'Torquay United is our football club again'

Walking through the gates of a packed Plainmoor on Saturday was an emotional experience for many, as the Yellow Army took the first steps into a new and uncertain era.

There are difficult times ahead, as the club seeks new ownership following the decision of Clarke Osborne to place TUFC into the hands of administrators, but there is also optimism to move forward from a period of scepticism and distrust.

Torquay United Supporters Trust (TUST) could well be integral to that future but the immediate priority is to gauge interest in ownership of the club.

“The weekend was like walking back through recent history and it felt like Torquay United was our football club again,” said TUST chairman Nick Brodrick.

“It was really heartening to see so many people turn up, it was a brilliant experience and a heartwarming response to see all generations of Torquay United fans.

“I don’t have any inside knowledge but I do get the feeling that this week is going to be a crucial week. I know there are people sniffing around and they’ve got to have deep pockets, of course, but Torquay United is an attractive club to own.

“We have a fantastic stadium of Football League standards in a great area and with the right people running the club, there will be a lot more goodwill than previously.

“From a TUST perspective, I am aware that there are people around with an interest in taking over the club, which is great news, as long as they are the right type of person, and only time will tell for that.

“At the moment, we leave the administrators and solicitors to get on with their roles in the process. Their prime objective is to ensure the current club continues, the playing staff and admin staff are still paid, and to find someone prepared to take the club forward.

“We’ve had contingency plans for several years and we have considered the scenarios of administration and liquidation.

“We’re not taking a backseat, we’re trying to be as supportive, proactive and positive as we can, but at the same time, we can’t interfere with the role of the administrators.

“Obviously, if somebody approached us, we would listen to what they have to say.”

TUST has long been considered as potential future drivers of fan ownership of the club, and they do have funds, but they are also guided and governed by a strict set of regulations applied to all supporters’ trust organisations.

“The TUST has something called the Forever Yellow Fund, which is an accumulation of membership fees and donations over a period of time,” added Brodrick.

“TUST is a Community Benefit Society and as such we are governed by rules issued by the Financial Conduct Authority and guidance from the FSA (Football Supporters' Association). As much as we might individually like to donate a big sum to the club, there are rules that restrict what we can do with Trust funds. We also need to be mindful of what we might need the funds for should the club fail.

“Since we launched our Crowdfunder last week, we have been at pains to also inform people of the options to donate direct to the club. If people want to donate to TUST, we are very grateful, but people can also make the choice to donate direct to Torquay United, which they say will go toward operational costs.

“The monies raised by TUST is set aside for the eventuality of us stepping in to run the club on a short-term temporary basis or, heaven forbid, in the circumstance of liquidation and setting up a phoenix club, TUST money would go towards legal advice and set-up fees for a new football club.

“We have to be very careful in how TUST money is used but I would say a massive thank-you to all our members for their support. Our numbers have grown from 497 members to 715 members in less than a week, which is an amazing response.”