1925–26 Torquay United F.C. season

The 1925–26 Torquay United F.C. season was Torquay United's fifth season in competitive football and their fourth season in the Southern League. The season runs from 1 July 1925 to 30 June 1926.

Torquay United
1925–26 season
Chairman Charles Hore
Manager Percy Mackrill
Southern League
Western Section		6th
Western League
Professional Section		3rd
FA CupFirst Round
Devon Professional CupSemi Final
Top goalscorerLeague:
George Appleyard (15)
All:
George Appleyard (29)

Overview

Torquay United's fourth season in the Southern League saw them face a much depleted fixture list with the Western Section reduced to only fourteen teams due to the departure of six of the Welsh sides. As a result, the remaining English teams joined together to form the Professional Section of the Western League to provide themselves with additional fixtures. This gave the Magpies an extra eighteen games to play on top of their Southern League commitments.[1]

Under new player-manager Percy Mackrill, Torquay made a hesitant start to their Southern League campaign and were without a win in their first six matches. However, the Plainmoor faithful were rewarded for their patience in December when the Magpies scored a total of twelve goals in their Christmas and Boxing Day fixtures against Taunton United and Bath City. Torquay eventually finished 6th in the Southern League which, even with just fourteen teams competing, was certainly an improvement on the previous season. Torquay also made a good showing in the Western League, finishing in 3rd place.

Much of the Torquay's success during the season was due to the goalscoring of new forward George Appleyard, signed from local rivals Exeter City. Effortlessly filling the boots of the recently departed Billy Kellock, Appleyard scored an impressive 29 goals in all competitions. He made a particular impression in the FA Cup, scoring in all five Qualifying rounds and getting Torquay to the First Round Proper for the very first time. Their reward was a visit from high-flying Third Division South side Reading. 6,000 supporters at Plainmoor witnessed Torquay take a first half lead over their League opponents before Reading equalised through a penalty which forced a replay at Elm Park. A late equalising goal from George Appleyard in that match saw the fixture taken to a second replay, to be held at Bristol City's Ashton Gate ground. However, it was to be third time unlucky for the Magpies as the League side eventually emerged with a 2–0 victory.[1]

It was an outstanding performance by Torquay over the eventual Third Division South champions and certainly strengthened their case for election to the Football League.[2] However, for the time being at least, the Magpies made no attempt to enter the Third Division South at the end of the season and instead looked forward to another Southern League campaign.

League statistics

Southern League Western Section
Main article: 1925–26 Southern Football League § Western Division
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Result[lower-alpha 1]
4 Swindon Town II 26 13 4 9 57 40 1.425 30
5 Ebbw Vale 26 13 3 10 60 46 1.304 29
6 Torquay United 26 12 5 9 59 46 1.283 29
7 Yeovil & Petters United 26 9 8 9 43 48 0.896 26
8 Mid Rhondda United 26 12 1 13 47 49 0.959 25
Source:
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Notes:
  1. Number of goals for and/or against is inaccurate.

Western League Professional Section
Main article: 1925–26 Western Football League § Division One
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Bristol City Reserves 18 10 7 1 58 19 3.053 27
2 Bristol Rovers Reserves 18 11 2 5 53 36 1.472 24
3 Torquay United 18 9 4 5 28 22 1.273 22
4 Yeovil and Petters United 18 7 7 4 33 27 1.222 21
5 Swindon Town Reserves 18 6 8 4 32 33 0.970 20
6 Weymouth 18 7 4 7 37 45 0.822 18
7 Plymouth Argyle Reserves 18 6 5 7 31 25 1.240 17
8 Exeter City Reserves 18 6 4 8 33 41 0.805 16
9 Taunton United 18 3 3 12 18 45 0.400 9
10 Bath City 18 1 4 13 20 50 0.400 6
Source:

Results

Southern League Western Section
Main article: 1925–26 Southern Football League
29 Aug 1925 Torquay United1 – 2Plymouth Argyle ReservesPlainmoor
Mackrill (pen.)
5 Sep 1925 Torquay United0 – 1Exeter City ReservesPlainmoor
12 Sep 1925 Bristol Rovers Reserves1 – 1Torquay UnitedEastville Stadium
Appleyard
26 Sep 1925 Exeter City Reserves2 – 2Torquay UnitedSt James Park
Mackrill
Hughes
21 Nov 1925 Swindon Town Reserves2 – 2Torquay UnitedCounty Ground
Marlow
Chambers
5 Dec 1925 Ebbw Vale7 – 1Torquay UnitedWelfare Ground
Appleyard
12 Dec 1925 Torquay United2 – 1Mid Rhondda UnitedPlainmoor
Bell
Chambers
25 Dec 1925 Torquay United5 – 0Taunton UnitedPlainmoor
Leslie (pen.)
Appleyard
Marlow
Pither
26 Dec 1925 Torquay United7 – 2Bath CityPlainmoor
Appleyard
Bell
Chambers
9 Jan 1926 Torquay United1 – 1Yeovil & Petters UnitedPlainmoor
Appleyard
23 Jan 1926 Barry2 – 2Torquay UnitedJenner Park
Pither
Garratt
27 Jan 1926 Bristol City Reserves3 – 1Torquay UnitedAshton Gate
Appleyard
6 Feb 1926 Torquay United3 – 0BarryPlainmoor
Appleyard
Pither
Chambers
13 Feb 1926 Weymouth3 – 1Torquay UnitedRecreation Ground
Dale
Bell
Caswell 		Appleyard
20 Feb 1926 Torquay United3 – 1Swindon Town ReservesPlainmoor
Chambers
Hughes (pen.)
27 Feb 1926 Torquay United4 – 1WeymouthPlainmoor
Leslie (pen.) (pen.)
Bell
Bolt 		Bell
6 Mar 1926 Yeovil & Petters United1 – 0Torquay UnitedPen Mill Athletic Ground
13 Mar 1926 Torquay United6 – 0PontypriddPlainmoor
Hughes
(o.g.) (o.g.)
Morgan
Bell
20 Mar 1926 Mid Rhondda United1 – 2Torquay UnitedMid Rhondda Ground
Appleyard
27 Mar 1926 Torquay United3 – 2Ebbw ValePlainmoor
Marlow
(o.g.)
Morgan
2 Apr 1926 Taunton United1 – 5Torquay UnitedTaunton
Marlow
Appleyard
Bell
Pither
3 Apr 1926 Torquay United1 – 3Bristol Rovers ReservesPlainmoor
Marlow
5 Apr 1926 Bath City1 – 2Torquay UnitedBelvoir
Appleyard
Bell
6 Apr 1926 Pontypridd6 – 3Torquay UnitedPontypridd
Hughes (pen.) (pen.)
Pither
10 Apr 1926 Torquay United1 – 0Bristol City ReservesPlainmoor
Marlow
17 Apr 1926 Plymouth Argyle Reserves2 – 0Torquay UnitedHome Park

Western League Professional Section
31 Aug 1925 Plymouth Argyle Reserves2 – 3Torquay UnitedHome Park
Marlow
Pither
21 Sep 1925 Torquay United0 – 0Swindon Town ReservesPlainmoor
10 Oct 1925 Yeovil & Petters United0 – 0Torquay UnitedPen Mill Athletic Ground
24 Oct 1925 Torquay United4 – 2Bath CityPlainmoor
Appleyard
Vallis
Marlow
28 Oct 1925 Torquay United1 – 2Taunton UnitedPlainmoor
Vallis
17 Dec 1925 Torquay United0 – 2Yeovil & Petters UnitedPlainmoor
6 Jan 1926 Weymouth3 – 1Torquay UnitedRecreation Ground
Caswell
Bown 		Chambers
13 Jan 1926 Torquay United2 – 0Bristol Rovers ReservesPlainmoor
Bell
Leslie (pen.)
16 Jan 1926 Exeter City Reserves1 – 2Torquay UnitedSt James Park
Pither
Bell
30 Jan 1926 Torquay United4 – 2Bristol City ReservesPlainmoor
Hughes (pen.) (pen.)
Marlow
Bell
4 Feb 1926 Taunton United0 – 1Torquay UnitedTaunton
Appleyard
10 Mar 1926 Bristol City Reserves0 – 0Torquay UnitedAshton Gate
17 Mar 1926 Torquay United3 – 1WeymouthPlainmoor
Bell
Marlow 		Bell
25 Mar 1926 Bath City0 – 2Torquay UnitedBelvoir
Appleyard
Marlow
14 Apr 1926 Torquay United3 – 1Exeter City ReservesPlainmoor
Appleyard
21 Apr 1926 Torquay United1 – 1Plymouth Argyle ReservesPlainmoor
Marlow
24 Apr 1926 Bristol Rovers Reserves3 – 0Torquay UnitedEastville Stadium
28 Apr 1926 Swindon Town Reserves1 – 0Torquay UnitedCounty Ground

FA Cup
Main article: 1925–26 FA Cup
19 Sep 1925 Preliminary RoundTorquay United5 – 1Green WavesPlainmoor
Pither
Marlow
Appleyard
3 Oct 1925 First Round QualifyingTaunton United1 – 2Torquay UnitedTaunton
Vallis
Appleyard
17 Oct 1925 Second Round QualifyingKingswood2 – 3Torquay UnitedKingswood
Vallis
Marlow
Appleyard
31 Oct 1925 Third Round QualifyingMid Rhondda United1 – 2Torquay UnitedMid Rhondda Ground
Appleyard
14 Nov 1925 Fourth Round QualifyingTorquay United3 – 1Yeovil & Petters UnitedPlainmoor
Morgan
Appleyard
Pither
28 Nov 1925 First RoundTorquay United1 – 1ReadingPlainmoor
Vallis
2 Dec 1925 First Round ReplayReading1 – 1Torquay UnitedElm Park
Appleyard
7 Dec 1925 First Round 2nd ReplayTorquay United0 – 2ReadingAshton Gate

Devon Professional Cup
18 Nov 1925 Semi FinalTorquay United1 – 2Plymouth Argyle ReservesPlainmoor
Pither

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
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