1921–22 Torquay United F.C. season

The 1921–22 Torquay United F.C. season was Torquay United's first season in competitive football and their first season in the Western League. The season runs from 1 July 1921 to 30 June 1922.

Torquay United
1921–22 season
Chairman Charles Hore
Manager Crad Evans
Western League5th
FA CupFourth Round Qualifying
Devon Senior CupWinners

Overview

When Devon's two most successful football clubs Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City became founder members of the Football League Third Division in 1920, questions were asked as to whether Devon's third largest town, Torquay, could support a Football League team of its own. The seaside resort's two foremost sides were Torquay Town and Babbacombe and, while they had both enjoyed success in the Plymouth & District League, it was felt that Torquay's best chance of creating a team strong enough for the Football League would be for the two fierce rivals to merge. Despite many years of friction between the sides, it was finally decided that the 1920–21 football season would be the last for both Torquay Town and Babbacombe and that a new professional football club would be formed.[1][2]

The new team was to be called Torquay United, which was a name that had previously been used from 1899 up until 1910 before the original United merged with Ellacombe to form Torquay Town. Crad Evans, Torquay Town's star striker, was installed as player-manager and the new team adopted a black and white strip which soon earned them the nickname of 'the Magpies'. Although Torquay United were initially denied entry into the Southern League, they were accepted into the Western League in time for the 1921–22 season.[1]

Despite an encouraging first game of the season, a 1–0 victory over Weymouth, Torquay's form soon dipped and they would not win another League game until the New Year. However, a run of five wins out of six at the end of the season led United to a respectable mid-table finish in a very competitive league. Torquay also enjoyed an extended run in the FA Cup, playing a total of eight fixtures (nine including the 75th minute abandonment of the First Qualifying Round fixture against Spencer Moulton). United made it as far as the Fourth Qualifying Round before being knocked out by Boscombe. The newly professional Torquay United also made their last appearance in the Devon Senior Cup. It was a tournament the club had won under the name of Torquay Town in 1911 and the re-christened United repeated the feat by beating Oreston Rovers 1–0 in the final at Home Park.[1]

At the end of the season, Torquay United again applied to join the Southern League and, on this occasion, were successful in their bid.[1]

Competitions

Western League

Standings
Main article: 1921–22 Western Football League § Division One
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Result
1 Yeovil and Petters United 14 10 2 2 26 9 2.889 22
2 Trowbridge Town 14 8 1 5 18 15 1.200 17
3 Welton Rovers 14 7 2 5 31 27 1.148 16
4 Cardiff Corinthians 14 7 1 6 30 22 1.364 15
5 Torquay United 14 6 2 6 25 17 1.471 14 Moved to the Southern League
6 Peasedown St John 14 5 3 6 21 19 1.105 13
7 Weymouth 14 5 1 8 15 25 0.600 11
8 Horfield United 14 1 2 11 10 42 0.238 4 Left at the end of the season
Source:

Matches
3 Sep 1921 Torquay United1 – 0WeymouthPlainmoor
Sand Attendance: 3,000
17 Sep 1921 Torquay United1 – 1Peasedown St JohnPlainmoor
Frayn (pen.)
29 Oct 1921 Torquay United1 – 3Cardiff CorinthiansPlainmoor
Davis
31 Dec 1921 Trowbridge Town2 – 1Torquay UnitedTrowbridge
Frayn
4 Feb 1922 Horfield United2 – 2Torquay UnitedHorfield
8 Feb 1922 Welton Rovers3 – 1Torquay UnitedWest Clewes
18 Feb 1922 Torquay United0 – 1Yeovil & Petters UnitedPlainmoor
25 Feb 1922 Peasedown St John2 – 1Torquay UnitedPeasedown St John
18 Mar 1922 Torquay United2 – 1Welton RoversPlainmoor
Burch
Harris
5 Apr 1922 Cardiff Corinthians0 – 6Torquay UnitedPengam Farm
Burley
Harris
Sachman
Lincoln
8 Apr 1922 Weymouth0 – 2Torquay UnitedRecreation Ground
Worden
17 Apr 1922 Torquay United4 – 0Trowbridge TownPlainmoor
Burch (pen.)
Stuckey
Harris
22 Apr 1922 Yeovil & Petters United2 – 0Torquay UnitedPen Mill Athletic Ground
29 Apr 1922 Torquay United3 – 0Horfield UnitedPlainmoor
Burley
Pratt
Harris

FA Cup
Main article: 1921–22 FA Cup
10 Sep 1921 Extra Preliminary RoundMinehead0 – 3Torquay UnitedRecreation Ground
Stuckey (pen.)
Townsend
24 Sep 1921 Preliminary RoundTorquay United1 – 1Frome TownPlainmoor
Stuckey
27 Sep 1921 Pre. Round ReplayFrome Town1 – 3Torquay UnitedBadgers Hill
Davis (pen.)
Stuckey
12 Oct 1921[1] First Round QualifyingTorquay United5 – 2Spencer MoultonPlainmoor
Stuckey
Lincoln
Burch
22 Oct 1921 Second Round QualifyingTorquay United6 – 0St George'sPlainmoor
Stuckey
Townsend
Burch
Merrick
5 Nov 1921 Third Round QualifyingTorquay United2 – 2Hanham AthleticPlainmoor
Burch (pen.)
Evans
9 Nov 1921 Third Round Q. ReplayHanham Athletic1 – 3Torquay UnitedHanham
Frayn
Evans
19 Nov 1921 Fourth Round QualifyingTorquay United0 – 1BoscombePlainmoor

Devon Senior Cup
3 Dec 1921 First RoundDartmouth United0 – 3Torquay UnitedLong Cross
Frayn
Townsend
17 Dec 1921 Second RoundTorquay United5 – 0ChudleighPlainmoor
Townsend
Evans
Pyne
Burch
(o.g.)
11 Mar 1922 Quarter FinalTorquay United6 – 0TorringtonPlainmoor
Burch
Stuckey
Lincoln
Harris
Pridham
29 Mar 1922 Semi FinalTeign Village0 – 7Torquay UnitedNewton Abbot
Stuckey (pen.)
Nattesonne
Marbon
Evans
(o.g.)
8 Apr 1922 FinalOreston Rovers0 – 1Torquay UnitedHome Park
Frayn

Notes

1 . Match originally played 8 Oct 1921 but was abandoned after 75 minutes due to fog. Torquay United were leading 2-0 at the time.

References
  1. Edwards, Leigh; Gibbes, Jon; Lovis, John (1999). Torquay United, The Official Centenary History, 1899-1999. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-38-0
  2. Holgate, Mike (1999). Torquay United Football Club 1899-1999. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1814-9
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.