Torquay United new signings are bringing excitment to Gulls

Every Wednesday in the Herald Express, our Torquay United correspondent Richard Hughes takes a sideways look at what's going on in the world of the Gulls. This week, he looks at the new signings the Gulls are making

Exciting isn’t it. Waiting for those clever little videos, wondering where they are going to have been filmed this time – the Model Village, Babbacombe Downs, Pirates Bay Adventure Golf or the big wheel?
I don’t have long to wait today – presuming the crew have been out to do a video for the announcement that will be rolled out at 5pm – after the print deadline for this newspaper has passed.
After the first two new players, there is every reason to believe that it will be someone who has won something again – and that more winners will be revealed over the coming days.
Talking about the signings of Jay Foulston and Oscar Threlkeld, Paul Wotton told me he wants people in the squad to have experienced winning something – and, to be fair, that is something we have been missing over the last couple of seasons.
While Foulston won promotion out of the National League South with Yeovil Town last season, on loan from Taunton Town where he was a team-mate of Austen Booth, Threlgeld won promotion at Plymouth Argyle when Wooton was assistant manager there.
Winning breeds winners and all that - and a question: how many winners were there in the Torquay squad last season?
Gary Johnson often said it was his job to take almost-players and turn on their quality. And there is a list of players that you can point to and say – there, look, he did that. Players like Jamie Reid, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, Kyle Cameron, Armani Little, Joe Lewis. He improved those players and most flew the nest once Torquay were beaten on that horrible day at Ashton Gate.
But the players he bought in after that play-off defeat were never as good, and were never as could-be-good, and I wonder how many of those signings he rued after dropping into the National League South – and then signing some of them again.
However, as we say goodbye to a whole host of yesterday’s men, I really should pay tribute to two of them.
Asa Hall will go down in Torquay United folklore – and when he was fit enough to make a difference last season, when they chips were really down, he didn’t half stand up to be counted, making a real difference in defence alongside Dean Moxey.
It sounds like Asa (above) may end up playing in the Southern League with Tiverton, so fans may get the chance to thank him for his six years with the club at the friendly at Ladysmead in pre-season.
Tom Lapslie – what luck! I don’t know if Wotton would have offered Lapse a new deal if he hadn’t picked up that injury on the final day of the season – but most fans would have.
What Lapse lacked in some areas of his game (no disrespect, all players at this level must lack something!) he more than made up for with his dynamism and badge-clutching bravery.
If there was a tackle to be won or referee to be cajoled, you could rely on Lapse to be there, being his beastly best and fighting for the cause – even the lost ones.
That his time at Torquay has been ended by an injury is kinda Tom-like though.
It was a series of annoying injuries that meant Lapse missed large chunks last season, meaning the team and fans missed him too.
I note that there is another player whose appearance on the list of released players has been questioned. I would imagine Wotton has watched videos of the final games of last season, so I am surprised he didn’t go for midfielder Ethon Archer.
After joining the club from Three Bridges, it took the 20-year-old a handful of games to get up to speed with the National South – but once he did, and in those all-important final games after the team had lost those 11 hard-won points, I thought he did really well.
Archer was certainly worth another shot next season, I thought. But Wotton has his own plans and they seem to include Brad Ash, Dean Moxey and Ollie Tomlinson – but not Archer, or young defender Callum Thomas, who I also thought might have done enough for another year.
But change is good. Sorry about that for those who won’t be back. But change is really good.
As the official website said: “While negotiations continue with a number of out-of-contract players, the club would like to place on record its thanks to all the players departing TUFC, with everyone at Plainmoor wishing them all the very best in their future endeavours.” Indeed.
And no-one deserves some big thanks more than Asa Hall, who was Torquay United through and through in all his years here.
Players like Hall might well leave – but they’re never forgotten. So Cheers Asa – many thanks.