TORQUAY AT HOME

A few 2,000+ games not covered in Marks list of ‘all competitions’; even if two weren’t a formal competition
26/7/79 2,146 v Newcastle Utd (pre season friendly)
21/7/80 2,033 v Manchester City (PSF)
18/1/94 6,213 v Stoke City FACup 3rnd Replay
12/11/94 6,751 v Bristol Rovers FAC 1st rnd
26/11/78 7,866 v Plymouth Argyle FAC 1st rnd

Yea I only did last twenty years. Don’t have many attendances pre-1984.

Or rather Simon didn’t, I stole the info from him and gradually added others.

Crikey didnt realise those friendly games? Where was I???

comrade powell wrote:

Freeview Joe wrote:Can anyone advise on actually why (and when) the capacity changed to this figure? Is it solely off the back of a recommendation from the local council or due to insurance issues etc.? It would be quite interesting to know.

Joe, I don't think the capacity of the ground has been as high as 8000 for many years. I seem to remember a few seasons ago that there was an announcement from the club prior to a cup match (the Dagenham replay?) on what the capacity limit would be that day and it was nowhere near that total.

In fact due to the efforts of our safety officer, Shane Morgan, and the volunteers who help each week on the ground's maintenance, the capacity has actually been slightly increased for this season.  

It is our council who sets the capacity. It is not a recommendation, it is legally binding and has nothing to do with insurance issues.  

Cheers Comrade, many thanks for your reply and for the info.

Can't wait for Saturday. Hopefully no-one will be turned away, but if so it's hardly a "PR disaster" - a sold-out crowd is good PR, in the main. Well done to the volunteers for putting in all of the extra work.

Hopefully fans will bring along their scarves for Saturday's game - and there is an opportunity to buy a new one with a 10% discount I understand?

I guess we'll do that Leeds twirly thing?

turnstyle13 wrote:A few 2,000+ games not covered in Marks list of ‘all competitions’; even if two weren’t a formal competition
26/7/79 2,146 v Newcastle Utd (pre season friendly)
21/7/80 2,033 v Manchester City (PSF)
18/1/94 6,213 v Stoke City FACup 3rnd Replay
12/11/94 6,751 v Bristol Rovers FAC 1st rnd
26/11/78 7,866 v Plymouth Argyle FAC 1st rnd

There were also two 7000+ F A cup attendances back in the late 60s, a 4th Qualifying Round replay (on a Monday evening) in 67/68 against Weymouth, and against Yeovil the following season in same round. There were also two of 3000+ against Trowbridge in the F A cup in the early 70s.

I was at the Rovers cup game. Pretty certain dad and I sat in the Family Stand and left before the end. One of my earliest memories being at a game - there was a Mexican wave on the packed Pop side.

I guess the wartime crowds were big and wasn't there an FA Cup 10,000 versus Bolton on Match of the Day in 1964? - before my time of course. (and the 18,020 versus Brighton in 1960)

stillmanjunior wrote:I was at the Rovers cup game. Pretty certain dad and I sat in the Family Stand and left before the end. One of my earliest memories being at a game - there was a Mexican wave on the packed Pop side.

It was also one of Ross's very first matches (apart from those when he was in a push chair and I took him to away matches to earn brownie points!)

We were on the pop side, with him standing on a plastic chair to get a view. We were surrounded by Rovers fans who were all very friendly except when Grantley got to work...

I was at the Man City pre-season match in 1980, having gone to my first ever City match in February earlier that year. I got my programme signed by Kevin Reeves.

I don't think it played a part in them becoming the other half of my future 2CW status.

The Rovers game was tame enough apart from Grantlys sending off as we got pasted.
The Weymouth game 1-1 I recall with a George Gibbs rocket. Suited us as they needed to win it.

Freeview Joe wrote:

comrade powell wrote:

Freeview Joe wrote:Can anyone advise on actually why (and when) the capacity changed to this figure? Is it solely off the back of a recommendation from the local council or due to insurance issues etc.? It would be quite interesting to know.

Joe, I don't think the capacity of the ground has been as high as 8000 for many years. I seem to remember a few seasons ago that there was an announcement from the club prior to a cup match (the Dagenham replay?) on what the capacity limit would be that day and it was nowhere near that total.

In fact due to the efforts of our safety officer, Shane Morgan, and the volunteers who help each week on the ground's maintenance, the capacity has actually been slightly increased for this season.  

It is our council who sets the capacity. It is not a recommendation, it is legally binding and has nothing to do with insurance issues.  

Cheers Comrade, many thanks for your reply and for the info.

That's interesting Powell.

Do you know what has made it so low since the 90s? Ie is it as mentioned in a previous comment that Bath End and Popular are much more restricted because of lack of barriers? Would be interesting to know how they calculate these things.

Mr Tim

I'm assuming that the crowds that we have attracted in the past 20 years means that we have not had to ensure that the added safety restrictions for large numbers are in place. Rovers as tenants regularly played in front of large crowds so presumably they would have ensured that the maximum capacity was maintained.

While the barriers are certainly a major factor I'm guessing that there are many others - if we were promoted and were likely to attract larger crowds on a regular basis then the necessary work would be done to get the capacity up. But of course this will cost money, which is saved at the moment while we regularly play in front of crowds of up to 1k.

Please note I'm not suggesting for a moment that the ground is not safe!

I will be in the bar after tomorrow's match to further this discussion if you so wish!

Thanks Powell!

2weirdtown wrote:I think there were 7000+ at TP when we played Plymouth in the cup 1977.  Or maybe it was a previous match against them.

I was there but I don't remember the crowd being anything like that, alas. From memory, I think we lost 2-1 but what I do remember is one Mick Horswill playing for them. He'd played for the then 2nd Division Sunderland when they won the Cup in '73 and got a transfer to Manchester City of the back of it soon after. Things didn't work out for him there and he moved on to Plymouth. I think he was used as a sub against us.

Twerton Parker wrote:

2weirdtown wrote:I think there were 7000+ at TP when we played Plymouth in the cup 1977.  Or maybe it was a previous match against them.

I was there but I don't remember the crowd being anything like that, alas.  From memory, I think we lost 2-1 but what I do remember is one Mick Horswill playing for them.  He'd played for the then 2nd Division Sunderland when they won the Cup in '73 and got a transfer to Manchester City of the back of it soon after.  Things didn't work out for him there and he moved on to Plymouth. I think he was used as a sub against us.

There were over 7000 that day - the game ended 0-0, Gary Megson having a goal disallowed for Plymouth. City lost the replay 2-0.

I always thought the first game saw one of our poorest performances of that season. Something something similar to what we showed against Weymouth, Cheltenham and, by all accounts, Kettering and Plymouth would have been sent packing. I didn't do down for the replaŷ but I gather our physical approach upset the home fans.

CHANTING IN THE CITY CENTRE BEFORE MIDDAY
Sitting here in my office (bedroom) high up on Beechen Cliff I can confirm that the away fans have arrived in their numbers. I can hear the chanting , so i guess the pubs are busy already.
I just hope the stewarding at today's game is adequate and not a repeat of the previous shambles some 11 years ago.

Just read Torquay fans forum, someone has posted that they are in Bath some of their younger fans have been setting off flares, upsetting and scaring kids and older people in City Centre....hope Stewards are geared up to checking bags, etc....staring to get a little worried re how the atmosphere will develop today....fingers crossed for calm all round.

I have indeed heard some loud bangs coming from the city below.
A good half dozen in total , one just a few minutes ago

A Torquay fan said that someone in the City didn't know that Bath had a football team!

...well they do now!

Best day EVER!!!!

What a win. That is all........

Well said Dusty. One of the best days at Twerton ever and I've been going 50 years. Hinds rocket, allowed them to dominate the mid part, missed pen was key ( has it landed yet??), Brunt sub another turning point, allowed us to hold it up more, Mr.Too Cool for School Strakes pen, and the Brunt...flick? Deflection? And Twerton erupted again. We live for these days let's enjoy.