Jim Parker: Neil Warnock 'Why I love Torquay United and Torbay'

It would appear the Christmas spirit is alive and kicking at Plainmoor as Torquay United opens its doors to those who may need a bit of TLC more than most over the festive period.

The club's Boots and Laces pub will be open for the first time in five years, and staff and players living in The Lodge at the ground will be giving up some of their own time to make sure they are there to greet guests with free mince pies and sausage rolls.

The Bryn Consortium's new owners say they just want to make sure none of the elderly or vulnerable are alone this Christmas.

It's a lovely gesture and sets United apart from the rest. To be fair, being at the heart of the community is something the previous regime was trying to achieve with special promotional days for different parts of the community at United.

But the consortium, now working hand in hand with the Torquay United Supporters Trust, who even have two members on the board after a hugely successful £250,000 community share issue, are taking it to the next level in all kinds of ways.

With more than 3,000 fans now coming through the turnstiles for home games and United on top of the table (at the time of writing), there is renewed optimism for the future and a real 'buzz' about the place.

Don't just take it from me. As Neil Warnock, one of the most experienced, successful, and record-breaking professional football managers in the land, is acting as the club's 'Football Adviser' to help manager Paul Wotton and the players secure promotion from the National League South this season and ultimately back into the Football League where United belongs, as well as cementing those community links.

Neil Warnock—spoke to him for the first time last week, and what a nice bloke—is indebted to United for getting his managerial career and life back on track when he was at the Gulls' helm, albeit only for a short spell a few years ago.

Now he is back, and what does he think? 'Love it' was the answer, and that's not only talking about Torquay United but the English Riviera as well.

Neil, also a television and radio pundit, had a managerial career spanning five decades. He managed 16 different clubs from the Premier League to non-league. Within English football, he holds the record for the most promotions, with eight, and the most games as a professional manager, with 1626. 

Remarkable, yet it could have been all so different...

It was back in 1993 that Neil found himself at an all-time low until United came to the rescue, and he ended up rescuing them.

He had just been sacked by Notts County, despite taking them from the Third to the old First Division, when United chairman Mike Bateson asked him to help the Gulls to stay in the Football League.

Initially as a ‘consultant,’ but quickly taking full charge, he set about galvanising a struggling team. United actually lost four of their first five games under him while he bedded in signings like player-coach Don O’Riordan and centre-forward Mark Sale. 

But they soon turned things around, gates growing from 1,700 to more than 4,500 on the final day of the season. Seven days before that last match, a 1-0 win at Carlisle United had clinched safety with another Great Escape, something which Neil still says is one of his proudest achievements. 

On the way home he persuaded Bateson to pay for the whole squad to enjoy a meal at an Italian restaurant in Lancaster and, instead of diverting to his home in Sheffield, travelled the 300-plus miles back to Torquay with the team. 

Neil, who lives near Liskeard, then resumed his record-breaking managerial career and many other ‘rescue acts’.  After a short spell at Aberdeen earlier this year, he announced his ‘final’ retirement and rejoined the  Gulls as ‘football adviser’ to the Bryn Consortium in May.

He reveals: "I loved it when I was down there. It was a club that helped me when I was down. I left Notts County and was only at United for 16 games. But I was disillusioned. United gave me such a lift. It gave me that love back. 

"I remember when we played at Carlisle and won to stay up. We swam the Channel to get safe. I was supposed to get off the bus in Sheffield on the way back but I stayed on it right to the end in Torbay. There was such a buzz. It is the same kind of buzz today. 

"It changed everything for me, even though it was for just 16 games. I was so down. I got let down so badly. I was in the top flight. I took Notts County up two divisions in two years into the top flight. I turned down good jobs. I was going to call it a day."

But then he had a call from Torquay United asking him to help them out in their relegation fight.

"Everybody told me I was a lunatic," said Neil. "If they went down, my reputation would be damaged, and nobody would want me. It didn't come to that thanks to players like Paul Trollope and Darren Moore, who gave me everything. They gave me the desire back, and I just went on and on."

He adds: "What the club is doing for Christmas is fantastic. They are just a great group of people. Everybody at the club wants to help out. It is just a fabulous place to be.They have their hearts in the right place.

"Paul has done so well. He is a good lad, and he is a good manager. We have managed to get the right players in. It is the whole club. Everybody deserves a pat on the back. The fans that go up there. The numbers that we are getting. I cannot tell you how important that is. 

"It is incredible we are where we are. It just goes to show what a group of hard-working players we have, and that resonates with the fans.

"We all want them to do well, and they are doing well at the moment. They just need to keep their feet on the ground. There will be missiles between now and the end of the season. I have told them to calm down a bit. They will be talking about Europe next!"

Neil not only has a passion for football and the Gulls, he also adores the English Riviera.

He says: "I love Torbay. I cannot think of many better places to be. I can go back to when I stayed at the Osborne Hotel overlooking Meadfoot Beach. We had two Friday morning team talks in the cafe with me using salt and pepper pots for players. It was so nice. I also go to the Cary Arms, but Meadfoot is my favourite beach.

He accepts the resort has its challenges, like town centre issues and drugs, but he says: "I think there is a lot of jealousy around. Drugs are everywhere. It just makes headlines because it is Torbay. People think it is a major problem."

He adds: "I park the car and go for a walk around the harbour. I do enjoy it. There are some lovely restaurants. I think it has everything. The weather is pretty good in Torquay as well. When you are down there you can enjoy all the beautiful things and they are free."

He claims: "The people are so nice, but people who live there don't realise just how lovely the place is. They tend to take it for granted.

"I look forward to going there. I feel right at home. Torquay and Torbay are so underrated. I am surprised it is not talked about more. It has everything, and no wonder it is called the English Riviera."

What a great tribute to the Bay from a man who has travelled the UK and the globe. Told you he was a nice bloke! I can't think of a better Torbay 'Champion' and hopefully he will be at a future Champions meeting telling the Torbay Story and how big a part the Bay and Torquay United had to play in his life.

How lovely as well for the last column of 2024 to end on such a positive note. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.