PSF:Torquay v Plymouth Argyle 13th July2010

I'm unfortunately unable to make it on tuesday, which is a shame as I was really looking forward to the first home friendly of the season, I look forward to reading everyone's thoughts on here though.

It's obviously been a terrible couple of weeks for everyone involved with the club - the consortium and staff will have lost a dear friend and it had become clear over the last few months (if it wasn't before) just exactly how much he has contributed to our return to the league and the evolution of the club and how much we felt that he would contribute as in his role in taking the club even further forward.
I'm sure that the players will have gotten their heads down and I've no doubt that Paul Bristow would have wanted to see things go as well as possible for the team. I am sure that there will be an excellently observed minute's silence.

It's still going to be very early to read anything into the pre-season matches (as Peter Taylor said the other day as they cancelled a friendly with a non-league side due to them not being able to accomodate a suitable kick-off time - it all is just a focus on getting ready for the season ahead).
It is always interesting though to see any of the new arrivals (even though everyone will still be blowing the cobwebs-off from the usual footballers' destinations such as Magaluf or Aya Napa!). I think Billy Kee will be one of the players to watch this pre-season (and the season as a whole) and Potter will be a decent addition between the posts.

With regards to trialists, I haven't seen much in the way of reports on Poyser (ex Villa and scorer in the FA Youth cup final against Chelsea in May) and Lathrope (ex Norwich) from Saturday - but Bucks certainly mentioned that he was impressed by Lathrope's contribution so I would expect that he will feature.
Given that Bucks will probably know exactly who he wants to add to the squad I don't think that there will be the endless roll-on / roll-off subsitutions that we saw in years until Buck's second summer. I expect that there are whole lot more free agents hunting for clubs than there are contracts up for grabs so maybe there will be some interesting players trying-out on Tuesday - especially if Bucks wants to add a player to each outfield department.

Hopefully there will be a good few fans from both clubs (and that the usual rabble element from down the A38 don't run on the pitch, even if it is a cup final for them, rather than the majority of their supporters).

They might get green with envy tonight if Gritton or Zebroski score tonight

I was going to write: "Please don't tell me Gritts is back!". He was a hero 6 years ago, but that was 6 years ago. And, frankly, had he not missed an absolute one-on-one sitter at Hull in Feb 2004, then one of the greatest days in my Gulls-supporting life would have been enjoyed with a few more fingernails!

He's slow, he's not great in the air and he's not a fox-in-the-box.

But having had a think about it, and read the HE article, I can see the attraction. Rendell wasn't quick and for the role we will want him to play speed isn't a pre-requisite. He's good enough in the air to flick on balls to quick wing-men, plus he can hold and run with the ball.

I suppose I looked at him as an out-and-out striker whereas, by the end of last season, we were using Rendell in a different role: more of a supporting striker (dare I say Emile Heskey role!?) who's job it is to hold the ball up for Benyon, Zebroski and/or Carayol to run on to.

Having said that, Gritts has not been particularly lucky with playing time, being used as a sub a lot in his career. Taking only League (and play-off) games into consideration and taking a complete game as being 90 mins (which it clearly isn't as many of us saw Gritts score for Lincoln in what seemed like the 95th minute at Plainmoor on 12 August 2006), he has played for 8546 minutes over the past 5 seasons, an average of 19 complete games per season.

In that same time he's scored 28 league goals which averages out at a goal every 305 mins or a goal every 3.4 games or 13.5 goals per season (a half?!).

Take only the last 4 seasons and he gets better: a goal every 287 mins/3.2 games, or 14.5 goals per complete season.

That's not a bad ratio to have, even if he doesn't play more than 20 games.

Helen will be pleased.

my man at the game says.................

0-1 down scorer NOONE

will ask for more

Seems we've still got trialist Lathrope on the bench tonight. Gritts starts.
Starting line-up:
Potter, Rowe-Turner, Robertson, Ellis, Nicholson, Macklin, Mansell, O'Kane, Haplin, Zebroski, Gritton.

1-1 macklin

If you want to conduct something dignified, don't invite inbreds and morons into your home.

If you do, don't complain when they piss in your bath and shite on your living room floor.

It's Aaaargyle for God's sake, what do you expect?