# 2007–08 Torquay United F.C. season

The 2007–08 season was Torquay United's first season in the Conference National after being relegated from League Two. The season runs from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008.

## Overview

Having been a Football League team for 80 years, Torquay United were finally relegated at the end of the 2006–07 season. After the most chaotic and disastrous season in Torquay's history, chairman Mike Bateson eventually sold the club to an eight-man consortium with Alex Rowe appointed as the new chairman and former-Gull Colin Lee returning as chief executive. Although Leroy Rosenior had previously been announced as the new manager, the consortium decided to go in a different direction and install ex-Torquay midfielder and current Exeter City assistant manager Paul Buckle as the new boss. With only a handful of players still on the club's books, Buckle had to work fast to build a new team in time for Torquay's first season in the Conference.
Despite a slightly nervous 0–0 draw with Grays Athletic in their first ever Conference match, the Gulls soon established themselves within the division and quickly became the team to beat. Buckle had managed to create a particularly potent strike force with new signings Tim Sills, Chris Zebroski and Lee Phillips combining to score nearly 50 league goals between them and Torquay were never out of the play-off spots all season. United were also enjoying more TV coverage than ever before with Setanta Sports now televising live Conference games and the BBC even coming to Plainmoor to broadcast the 4–1 FA Cup first-round victory over League One side Yeovil Town. Yeovil had themselves previously inflicted a cup 'upset' over Torquay in 1992 when they were a non-League side, so it was sweet revenge for the Gulls now that the two team's fortunes had been reversed.
After eventually finishing 3rd in the Conference, Torquay met their local rivals Exeter City in the play-off semi-final. Despite coming away from St James Park with a 2–1 lead in the first leg and going 1–0 up in the return match at Plainmoor, Exeter managed to score four goals in the final 18 minutes of the match to condemn Torquay to a 5–3 aggregate defeat and another season in the Conference. There was the possibility of a consolation for Torquay just a few days later as they had reached the final of the FA Trophy which entailed a trip to the new Wembley Stadium. However, a 1–0 defeat by Ebbsfleet United resulted in another disappointing day for the Gulls. Maybe the only highlight of the day was a late substitute appearance from Kevin Hill who made his 474th and final appearance for Torquay United, breaking the all-time appearance record which had been set by Dennis Lewis back in 1958.
Although Torquay United were perhaps a club who were fortunate to even still be in existence after the débâcle of the previous season, this was a campaign which had promised to deliver so much but had ultimately ended in disappointment. Having failed to return to the Football League at the first attempt, Torquay would now have to make sure they achieved it at the second time of asking.

## League statistics
### Conference National

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Aldershot Town (C, P) | 46 | 31 | 8 | 7 | 82 | 48 | +34 | 101 | Promoted to League Two |
| 2 | Cambridge United | 46 | 25 | 11 | 10 | 68 | 41 | +27 | 86 | Qualified for play-offs |
| 3 | Torquay United | 46 | 26 | 8 | 12 | 83 | 57 | +26 | 86 | Qualified for play-offs |
| 4 | Exeter City (O, P) | 46 | 22 | 17 | 7 | 83 | 58 | +25 | 83 | Qualified for play-offs |
| 5 | Burton Albion | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 79 | 56 | +23 | 81 | Qualified for play-offs |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: Torquay United

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | D | W | W | W | D | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | W | L | D | W | W | L | W | W | W | L | W | W | L | D | W | W | D | W | D | L | L | L | W | W | D | W | L | W | W | W | L | D | L | L |
| Position | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |

## Season diary

* 1 August: Darren Mullings joins after his release from Bristol Rovers
* 1 August: Chris Zebroski joins on loan from Millwall
* 12 August: Torquay play their first ever game in the Conference, a 0–0 draw away to Grays Athletic
* 14 August: Ishmael Welsh joins on loan from Yeovil Town
* 20 September: Scott Laird joins on a month's loan from Plymouth Argyle
* 21 September: Defender Mark Ellis joins on loan from Bolton Wanderers
* 11 November: Torquay beat League One Yeovil Town in an FA Cup First Round televised live by the BBC
* 1 December: Torquay lose at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup second round
* 19 December: Mark Ellis extends his loan stay until the end of the season
* 22 December: Torquay exit Conference League Cup in Fourth Round after defeat away to St Albans City
* 3 January: Winger Leslie Thompson joins on loan from Bolton Wanderers as a replacement for Ishmael Welsh who was recalled by Yeovil from his loan spell
* 4 January: Manager Paul Buckle signs a new two-and-a-half-year contract
* 7 January: Goalkeeper Michael Poke joins on loan from Southampton
* 17 January: Goalkeeper Simon Rayner joins Boston United on loan
* 24 January: Loanee Leslie Thompson returns to Bolton Wanderers
* 27 January: Kaid Mohamed joins on loan from Swindon Town
* 27 January: Steve Adams joins from Swindon Town on a free transfer
* 27 January: Roscoe D'Sane joins from Accrington Stanley
* 31 January: Danny Stevens signs new two-and-a-half-year contract
* 31 January: Danny Wring leaves Torquay by mutual consent
* 26 February: Mikkel Andersen joins on loan from Droylsden
* 29 February: Jody Banim joins on loan from Droylsden
* 29 February: Tony Bedeau joins Weymouth on loan
* 5 May: Torquay exit Conference play-offs at semi-final stage after 5–3 aggregate defeat by Exeter City
* 10 May: Torquay lose in final of FA Trophy to Ebbsfleet United at Wembley Stadium
* 10 May: Kevin Hill breaks club appearance record
* 13 May: Tony Bedeau, Matthew Hockley, Paul Hinshelwood and Darren Mullings released on free transfers
* 16 May: Lee Phillips joins Rushden & Diamonds for an undisclosed fee
* 19 May: Michael Brough joins from Forest Green Rovers
* 20 May: Tyrone Thompson joins from Crawley Town on a two-year contract
* 21 May: Mark Ellis joins from Bolton Wanderers on a two-year contract
* 21 May: Lee Mansell signs new two-year contract
* 28 May: Roscoe D'Sane signs a new one-year contract
* 28 May: Nicky Wroe joins from York City for an undisclosed fee
* 2 June: Matt Green joins from Cardiff City on a two-year contract
* 3 June: Former Torquay player and manager Paul Compton appointed head of Torquay's new youth system
* 11 June: Simon Rayner and Chris Robertson placed on transfer list
* 13 June: Lee Hodges joins from Wycombe Wanderers
* 30 June: Simon Rayner leaves to join Crawley Town

## Match results

All friendly matches and first team games in Conference National, FA Cup, FA Trophy and Conference League Cup are listed below. Reserve matches and regional cup competitions are not included.

### Conference National

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Position |
| 12 August 2007 | Grays Athletic | Home | 0–0 | | 4,012 | 13 |
| 15 August 2007 | Aldershot Town | Away | 3–0 | Sills, Stevens, Zebroski | 3,139 | 2 |
| 18 August 2007 | Northwich Victoria | Away | 3–1 | Sills, Phillips (2) | 1,117 | 1 |
| 25 August 2007 | Rushden & Diamonds | Home | 3–2 | Sills, Phillips, Zebroski | 3,107 | 1 |
| 27 August 2007 | Forest Green Rovers | Away | 2–2 | Hargreaves, Robertson | 2,382 | 1 |
| 1 September 2007 | Stafford Rangers | Home | 2–0 | Todd, Benyon | 2,980 | 1 |
| 4 September 2007 | Salisbury City | Home | 4–0 | Todd, Phillips, Sills (2) | 3,215 | 1 |
| 10 September 2007 | Burton Albion | Away | 1–3 | Benyon | 2,086 | 3 |
| 14 September 2007 | Halifax Town | Home | 3–1 | Robertson, Sills, Hockley | 2,727 | 1 |
| 18 September 2007 | Histon Town | Away | 5–4 | Sills, Mullings, Zebroski (2), Todd | 763 | 1 |
| 22 September 2007 | Kidderminster Harriers | Away | 5–2 | Hinshelwood, Sills, Zebroski (2), Phillips | 2,027 | 1 |
| 25 September 2007 | Weymouth | Home | 3–2 | Zebroski, Phillips, Hill | 3,548 | 1 |
| 29 September 2007 | Droylsden | Home | 2–1 | Sills, Phillips | 3,321 | 1 |
| 6 October 2007 | Ebbsfleet United | Away | 1–2 | Ellis | 1,386 | 1 |
| 11 October 2007 | Oxford United | Away | 3–3 | Welsh, Zebroski, Sills | 4,633 | 2 |
| 14 October 2007 | Stevenage Borough | Home | 4–2 | Zebroski (2), Julian (og), Phillips | 3,744 | 1 |
| 21 October 2007 | York City | Away | 1–0 | Todd | 2,483 | 1 |
| 3 November 2007 | Cambridge United | Home | 1–2 | Benyon | 3,368 | 2 |
| 17 November 2007 | Crawley Town | Away | 3–2 | Mansell, Ellis, Sills | 1,848 | 2 |
| 24 November 2007 | Woking | Home | 2–0 | Benyon, Hargreaves | 3,275 | 2 |
| 12 December 2007 | Farsley Celtic | Away | 2–1 | Zebroski, Stevens | 717 | 2 |
| 26 December 2007 | Exeter City | Away | 3–4 | Todd, Phillips, Nicholson | 7,839 | 2 |
| 29 December 2007 | Woking | Away | 1–0 | Sills | 2,181 | 2 |
| 1 January 2008 | Exeter City | Home | 1–0 | Sills | 6,021 | 2 |
| 7 January 2008 | Burton Albion | Home | 1–2 | Zebroski | 2,359 | 2 |
| 19 January 2008 | Salisbury City | Away | 0–0 | | 2,633 | 3 |
| 28 January 2008 | Histon | Home | 1–0 | Sills | 2,482 | 2 |
| 9 February 2008 | Kidderminster Harriers | Home | 1–0 | Ellis | 3,012 | 2 |
| 12 February 2008 | Weymouth | Away | 0–0 | | 1,970 | 2 |
| 16 February 2008 | Ebbsfleet United | Home | 3–1 | Mohamed (2), Zebroski | 2,704 | 2 |
| 26 February 2008 | Altrincham | Home | 1–1 | Zebroski | 2,310 | 2 |
| 1 March 2008 | Grays Athletic | Away | 0–2 | | 1,018 | 2 |
| 3 March 2008 | Aldershot Town | Home | 1–2 | Phillips | 4,510 | 2 |
| 11 March 2008 | Halifax Town | Away | 2–3 | Phillips (2) | 894 | 3 |
| 22 March 2008 | Stafford Rangers | Away | 2–0 | Sills, Dsane | 905 | 4 |
| 24 March 2008 | Forest Green Rovers | Home | 1–0 | Dsane | 3,071 | 2 |
| 29 March 2008 | Altrincham | Away | 1–1 | Hill | 1,163 | 2 |
| 1 April 2008 | Droylsden | Away | 2–1 | Sills, Dsane | 476 | 2 |
| 5 April 2008 | Farsley Celtic | Home | 0–1 | | 2,406 | 2 |
| 8 April 2008 | Oxford United | Home | 3–2 | Zebroski (2), Sills | 2,241 | 2 |
| 12 April 2008 | Stevenage Borough | Away | 3–1 | Hargreaves, Zebroski, Sills | 2,673 | 2 |
| 15 April 2008 | Northwich Victoria | Home | 1–0 | Zebroski | 2,270 | 2 |
| 17 April 2008 | Rushden & Diamonds | Away | 1–2 | Benyon | 1,276 | 2 |
| 19 April 2008 | York City | Home | 0–0 | | 2,165 | 2 |
| 22 April 2008 | Cambridge United | Away | 0–2 | | 4,100 | 2 |
| 26 April 2008 | Crawley Town | Home | 1–2 | Sills | 3,121 | 3 |

### Conference National play-offs

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| Semi-Final(first leg) | 1 May 2008 | Exeter City | Away | 2–1 | Sills, Zebroski | 8,276 |
| Semi-Final(second leg) | 5 May 2008 | Exeter City | Home | 1–4 | Hill | 6,015 |
| Exeter City won 5–3 on aggregate |||||||

### FA Cup

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| 4th Qualifying Round | 27 October 2007 | Bath City | Away | 2–0 | Phillips, Stevens | 2,149 |
| 1st Round | 11 November 2007 | Yeovil Town | Home | 4–1 | Todd (2), Stevens (2) | 3,718 |
| 2nd Round | 1 December 2007 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Home | 0–2 | — | 4,010 |

### FA Trophy

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| 1st Round | 15 December 2007 | Bashley | Home | 1–0 | Sills | 1,277 |
| 2nd Round | 12 January 2008 | Newport County | Away | 2–1 | Hargreaves (2) | 1,510 |
| 3rd Round | 4 February 2008 | AFC Wimbledon | Away | 2–0 | D'Sane, Phillips | 4,085 |
| 4th Round | 23 February 2008 | Crawley Town | Home | 4–1 | D'Sane, Mohamed (2), Phillips | 2,301 |
| Semi-final (first leg) | 7 March 2008 | York City | Home | 2–0 | Sills, Phillips | 2,286 |
| Semi-final (second leg) | 15 March 2008 | York City | Away | 0–1 | — | 3,625 |
| Final | 10 May 2008 | Ebbsfleet United | Wembley | 0–1 | — | 40,186 |

### Conference League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
| 4th Round | 22 December 2007 | St Albans City | Away | 0–1 | 454 |

## Player statistics

As of final game of the season on 10 May 2008
| No. | Player | League Apps | League Goals | Cup Apps | Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals | YC | RC |
| 24 | Steve Adams | 12 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | Mikkel Andersen | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Jody Banim | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | Tony Bedeau | 23 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 9 | Elliot Benyon | 22 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Roscoe D'Sane | 19 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 25 | Mark Ellis | 22 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 29 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 14 | Chris Hargreaves | 38 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 52 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| 11 | Kevin Hill | 13 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Paul Hinshelwood | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | Matthew Hockley | 29 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 20 | Scott Laird | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Lee Phillips | 41 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 54 | 17 | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | Lee Mansell | 34 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 48 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| 23 | Kaid Mohamed | 10 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Darren Mullings | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Kevin Nicholson | 46 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 62 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Michael Poke | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Simon Rayner | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Martin Rice | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Chris Robertson | 23 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | Tim Sills | 44 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 59 | 23 | 5 | 0 |
| 19 | Danny Stevens | 29 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 39 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | Leslie Thompson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Chris Todd | 42 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 57 | 7 | 8 | 0 |
| 18 | Ishmael Welsh | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Steve Woods | 21 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 12 | Danny Wring | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Chris Zebroski | 46 | 18 | 15 | 1 | 61 | 19 | 7 | 0 |