Torquay United open new chapter for coming season with Torbay Story and College shirt partnerships

Torquay United will be doing their bit to 'sell' the English Riviera around the country this season promoting the Bay as THE place to live, work, visit and invest in.

United have adopted the 'Torbay Story' - the resort's new initiative to put the Bay on the map by telling people what we have to offer.

And in another ground-breaking local partnership, the club has revealed that South Devon College and its logo will take pride of place on the front of their home shirts.

The club has announced its new 2023/24 away kits will see 'Torbay Story' featuring as its front-of-shirt sponsors.

The exciting new partnership will see the Riviera getting unparalleled attention from all over the south of England, as Gary Johnson’s side go on their travels to take on their National League South rivals throughout the course of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Torbay Story was created two years ago to promote the forward-thinking, positive and compelling story of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. Key partners, businesses and 'championing' residents have been uniting together to not only highlight some of the gems that the Bay already possesses - but also to promote the unique potential of the area, with the ultimate aim of attracting investment and funding to create a more prosperous place to live.

United say they are proud to champion the cause of working together to build a better Bay and the new link-up is seen as a firm commitment towards creating more opportunities within Torbay and South Devon and a brighter future for both the local community and its residents.

Jim Parker, chairman of the Torbay Place Leadership Board which is leading the Torbay Story place strategy, said: "Torbay Story is a fresh new approach for the Bay and something we can all work together on by promoting and telling everyone about what we have to offer. Everyone, not just those from the prominent organisations and businesses, have an important role in this. The partnership and I have listened to what people think about our place, the good and the bad, and this shared story highlights Torbay’s distinctiveness and character. It is brilliant to be able to literally team up with United and promote the Bay in a unique way. Fingers crossed this unusual way of promoting the resort will see the club doing just that - and winning promotion themselves this coming season."

United CEO George Edwards said: "Torquay United AFC and Torbay Story are both extremely proud to represent our local community, and we share the same vision of creating an innovative, vibrant, and flourishing Torbay in the future. By promoting Torbay Story on our away shirts next season, we think this is the perfect way to spread the word outside of the Bay, and give the Story the wider recognition and interest it deserves.”

United's home shirt deal with the college sees the partnership between both parties continuing to go from strength to strength. The college is the first front-of-shirt sponsor of United's kits since 2019 and sees two forward-thinking members of the Torbay landscape join forces to highlight its common commitment - Building a better Bay for all.

United director Mel Hayman highlighted how the common goals for both parties made the arrangement possible, with the presence of a main sponsor on United's kits for the first time in four years signifying far more than merely a logo on a shirt.

She said: “Torquay United has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with South Devon College for a number of years now, and having the College as our main shirt sponsor next season is fantastic news. With the College’s ambitions for our local community being so in sync with the Club’s, this partnership will benefit not only TUAFC and the College, but also Torbay and its residents.”

College principal Laurence Frewin said: "The college is incredibly proud to be sponsoring Torquay United for the season ahead. We are so well aligned in our values, ambitions, aspirations for inclusivity and creating opportunities for people locally. This partnership offers a new way for TUAFC and South Devon College to collectively reach out to the community. Together we feel we can make Torbay an even greater place to live, work and play.”

Further details regarding United’s new home kit, including pre-order dates, will be announced shortly.