2009–10 Torquay United F.C. season

Torquay United

2009–10 season
Chairman	Alex Rowe (until 5 September 2009) Simon Baker (from 5 September 2009)
Manager	Paul Buckle
League Two	17th
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	First round
League Trophy	Second round
Top goalscorer	League: Scott Rendell (12) All: Elliot Benyon (15)
Highest home attendance	5,124 v Notts County, 8 May 2010 (League Two)
Lowest home attendance	2,122 v Cheltenham Town, 1 Dec 2009 (League Two)
Average home league attendance	2,855
Home colours Away colours
← 2008–09 2010–11 →

The 2009–10 Torquay United F.C. season was Torquay United's 74th season in the Football League and their first season in League Two after being promoted from the Conference National. The season runs from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010.

Despite a 2–0 win over Chesterfield providing an encouraging start to the season, the Gulls soon stumbled upon a run of bad form which saw them play eleven games in League Two without a win. They had slightly more success in the early rounds of the cup competitions; aside from an early exit to Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup, Torquay enjoyed emphatic 3–1 victories over Cheltenham Town in the first rounds of both the FA Cup and Johnstone Paints Trophy. But, while they were beaten on penalties in the second round of the latter competition by eventual winners Southampton, the Gulls were finally knocked out in the third round of the FA Cup by Brighton after achieving a convincing 4–0 win against Stockport County in the second round.

With relegation from League Two still a real threat in late March, Torquay finally found the winning formula at just the right time, winning six and drawing two of their last eight games. The most impressive display during this run was a 5–0 thrashing of league leaders Rochdale at Plainmoor, a result which earned Torquay the F&C Investments Performance Of The Week Award from the League Managers Association.^[1] The dramatic upturn in the Gulls' on-field performances meant that their league survival was assured with three games to spare following a 3–0 victory away to relegation rivals Grimsby Town.^[2] Remarkably, Torquay managed to keep a clean sheet in all of their last seven games of the season and, in the process, set a new club record of 691 minutes played without conceding a goal.^[3]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
15	Accrington Stanley	46	18	7	21	62	74	−12	61
16	Hereford United	46	17	8	21	54	65	−11	59
17	Torquay United	46	14	15	17	64	55	+9	57
18	Crewe Alexandra	46	15	10	21	68	73	−5	55
19	Macclesfield Town	46	12	18	16	49	58	−9	54

Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
46	14	15	17	64	55	+9	57	9	6	8	34	24	+10	5	9	9	30	31	−1

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		League Two		FA Cup		League Cup		League Trophy
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	ENG	Scott Bevan	23	0	17+1	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	2+0	0
2	DF	ENG	Michael Brough	2	0	0+1	0	0+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
3	DF	ENG	Kevin Nicholson	33	0	23+4	0	1+2	0	1+0	0	2+0	0
4	DF	ENG	Mark Ellis	29	3	25+2	3	1+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
5	DF	SCO	Chris Robertson	50	2	45+0	2	2+0	0	1+0	0	2+0	0
6	DF	WAL	Chris Todd	11	1	9+0	1	0+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
7	MF	ENG	Lee Mansell	43	2	35+4	2	3+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
8	FW	ENG	Tim Sills	24	4	12+6	2	1+2	0	1+0	1	2+0	1
8	FW	AUT	Ashley Barnes	6	0	6+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
9	FW	ENG	Elliot Benyon	51	15	31+14	11	3+0	3	0+1	0	2+0	1
10	FW	ENG	Scott Rendell	41	13	28+7	12	2+1	1	1+0	0	1+1	0
11	MF	ENG	Nicky Wroe	50	13	45+0	9	2+0	3	1+0	0	2+0	1
12	MF	ENG	Tyrone Thompson	29	0	17+7	0	2+0	0	1+0	0	2+0	0
13	GK	ENG	Martin Rice	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
14	MF	ENG	Chris Hargreaves	25	3	21+2	3	2+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
15	MF	NIR	Wayne Carlisle	30	2	20+4	2	3+0	0	1+0	0	1+1	0
16	DF	ENG	Lee Hodges	6	0	2+3	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+1	0
17	FW	ENG	Matt Green	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
18	MF	GAM	Mustapha Carayol	21	5	11+9	5	0+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
19	MF	ENG	Danny Stevens	33	3	16+11	1	0+3	0	1+0	0	1+1	2
20	FW	ENG	Ben Joyce	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
21	MF	ENG	Saul Halpin	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
22	DF	ENG	Adam Smith	18	0	16+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
23	DF	ENG	Kieran Charnock	30	0	22+2	0	3+0	0	1+0	0	2+0	0
24	MF	ENG	Steve Adams	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
26	FW	ENG	Ashley Yeoman	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
27	MF	ENG	Ryan Beattie	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
28	MF	ENG	Scott Taylor	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
29	FW	ENG	Chris Zebroski	30	6	30+0	6	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
30	GK	ENG	Michael Poke	30	0	28+1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
31	FW	ENG	Danny Mills	2	0	0+2	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
32	MF	ENG	Marvin Williams	4	0	1+3	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
32	MF	NIR	Eunan O'Kane	16	1	5+11	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
33	MF	TRI	Jake Thomson	18	1	13+2	1	3+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
34	DF	ENG	Guy Branston	16	0	16+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
35	GK	ENG	Grant Fisher	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
36	DF	ENG	Lathaniel Rowe-Turner	6	0	5+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
37	DF	GUI	Mo Camara	2	0	2+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
39	GK	ENG	Steve Collis	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
41	MF	ENG	Lloyd Macklin	4	0	3+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
50	MF	ENG	Sam Cox	3	0	1+2	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0

Source: Torquay United

Place	Position	Nation	Number	Name	League Two	FA Cup	League Cup	League Trophy	Total
1	FW		9	Elliot Benyon	11	3	0	1	15
2	FW		10	Scott Rendell	12	1	0	0	13
=	MF		11	Nicky Wroe	9	3	0	1	13
4	FW		29	Chris Zebroski	6	0	0	0	6
=	MF		18	Mustapha Carayol	6	0	0	0	6
6	FW		8	Tim Sills	2	0	1	1	4
7	DF		4	Mark Ellis	3	0	0	0	3
=	MF		14	Chris Hargreaves	3	0	0	0	3
=	MF		19	Danny Stevens	1	0	0	2	3
10	MF		15	Wayne Carlisle	2	0	0	0	2
=	MF		7	Lee Mansell	2	0	0	0	2
=	DF		5	Chris Robertson	2	0	0	0	2
13	MF		32	Eunan O'Kane	1	0	0	0	1
=	MF		33	Jake Thomson	1	0	0	0	1
=	DF		6	Chris Todd	1	0	0	0	1
				Own goals	2	0	0	0	2
				TOTALS	64	7	1	5	77

Source: Torquay United

Number	Nation	Position	Name	League Two		FA Cup		League Cup		League Trophy		Total
7		MF	Lee Mansell	8	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
11		MF	Nicky Wroe	5	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	7	0
4		DF	Mark Ellis	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
14		MF	Chris Hargreaves	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
5		DF	Chris Robertson	5	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	6	0
22		DF	Adam Smith	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
23		DF	Kieran Charnock	3	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	4	1
15		MF	Wayne Carlisle	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
34		DF	Guy Branston	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
9		FW	Elliot Benyon	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
6		DF	Chris Todd	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
29		FW	Chris Zebroski	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
8		FW	Tim Sills	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
8		FW	Ashley Barnes	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
18		MF	Mustapha Carayol	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
10		FW	Scott Rendell	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
12		MF	Tyrone Thompson	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
33		MF	Jake Thomson	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
34		MF	Eunan O'Kane	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
19		MF	Danny Stevens	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
			TOTALS	67	3	4	0	1	0	2	0	74	3

Source: Torquay United

Date	Nat.	Pos.	Name	From	Fee	References
10 July 2009		FW	Ben Joyce	Swindon Town	Free	[4]
5 August 2009		DF	Kieran Charnock	Peterborough United	Undisclosed	[5]
1 September 2009		MF	Marvin Williams	Brentford	Undisclosed	[6]
6 January 2010		FW	Chris Zebroski	Wycombe Wanderers	£25,000	[7]
11 January 2010		MF	Eunan O'Kane	Coleraine	Free	[8]
1 February 2010		DF	Lathaniel Rowe-Turner	Leicester City	Undisclosed	[9]
11 February 2010		DF	Mo Camara	St Mirren	Free	[10]
24 May 2010		DF	Ed Palmer	Trainee	n/a	[11]
24 May 2010		FW	Ashley Yeoman	Trainee	n/a	[11]
27 May 2010		GK	Danny Potter	Unattached	n/a	[12]
3 June 2010		FW	Billy Kee	Unattached	n/a	[13]
30 June 2010		MF	Lloyd Macklin	Unattached	n/a	[14]

Date	Nat.	Pos.	Name	From	Fee	References
29 September 2009		GK	Martin Rice	Truro City	Free
4 December 2009		MF	Marvin Williams	Released	n/a	[15]
15 January 2010		FW	Tim Sills	Stevenage Borough	Undisclosed	[16]
28 January 2010		MF	Chris Hargreaves	Oxford United	Free	[17]
14 May 2010		MF	Steve Adams	Released	n/a	[18]
14 May 2010		DF	Michael Brough	Released	n/a	[18]
14 May 2010		DF	Mo Camara	Released	n/a	[18]
14 May 2010		DF	Lee Hodges	Released	n/a	[18]
14 May 2010		FW	Ben Joyce	Released	n/a	[18]
14 May 2010		MF	Tyrone Thompson	Released	n/a	[18][19]
14 May 2010		DF	Chris Todd	Released	n/a	[18]
20 May 2010		MF	Mustapha Carayol	Lincoln City	£35,000	[20][21]
2 June 2010		FW	Matt Green	Oxford City	Undisclosed	[22]

Date	Nat.	Pos.	Name	From	Fee	References
28 July 2009		FW	Scott Rendell	Peterborough United	End of season	[23]
1 September 2009		GK	Michael Poke	Southampton	End of season	[24]
17 September 2009		FW	Danny Mills	Peterborough United	21 October 2009	[25][26]
27 October 2009		MF	Jake Thomson	Southampton	End of season	[27]
20 November 2009		DF	Adam Smith	Tottenham Hotspur	End of season	[28][29]
20 November 2009		FW	Chris Zebroski	Wycombe Wanderers	6 January 2010	[28]
22 January 2010		MF	Sam Cox	Tottenham Hotspur	11 February 2010	[10][30]
29 January 2010		DF	Guy Branston	Burton Albion	End of season	[31]
9 February 2010		FW	Ashley Barnes	Plymouth Argyle	11 March 2010	[32][33]
19 February 2010		MF	Lloyd Macklin	Swindon Town	21 March 2010	[34][35]
6 May 2010		GK	Steve Collis	Bristol City	13 May 2010	[36]

Date	Nat.	Pos.	Name	From	Fee	References
18 August 2009		DF	Mark Ellis	Forest Green Rovers	15 September 2009	[37][38]
18 August 2009		MF	Steve Adams	Forest Green Rovers	15 September 2009	[37][38]
29 August 2009		GK	Martin Rice	Truro City	29 September 2009	[39]
17 September 2009		MF	Mustapha Carayol	Kettering Town	10 December 2009	[25]
25 September 2009		DF	Michael Brough	Stevenage Borough	25 October 2009	[40]
1 October 2009		FW	Ben Joyce	Weston-super-Mare	End of season	[41]
9 October 2009		DF	Lee Hodges	Truro City	End of season	[42][43]
12 October 2009		MF	Steve Adams	Truro City	End of season	[43][44]
4 November 2009		DF	Michael Brough	Mansfield Town	End of season	[45][46]
26 November 2009		DF	Chris Todd	Salisbury City	1 January 2010	[47]
9 January 2010		DF	Chris Todd	Newport County	End of season	[48]

¹ . This match was played at a neutral venue due to the poor state of the pitch at Stockport's Edgeley Park ground.