Torquay United
Plainmoor
Capacity:
6,500 (Seats 2,950)
Address:
Plainmoor, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 3PS
Telephone:
01803 328 666
Fax:
01803 323 976
Pitch Size:
110 x 71 yards
Pitch Type:
Grass
Club Nickname:
The Gulls
Year Ground Opened:
1921
Undersoil Heating:
No
Home Kit:
Yellow and Blue
On one side is the Bristow’s Bench Stand (named after a former Director of the Club). Opened in 2012 this modern, covered, all seated stand has a capacity of 1,750. It is a fairly simple looking affair, although it has windshields to either side situated below an elevated roof. The stand is raised above pitch level meaning that spectators have to climb a small staircase to enter it. Opposite is a newish, small covered terrace, called the Thatchers Popular Cider Terrace. It looks slightly odd, having a large television gantry perched on its roof.
At one end is the Family Stand, which is a neat, attractive, covered all-seater stand that has a capacity of 1,200. Differing from other clubs, the Directors Box is situated in this stand, rather than being on one side of the pitch. The other end is a small covered terrace, built in the year 2000 to replace a former open terrace and is normally used to house away fans. To one side of this stand is Police Control Box. Outside the ground behind the home end and next to the Club shop is a programme shop which is worth a look. In one corner of the ground in-between the away terrace and Popular side, is a large video screen. The ground is completed by a set of four traditional looking floodlight pylons.
The Club have announced that they are exploring with the local council, of the possibility of building a new stadium in the Barton area of Torquay, which is located about a mile north of Plainmoor. Talks are very much at the preliminary stages, but if successful then the Club could move to a new 6,000 capacity stadium.
Around 1,100 away supporters can be accommodated in the Riviera Rentals Away Terrace, at one end of the ground. In addition, up to 500 seats can also be made in the new Bristow’s Bench Stand on one side of the stadium. Both of these areas are covered. The acoustics in the away terrace are particularly good, meaning that relatively few away supporters can still really make some noise from this area. The views from the Bristow’s Bench Stand are excellent and you are that high up that you can see well over the Popular Terrace opposite and to the hills in the distance. The leg room is great with plenty of space between rows. However, do bear in mind that the stand is quite steep to walk up. Home and away fans in this stand are separated by some netting placed over the seats. The facilities are also generally good with a modern toilet block. The refreshments are served from a mobile catering unit, which alas does not offer and pies (although they are available in the home sections). Food on offer includes; Double Cheeseburgers (£4.50), Double Burgers (£4), Bacon Burgers (£4), Cheeseburgers (£3.50), Beefburgers (£3), Hot Dogs (£3) and Bacon Baps (£3). All in all a visit to Plainmoor is a good day out.
The supporters club ‘Boots & Laces’ behind the main stand allows away supporters in and I found it quite pleasant and friendly. Neil Le Milliere a visiting Exeter supporter adds; ‘The George Inn on Babbacombe Road, was extremely welcoming, both before and after the game. The pub is around a ten-minute walk away from the ground’. Located handily around the corner in Princes Street is the Hanburys Fish & Chip shop which has on occasion won national awards. Further on at the bottom of Princes Street, you will find the Buccaneer Inn. Not only a good pub serving St Austell Ales but outside the front of the pub you can also enjoy some great views along the coast. (There is also plenty of street parking available in this area). Also on Babbacombe Road is the Dog & Duck which welcomes away fans and also shows matches broadcast on SKY television.
At the end of the M5 follow the A38 and then turn left onto the A380. Then at the traffic lights bear left onto the A3022 towards Torquay. On reaching a large retail park on your left (including a Currys PC World) turn left at the traffic lights towards Babbacombe/Plainmoor. Go straight across at the next roundabout. On reaching a T-Junction, turn left and then go right at the mini roundabout onto Westhill Road. Continue along this for 3/4s of a mile as it becomes Warbro Road. The ground is on the right. Plenty of street parking is available in the local area.
Post Code for SAT NAV: TQ1 3PS
The Plainmoor ground is over two miles away from the main Torquay Railway Station and so a taxi (around £6-£7) may well be in order. Neil Le Milliere adds; ‘Torre station (one stop before Torquay station but not all trains stop there) is closest to the ground. Walk up the hill opposite the station and its around a 20-25 minute walk.
If you have time on your hands then you can walk to the ground from Torquay station in around 40 minutes: On leaving the station turn left into Rathmore Road. Follow the road down crossing into Falkland Road. Proceed by way of Lucius Street and Tor Hill Road into Union Street. Take the St. Marychurch Road and climb the Hill towards Babbacombe then take the third turning on the right into Bronshill Road. The floodlights of Plainmoor will be visible after a few minutes on the left. Thanks to Myles Munsey for providing the directions.
Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:
Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance.
Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets.
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Official Programme: £3
Capital Gulls Fanzine £1.
Home Fans
Bristow’s Bench: Adults £17, Over 65’s/Students £15, Under 18’s £9, Under 7’s Free*
Family Stand (Seating): Adults £16, Over 65’s/Students £14, Under 18’s £9, Under 7’s Free*
Thatchers Popular Cider Terrace: Adults £15, Over 65’s/Students £13, Under 18’s £9, Under 7’s Free*
Away Fans
Bristow’s Bench (Seating): Adults £17, Over 65’s/Students £15, Under 18’s £9, Under 7’s Free*
Riviera Rentals Stand (Terrace) Adults £15, Over 65’s/Students £13, Under 18’s £9, Under 7’s Free*
* Must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Torquay United FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).
Record Attendance
21,908 v Huddersfield Town
FA Cup 4th Round, 29th January 1955
Average Attendance
2018-2019: 2,537 (National League South)
2017-2018: 1,731 (National League)
2016-2017: 1,888 (National League)
If you require hotel accommodation in Torquay then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Just input the dates below that you wish to stay and then select from the map the hotel of interest to get more information. The map is centered to the football ground. However, you can drag the map around or click on +/- to reveal more hotels in the town centre or further afield.
Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the
Level Playing Field website.
Official Web Site:
www.torquayunited.com
Unofficial Web Sites:
Barnstaple Gulls
TorquayUnited.net
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Special thanks to Owen Pavey for providing the layout diagram of Plainmoor.
Torquay United v Shrewsbury Town
League Two
Saturday, February 11th 2012
Jacob Owen (Shrewsbury Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
It was the first day of half term and I hadn't seen the town for a while, with our game at Hereford a 1pm kick off and another derby with Vale the following week called off because of poor weather, I was needing my football fix and so had no hesitations about getting on the supporters' bus at an unholy 7.20am in the morning to make my pilgrimage to the Riviera. I've just started out on my quest for the 92 and Torquay was to be my 6th so good to keep it up. There's a long way to go!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
After a kip on the bus, which was really quite quick (about 4.5 hours including pit stops is very respectable indeed) we arrived at 12ish to the sun beaming and went promptly to the pub. Had no parking issues obviously as a small ground but we were on the bus so no more than expected.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
As Man United were playing Liverpool in a hotly-anticipated first meeting after the reunion of Evra and Suarez (the latter NOT shaking the former's hand) we trooped off to Buccaneer Inn, a very pleasant sea-viewing Pub with friendly locals and a good atmosphere. Obviously the landlord was pleased too see us and sank a pint or two while playing pool. I hadn't had any breakfast so the Ciabatta cheeseburger and chips with relish tasted incredible, as did the crumble afterwards, top stuff. Home fans were welcoming and there were no problems with a small friendly seaside place as you'd expect. Afterwards we made a shortish walk through town to the ground.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
It's a pretty basic ground, although I prefer terracing for the away fans which we had it looked strange with the left Main Stand having been demolished. The matchday programme was okay although didn't meet my expectations having been crowned best in League Two.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Atmosphere was poor, a bunch of Torquay ultras no older than 12 did their utmost but Shrewsbury fans were no better, a decent following of 250 surprisingly muted, probably because of the poor quality of the game. James Collins hit the bar for Town about 10 minutes in and that was about as good as it got. Torquay got a winner on 60 minutes when Chris Neal came flapping off his line comically for a corner and Kenya International Taiwo Atieno scored. The atmosphere noteable improved then. Still pretty dreary although Torquay played some good stuff, and on 90 minutes no-one from the away end seemed overly fussed. A shame. Plus the portaloos at half time were rancid, but needs must.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Had no problems as away coach parked just outside the entrance. Very easily accessible.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A very nice place, a very basic ground that you would have to be a hyper-traditionalist fan to enjoy in all honesty. However, that's football. Sorry.
Torquay United v Plymouth Argyle
League Two
Saturday, September 9th 2012, 3pm
Chris Connolly (Neutral fan)
On holiday in lovely Torquay, with the sun shining and neighbours Plymouth Argyle in town, what could be better than a trip to see my first Devon derby? First impressions are that the ground’s immediate environment is probably unique in the League; whilst Plainmoor itself is a working class area the ground could just as easily have been called Babbacombe or Ellacombe since it borders all three, and behind the North and South ends are gracious and elegant old mansions which are most unlike the kind of housing (or nowadays the supermarkets and trading estates) among which a football stadium can more usually be found. It’s a very pleasing sight, on approaching either uphill or down (and the ground is on a hillside so it’s a surprise there isn’t a fair old slope down towards the Family Stand) to see a set of four old-fashioned floodlight pylons which I am told might have originally been seen at Home park before Argyle upgraded their lights in the mid-sixties.
It is also a rare treat to be able to watch the match standing up down one side and also on the away end, which was full for this game as Plymouth’s fans took the rare opportunity to watch their team play away without having to travel hundreds of miles to do so. The new stand, Bristow’s Bench, must certainly offer the best view since it perches well above the pitch and is twice as tall as the other three sides. I was on the Popular Side where the view is not as good, being quite low, but is unhindered by any pillars. The small but noisy Yellow Army stands in this part of the ground, and their chants, sadly, are just as boring and repetitive as those of any other of the League’s armies, which is a pity since, in general, the Torquay fans are a very good-natured and friendly bunch. There was none of the nastiness in evidence here that are associated with some other derby games. An unnecessarily large contingent of Police officers did chuck one youth out for letting off a smoke bomb but otherwise there was no trouble of any sort. Just before half time, though, a migration took place from one end of the Popside to the other as home fans set off to try and be first in the queue for the bar and chip shop in the Ellacombe end corner.
The game itself was high in perspiration but low on inspiration. Maybe it was the heat, or perhaps the nervousness associated with a local derby, but neither side did enough to win and the match had 0-0 written on it long before the end. Plymouth seemed to be all number one haircuts and stubbly chins and they battled and blocked bravely while Torquay’s centre forward Rene Howe was left on his own too often and was in any case hampered by a gormless ref who wouldn’t let him jump for the ball without giving a free kick the other way. For all that, I enjoyed the occasion very much, being well looked-after by the friendly Torquay supporters. In summary, football at Plainmoor is something every football fan should experience at least once. Me? I shall certainly be back again soon.
Torquay United v Southend United
League Two
Saturday, November 17th 2012, 3pm
Stephen Spooner (Southend United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to visiting another new ground.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey by car from North Wales, as an exiled Southend fan this was over a 550 mile round trip. I parked at a nearby school with clear signs to the ground when approaching Torquay town. Parking seemed to be very limited in the streets near to Plainmoor.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I ate sandwiches in the car before walking to the ground. The locals were friendly and wearing their team shirts with pride.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The stadium is small and compact. The standing away terrace at one end was shut, so we had to sit in the Main Stand, which was segregated from the home fans. Nice to see the huge Torquay mascot, a seagull.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was fantastic with Southend winning 4-1. Atmosphere would have been better if the Southend fans had been behind the goal standing. Stewards had nothing to do.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy to get away from the ground with traffic flowing freely.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A long journey, but completely worth it, with a Southend win. A ground I would go to again.
Torquay United v Oxford United
League Two
Saturday, Match 3rd 2013, 3pm
Chris Hayter (Oxford United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I have never been to Plainmoor stadium before and it isn't too far from where I live to travel to support my team Oxford United.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I arrived on my own at 1pm by train at Torre train station (nearer to the ground than Torquay railway station). From there i got a taxi to the stadium which i rang for when i arrived which is 1.3 miles away. The taxi cost £6 each way which was pretty reasonable. The taxi arrived within 5 minutes. The taxi company I used was Torbay Taxis who seem to have a good reputation after researching them on the internet. I'd fully recommend getting a taxi to the station as it would be quite a trek by foot! Taxi drivers were very sociable and the driver to the stadium found it rather amusing that I came to the stadium from Cornwall! You can pay your taxi fare by debit card which is very useful as I rarely carry cash on me.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I researched this ground weeks in advance and noticed there is a supporters club at the ground called Boots And Laces which is away fan friendly. Once I got in the supporters bar it was generally busy and they seemed to be doing good business serving drinks and hot food going around too. The Boots And Laces pub is bigger inside than you would imagine. The Torquay fans seem a friendly bunch. There was an FA Cup game going which was on tv, which had a fair few watching it inside the club. Wigan versus Everton were playing and Everton lost which was a shock. I bought a bag of peanuts and a pint for just over £4 – very reasonably priced indeed.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
From the outside it looks run down and shabby, however, once inside it looked a nice and bright stadium. I stood up on the away terrace side behind the goal, which didn't look particularly attractive but that didn't matter too much. The new Bristows Bench stand looked quite remarkable and two of the blocks on this stand were open to fellow Oxford United supporters.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We won the game 3-1 which made my day. Torquay fans were virtually quiet whilst myself and fellow Oxford fans were singing away throughout the game. Stewards had virtually nothing to do. Toilets were very clean. I can't comment on the food as I had eaten before the match.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No problems at getting away from the ground although there was a police presence escorting us away safely which was fine.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: I wished I bought the match day programme however it was an enjoyable visit, and I will definitely visit again. I would also sit in the Bristows Bench stand if this is made available to us again.
Torquay United v Grimsby Town
Conference National League
Saturday, October 18th 2014, 3pm
Glynn Sharkey (Grimsby Town fan)
This was a must do as soon as the fixtures came out as I have been to Torbay for holidays and Torquay for football but never had the opportunity to put them both together. So a weekend away coupled with the fact it would be game on quite early in the season with hopefully nice weather (unseasonably so as it turned out) made it a no brainer. Travelodge cheap rooms came into their own once more courtesy of good old laterooms.com!
I convinced the chauffeur.. err.. better half to set off at stupid o'clock Friday morning as I know she likes her numerous service station costalot coffee stops. The 5am departure from Scunthorpe saw us parked up before midday and on our way to the seafront for Wetherspoons fish and chips in the London Inn. We had a mooch around, then returned in the evening for a bit of Torquay night life. Copious amounts of ale rounded off with a Prezzo pizza ended a thoroughly brilliant but tiring day.
An early start next morning saw us driving around the bay to Brixham for breakfast and a walk around the harbour. Both Torquay and Brixham were important training and departure points for thousands of American troops preparing for the D Day invasion of France during WW2, many references and memorials to this can be seen around both towns and it's probably something a lot of visitors might not notice.
A drive to the ground saw us parked up where we shouldn't have been two and a half hours before kick off in a very small car park behind the home end (thank you kind car park man) and we walked to St Marychurch Road where there are at least three boozers. We ended up in the Sports bar where they were doing BOGOF on beer, it was okay and I had a good yap with the regulars. We had walked past the Union as it looked a bit "local" and from what I was told we made the right decision. Then we went back to the ground to meet friends in the Boots and Laces supporters club. Now I'm not really one for these supporters clubs at football grounds but this was cracking, I can't recommend it enough, very big, well staffed and the beer wasn't too bad either. Very friendly and well done Torquay Utd.
Boots and Laces is opposite the away end and it actually seemed a bit of a trek to the turnstiles. The streets around Plainmoor make you forget you are in one of the country's premier seaside resorts, you could be anywhere. It's certainly changed inside since I last visited in the 80's but saying that, its got all my favourite requisites for a football ground.. fours separate if small stands plus good old fashioned floodlight pylons!! Love it.
After walking around the streets from the supporters club crossed legged and dying for the proverbial I suppose the toilet facilities were okay but if you're not gagging, give them a miss or err.. cross your legs.
Another good Grimsby following once again added to the atmosphere but to be fair we were under the cosh from kick off and could have been a couple down before LJL scored against the run of play. They equalise and we nick a winner which about sums up the game but it's spoiled by what looked to be over the top stewarding. This appeared to be by a private security company most of whom would probably be running the bars and night clubs later in Torquay. Apart from this I found the place very friendly.
View From The Away Terrace
Straight in the car and 140 miles up the road to our pit stop for the night in Gloucester at the New Inn rounded off a great couple of days. Sunday morning wandering around historic Gloucester Docks and the waterway museum rounded off a fantastic football weekend, non league isn't rubbish all the time…
Torquay Utd v Lincoln city
Conference Premier League
Tuesday 14th April 2015, 7.45pm
Ian Calvert (Lincoln City)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Plainmoor?
I have always had enjoyable trips to Plainmoor, eventhough I have only seen my team victorious there, once in 6 visits. We were on a mini holiday staying overnight in Torquay and travelling back to lincoln the following day.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We stayed in a hotel about two miles away from the stadium so it was a short car journey. We thought we had found the ultimate car parking place located just 50 yards from Plainmoor, but was quickly informed that we would likely end up with a parking ticket, as the area is patrolled by traffic wardens on matchdays. So we had to move on to find parking a few streets away. It ws still only a short walk on a lovely evening.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I was really looking forward to a pre-match pint but ended up leaving for the match a bit later than anticipated, so unfortunately there was sufficient time.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Plainmoor?
It was my sixth visit to Plainmoor, but this was the first time I had seen the new Main Stand, called Bristow's Bench. The new stand was quite impressive and we had a good view of the match and the hills in the distance. The rest of the stadium has remained unchanged but relatively modern. The seated home end family stand was well populated. The popular side terrace where the most vocal of Torquay fans stand, was healthy of numbers, but the away terrace was closed as there were only about 50 that had travelled from Lincoln. I noted that they had finally demolished the out of date gents loo's in the away end and replaced with modern toilets, complete with these all singing/dancing handwashing facilities, which somehow you always manage to activate the hand drier before the water.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We were fortunate to have been given complimentary tickets. These were for the visitors seating in the new Main Stand which saved us £42 so we were quite happy. I did enquire to one of the stewards about food and was informed "There isn't any" but pointed over towards a lady in the stand holding a piece of paper and running about like her butt was on fire and said "she's taking food orders." So I went to find her and she jotted down my order and vanished only to return a few minutes later with my food and drink. Bless her she was doing that all evening!
The match itself wasn't the most exciting, although it was fairly end to end. But both teams struggled to create any real decent chances and in the end it became quite a tight affair, and you got the feeling that whoever would score first would end up winning the game. Sadly it Torquay who took the lead ten minutes from time, right in front of their own fans. This eventually got the home fans singing in a crowd of just over 1,200. Lincoln though almost equalised at the death when Delano Sam-Yorke hit the crossbar, but then ballooned the rebound high over the away terrace and no doubt into someones garden via what sounded like a greenhouse!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was fairly easy and quick and met quite a few home fans wishing us a safe trip home.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Despite a bad result for us that night we had a terrific time in Torquay. A lovely hotel (with a sea view but no Wilderbeast sweeping majestically…) I have always found TUFC a pleasant and enjoyably day out with very friendly supporters/stewards and the food lady, was that extra touch.
Torquay United v Plymouth Argyle Pre-Season Friendly Saturday 16th July 2016, 3pm Louis Sanderson (Plymouth Argyle fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Plainmoor ground?
Despite being a long standing Argyle fan, I had somehow never managed to get along to a derby game at Torquay. With it being in the summer and with lovely weather coming along I decided to pop along.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Me and my mate Max decided to get the train from Plymouth station to Torre station near the ground. The trip there was frustrating to say the least. We got off at Newton Abbot to wait for a change. This was delayed by ten minutes, and when it did turn up we were barely out of the station when the train stopped for twenty minutes before we returned to the station to switch over to yet another train. A few fans had given up and left by this time! We finally got to Torquay then had to rush to the ground using Google Maps.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Not a lot because we had missed the start of the game by a few seconds. We were searched thoroughly then entered the ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Plainmoor?
The Plainmoor ground was pretty much bang on what I expected really. It's a reasonable sized stadium, with one end being very modern, the retro looking Bristows Bench, an all standing end along one side of the ground, and a reasonable sized way end. The ground is a lot better than St James Park in Exeter may I add.
Plainmoor
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
The game was quite a boring one to be honest, and most of the entertainment came from the Argyle fans who had packed (Torquay only outnumbered us by 20 odd fans) the away end and were in good voice for the whole game. Stewards were quite firm if we stepped too close to the divide between the two sets of fans. 1-1 it finished in the end.
Away Terrace
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We had a lot more spare time on the way out than we did coming to the game. I had a tip off about a fish and chip shop called The Usual Plaice which is close to the ground on St Marychurch Road, and boy it was good! I would definitely recommend going there.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a fun day out I thought in the end, and I would happily go to Plainmoor again!
Torquay United v Sutton United
National League
Saturday 25th February 2017, 3pm
George (Sutton United fan)
Torquay United v Chester
National League
Saturday 1st April 2017, 3pm
Phil (Chester fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Plainmoor?
I hadn't been to Torquay in 20 years as I've been living in New Zealand since 2002.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I got the train from London via Exeter St Davids. It took just under four hours to reach Torquay. I have to say that the Great Western Railway Trains that I travelled on were n a pretty poor state especially the Exeter to Torquay one. Dirty and old musty smell like your Grandma's front room! I had three hours to kill before kick off so walked to the Plainmoor ground. It is mostly uphill but it only took about 30 minutes.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
After trying in vain to find the pub that the Chester Exiles (a supporters group) said they were meeting in. The address they gave was not a Pub! Instead I had a couple of pints in The George on Babbacombe Road whilst watching the Merseyside Derby. Apparently there was a huge down pouring of rain while I was in there but I never saw it due to every curtain in the place being drawn and blocking out any natural light at all!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Plainmoor?
I actually liked the Plainmoor ground; it is an old style one surrounded by houses. I was very thankful for the covered terrace with it raining virtually the whole game. It cost £15 to stand and £19 to sit. There was only one turnstile open but it didn't take long to get in. There wasn't anyone checking if supporters had actually paid for seating or standing once inside the ground so you could probably just pay the £15 and go in the seats? And save yourself £4 to buy the very average programme (£3).
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Food on offer was the usual Burgers (costing £3-5 depending on what you wanted) and Hotdogs. The guy in the Burger Van and a Steward have a bet every game to guess the amount of away fans for the life changing amount of 50p a game! Stewards were a lot friendlier than I remember from last time I was there. Chester won 1-0 with a late goal from Sam Hughes after Torquay had a man sent off just before half time . In a game of few real chances Torquay can count themselves unlucky to lose. A draw would of been a fair result maybe.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I walked back to the Railway Station and was back at London Paddingtom by 21:30. There where four Accrington Stanley players on the same train back to London after there 1-0 win at Plymouth Argyle.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
All in all a good day out albeit a very long one It is always good to win away with a late goal. I hope Torquay United stay up as I would go back to Plainmoor again next year.
Attendance: 1,881 (With 182 from Chester)
Torquay United v Braintree Town
National League
Monday 17th April 2017, 3pm
Andrew Wood (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Plainmoor Ground?
A Devon footy weekend saw me at Exeter on Good Friday, and Torquay on Easter Monday. I hadn't visited Plainmoor since 2000.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I was staying in Torquay, so easy enough, once you know which hill to climb to find the Plainmoor ground. It's not well signposted so slightly awkward until you see the floodlights.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I had a quick drink in town centre. I then went into the 'Boots and Laces' bar at the ground, for a deserved pint after that lengthy climb up to the stadium.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Plainmoor Ground?
Plainmoor is okay. There is a covered terrace along one side of the ground for Torquay's vocal support and a covered terrace for the away end. Behind the other goal is seating, and there is a main Grandstand alongside on one side of the pitch, all in blue and yellow.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A relegation six-pointer saw Braintree take an early lead. Torquay came back strongly. Had goal disallowed before a deserved equaliser, which saw a ruck between a Torquay player and the Braintree keeper, which somehow caused a hole in the net, which had to be fixed. I don't think the referee booked either player. The score was 1-1 at half time. Torquay scored early in second half and deservedly wrapped up a 3-1 win in the last minute. The great escape was on! The food inside the ground was fine. A large pasty at three quid, usual chips, burgers etc.Loos tidy-ish, but a horrible 70's style trough could do with improving. Ugh.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It's a lot easier walking back into town down the hill. The local news team were there interviewing fans which was amusing.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Okay and a good game. Plainmoor is a nice stadium, probably my favourite of the three main Devon grounds.
Torquay United v FC Halifax Town
National League
Saturday 14th April 2018, 3pm
Mike Finister-Smith (FC Halifax Town fan)
Torquay United v Exeter City
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 27th July 2019, 3pm
Tom (Exeter City)