FL2: Torquay United v Northampton 7th August 2010

That's right. We drew 2-2 up there on the opening day of the 1939/40 season - six days before Germany invaded Poland and eight days before war was declared.

Well the excitement of Christmas Eve faded a long time ago when I was about 16 and Merse told me there was no Father Christmas, and since then that excitment and buzz enjoyed as a child only comes around like Christmas once a year and that is on New Season Eve.

Everything to play for and every thing to be optimistic about. Like Christmas Eve as a child sleeping was impossible as I heard in my head not sleigh bells but the roar of the Pop side and a thousand rattles (bit of nostalgia) in unison celebrating an early lead. Even the smell of hot dogs, bovril, and tobacco smoke (probably nostalgia as well even as a non-smoker!) invaded my bedroom.

It looks a grey miserable day outside this morning but it is only 6.45am so plenty of time yet to brighten up, and anyway Ivybridge and Torquay are in different weather zones. Whatever the weather today is the day our dreams and optimism for the new season come alive.

A sparkling display beckons as a squad full of confidence shows the World what we are capable of.

Come on Torquay! Top of the league after the first day ... then bring on Reading!

This is PC gone mad ~ I meant a crafty roll up!

The net curtains keep touching my head as I sit at my large office deck due to the wind blowing through the small window I have open, the sun is out but the sky is cloudy and some of the clouds sure look like they have a few showers in them that they may just decided to drop on the bay on their way over it.

Not yet awake despite so badly over sleeping but then it’s no surprise really due the fact I get up in the middle of the night to go to work and more often than not am still on the forum doing things until after midnight.

I’ll have a shower soon and hopefully that will wake me up a bit and then I’ll do the only job Carol will let me do as regards housework and only on a Saturday I should add, hover the house. She won’t even let me dry the dishes or anything else for that matter it’s just the way my Carol is bless her.

Then I’ll have a bite to eat and then it will be time to set off to Plainmoor the home of my beloved Torquay United. Full of hope and expectations and never knowing what really to expect and if I will be driving back home afterward happy, sad, angry or disappointed.

What else could I do this afternoon that will cost me money where I would end up taking such a big gamble with my emotions, what else could I spend my money on that would make me experience every single emotion going in just 90 minutes, what else could I spend my money on that will see tears of joy running down my face one minute and tears of heartbreak the next.

I can’t think of anything and so that is where I shall be this afternoon and where I have chosen to spend most of my Saturday afternoons for over 45 years, they say there is no fool like and old fool, what do they mean by that?

I don’t think I have been foolish all my life being a fan and supporter of Torquay United, I do know if I hadn’t there would probably have been an empty void in my life that nothing might have ever filled and anyway the game may only be for 90 minutes, but the friendships I have made because of it are for life and while the experience of standing on the pospide has changed over the years and not for the better in my view, it still and only ever will be about supporting the players wearing the shirt of my club on their backs.

Another journey to the unknown starts today, as always I expect the journey to be bumpy at times and have many twists and turns and at least that will add excitement and I would rather have it that way then supporting some big club that nearly always won all the games it played in.

Hope to see some good match reports on here later and also hope we are a happy bunch on here later celebrating winning our opening game of the new season.

See you at the game or on here later.

Dave

I think the Crewe game reduced me to tears in the last five minutes. The realisation that we were just about dead and buried, then the outpouring of all possible emotions when Paul Dobson equalised reduced me to a tearful mess.

The Exeter game was horrible. As soon as the final whistle blew I stood there absolutely speechless but then was shaken back into to reality by Yorkgull telling me "Come on let's go, I'm not sticking around to watch these c**ts celebrate".

As for Southend. I chained smoked throughout the whole of the second half and became more and more convinced that we would somehow f**k it up and I could barely watch the last couple of minutes.

But that was before I discovered Beta Blockers.

A comprehensive win against 12-man Northampton with the ref playing in the hole.

Incredible! He didn't get a single one right last season!