can recall hearing a story that he ended up as a very good striker with Dundee United, although I can't vouch for that; but I can recall us reaching the Devon County Youth Cup Final with Bob in the team and the occasion still causes painful memories for me as we faced Heavitree United including the fearsome Peter Darke in their defence and I got dropped for the final to accomodate "Goalkeeper" Bobby Gray.................to play as a very big striker!  On my visits to Scotland in the 1970s and 1980s I often bought the Sunday Post for its football coverage and the name of Bobby Gray was usually in some Highland League match report. Pretty sure he played for Keith for a long time. I wonder if he ever experienced conflict with a certain Mr Caldwell? Sounds like this is our man: www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-14482020.html Culter come from Peterculter, near Aberdeen, and play in "junior football" - as opposed to the Highland League - and recently became one of the first junior clubs to enter the Scottish Cup. See nonleaguescotland.co.uk/region/north/northpremier.htm |
|
petef
Match Room Manager 
Posts: 4,626
|
Post by petef on Jul 3, 2009 20:27:50 GMT
Didn't Kieth Curle get an England cap or am I going daft!
Matthew Ellioit did he ever play fo Scotland?
|
|
merse
TFF member
Posts: 2,684
|
Post by merse on Jul 3, 2009 20:37:49 GMT
Didn't Kieth Curle get an England cap or am I going daft! Matthew Ellioit did he ever play fo Scotland? played against the USSR, Hungary and Denmark for the full England team in 1992 I believe. Matt Elliott qualified to play for the Sweaties through his granny and played 18 times for the full international ("County" side ;D) in all having made his debut against France and managing to get sent off in the Faroe Islands if I remember correctly! |
|
sam
TFF member
Posts: 341
|
Post by sam on Jul 11, 2009 14:27:16 GMT
OK What about this one. Didn't Percy Varcoe play for England. I believe he played for Torquay, pre-league and then went to other clubs amongst whom was Norwich. His family had a shop in Fowey which was converted into flats and they are known as Varcoes Corner.
|
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,912
|
Post by Jon on Jul 12, 2009 10:36:00 GMT
OK What about this one. Didn't Percy Varcoe play for England. I believe he played for Torquay, pre-league and then went to other clubs amongst whom was Norwich. His family had a shop in Fowey which was converted into flats and they are known as Varcoes Corner. Varco didn't play for England. His TUFC career was very brief - less than two months! He scored a hat-trick for the reserves against RMLI on 3/11/23 and was pitched straight into the first team at Newport the following week - scoring twice. His last game for us was on 15/12/23 when he scored a hat-trick at home to Bristol Rovers which led to him being snapped up by Aston Villa a few days later. Total record : Southern League 5 games 6 goals FA Cup 2 games (both v Aberdare!) 0 goals Plymouth & District League 1 game 3 goals In addition to a successful career in professional football, I think he went on to be the Mayor of Fowey. |
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,912
|
Post by Jon on Jul 12, 2009 12:08:27 GMT
 A reminder that we've always been a selling club - I suppose £200 was the kind of money we just coudn't turn down! I wonder if there was an outcry about penny-pinching from our supporters? I blame Bateson. |
|
|
|
Post by aussie on Jul 12, 2009 15:00:55 GMT
I always blame Bateson!  I added the smiley! ;D |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2009 17:30:22 GMT
Nor did Percy Varco play in the unofficial internationals against Australia and South Africa in the 1920s. This just leaves the possibility of him playing for an FA XI against one of the other "dominions" such as Canada or New Zealand.
John Bond, however, did play in an unofficial international v South Africa in 1956.
|
|
sam
TFF member
Posts: 341
|
Post by sam on Jul 13, 2009 21:30:34 GMT
Damn, thought I had got you two on that one.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2009 19:59:34 GMT
The list of former schoolboy and youth internationals who went on to play for us would be pretty lengthy. Jon made this point a few months ago and he's right about it being a lengthy list that might not be worthwhile tackling. However listening to Kevin Nicholson the other night - speaking about the grounds he played on as a kid - drew attention to the fact that Nico would be on that list. Nico had two seasons as a young England international (at least I don't think he played at u17 or u18 level). The first was for the England u15 schools team - as a representative of Derby schools - when he would have been a year 10 pupil. The second was for England u16 when he was still at school and registered as a schoolboy at Sheffield Wednesday. Later, of course, he played eight times for England C. Here's two of those u16 teams in which Nico appeared complete with one or two names of note. And look at the full-back combination:   |
|
|
|
Post by ohtobeatplainmoor on Sept 25, 2009 21:29:42 GMT
I take it that "Canoville (Millwall)" is Dean Canoville - former trialist (around the same'ish time we had Richard Bouton) and brother of Lee?
There are certainly some decent players in those squads who have carved-out careers in the game.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2009 21:58:06 GMT
I take it that "Canoville (Millwall)" is Dean Canoville - former trialist (around the same'ish time we had Richard Bouton) and brother of Lee? There are certainly some decent players in those squads who have carved-out careers in the game. No, it's Lee Canoville himself (dob 14.3.81) who would have been in the same academic year as Nico (dob 2.10.80). They'd actually been together in the schools u15 side the previous year, Canoville representing Watford schools according to the ESFA booklet I've got. He must have been on schoolboy forms at Millwall where Dean (b 1978) was a young pro. I can only assume Lee switched to Arsenal on leaving school (Merse?). Canners and Nico both played against Wales as u15s. Toddy is of the same age: wonder if he played for Wales schools? |
|
merse
TFF member
Posts: 2,684
|
Post by merse on Sept 26, 2009 9:27:30 GMT
No, it's Lee Canoville himself (dob 14.3.81) who would have been in the same academic year as Nico (dob 2.10.80). They'd actually been together in the schools u15 side the previous year, Canoville representing Watford schools according to the ESFA booklet I've got. He must have been on schoolboy forms at Millwall where Dean (b 1978) was a young pro. I can only assume Lee switched to Arsenal on leaving school (Merse?). That's right Lee Canoville did indeed move to Arsenal but it was from the FA School at Lilleshall to become an apprentice at Highbury. He was in their U'16 - U'18 squads with Joe Kuffour who I believe was one year after him in school year terms. Canners was a youngster of great pedigree having an uncle (Paul Canoville) who played for Chelsea and Reading and who has quite a personal story to tell of himself too, but that is another story. I don't know how many people are aware of this, but Lee was due to sign for top division Middlesbrough from Arsenal where he had in fact been sent on trial prior to being released by The Gunners but in fact got recalled without having played a single game due to an injury crisis at Highbury. Something untoward happened during his health and fitness tests at Boro' and they pulled out of the offer and he was then supposed to be going to Watford but former Hornets' manager Colin Lee (who had also tried to get him in on loan at the same time he went to Middlesbrough) got him down to Plainmoor and that is how he came to sign for us after the season had already started and under Roy McFarland. Canoville (to me) is one of those enigmas who although possessing great technique and ability, never fulfilled the criteria of being a reliable lower league pro' ~ you know; one of those who found playing at a higher level much easier. Like Nicho, his one big handicap (again in my opinion) is that lack of pace and I found his "lack of enthusiasm" for recovering his fullback position after moving forward somewhat frustrating and annoying and I'm certain this was exploited to the full by opposing managers who also observed this. Certainly to play at the highest level in this day and age requires much more than perfect technique and skill. If you're not an "athlete" you've got no chance.......................pace (and to a certain extent, stature) is so important as is speed of thought and anticipation. Canoville was used by us as a fullback but one who lacked the pace to recover adequately from pushing forward. His "preferred" role was centreback, but he didn't have the required stature for that, and his fitness problems dogged him all his career and thus he is no longer effectively in the game before he has reached the age of thirty. |
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,912
|
Post by Jon on Oct 20, 2010 21:51:41 GMT
Tom Davis in the 1930s - for two different Irelands.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 13, 2014 13:32:47 GMT
Can't believe it's nearly five years since this thread started. Time to attempt to bring it up-to-date.
Some notable points:
Jamie Ward has gone on to play for Northern Ireland; one time loanee Adam Smith has racked up a fair number of England U21 caps.
After only having one of our own players (Alex Lawless) capped at U21 level prior to 2007; three players made appearances at this level during 2009-2014. Billy Kee and Euan O'Kane may have even appeared together for Northern Ireland; Billy Bodin (Wales) must have made a record number of "international" appearances by any registered Torquay player.
I'm pretty certain Nathan Craig didn't appear for Wales U21 whilst with us; he was eligible at first but was never recalled. O'Kane, of course, managed to play U21 football for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
I'm sure we also had players on loan to us appearing in U21 internationals. From memory I would say Ronan Murray and Anthony O'Connor, both for the Republic of Ireland.
Other one-time U21 internationals playing for Torquay United in recent years include Bobby Olejnik, Ian Morris, Craig Easton and Aiden O'Brien (the lad from Millwall who you may have blinked and missed).
Olejnik is probably our first Austrian connection; apparently he's also eligible for Poland. Enoch Showumni follows Chima Okorie as a Nigerian international to pass through our club; Jake Thomson had played for Trinidad and Tobago (he's now at Portchester); Mo Camara had represented Guinea with great distinction. Mustapha Caroyal is eligible for Gambia and could yet, I assume, play for them.
Then, not to forget, Taiwo Atieno who represented Kenya during his time at Plainmoor.
|
|
I added the smiley! ;D