1972-1984

Your age does mark how you view different eras and it is sometimes difficult to tell to what extent growing cynicism is due to just growing up or whether we would have viewed things the same had we been ten years older or ten years younger.

Statistics show the twelve seasons after we were relegated in 1972 as the mid-table years - never sustaining a promotion challenge, but never hitting the re-election zone, and even if we had it wouldn't really have mattered.

That period took me from being a hopeful nine year old to a slightly cynical 21 year old. That's probably what happens to most people in those formative years anyway, but I would have thought that it was more or less the general mood around Plainmoor.

For a couple of years after relegation, it seemed like everyone expected us to go up because everyone felt we were a Third Division club, but the football was dull and awful - we scored just 44 goals in our first season down. I can remember we got so excited if we so much as won a corner that the mini used to celebrate with a burst of "Ooh, it's a corner!"

The Mike Green era seemed a breath of fresh air. 1977/78 saw some great football with Coffill and Tomlin on the wings. We were on the fringes of the promotion places after beating Newport - only to get just one point from our next seven games. What was that about Torquay not wanting promotion?

The first half of the 1979/80 season saw absolutely stunning home performances with Murphy and Davies on the wings and Coops and Big Les up front. The wingers didn't fancy the job away from home though. A big away following at Bournemouth on New Year's day got them to pull their fingers out and a 2-1 win seemed to put us on course for promotion. Then we went fifteen games without a win. Plus ça change! Torquay doesn't want promotion.

It was starting to dawn on me that we might never get promotion. Was that the common perception? It seemed to me that even if we started well, we didn't have the resources to strengthen like other clubs did - would Jim Hagan staying have made a difference?

1980/81 was a bit of a nothing season - certainly the dullest of Green's tenure. An on-loan cameo from Bruce Rioch lifted the boredom a little. It seemed harsh that Green was sacked at the end of it - he'd seemed to have the world at his feet eighteen months earlier. Merse has alluded to some behind the scenes shenanigans.

1981/82 and 1982/83 both saw us get off to flying starts, topping the League early on. My new found cynicism told me it wouldn't last and I was right - both seasons tailing away to nothing wth us struggling to field eleven professionals. 1982/83 had a nice little Cup run and that cracking game with Wednesday.

1983/84 started with us having signed some decent players but not very many of them. We got off to an awful start but started to pick up a bit before Rioch's controversial departure and the growing realisation that we were in huge financial trouble.

Cue David Webb. Things can only get better - can't they? If anyone can set the club alight, Webby can.