Torquay had undergone a rough first season since relegation, finishing on a whimper in the league after failing to produce any sort of a promotion challenge. Chris Hargreaves was let go in the summer and it was all change in terms of personnel. A big batch of the squad departed and Paul Cox arrived as the new man in charge. He has been an abrasive and divisive figure in recent seasons but did have promotion from this league to show for and set about making this team solid and enduring at the back and efficient on the counter. James Hurst and Tyrone Marsh were pretty decent signings but the team was rocked by the knee injury of skipper and best player Luke Young just before the start of the season, ruling him for pretty much the entire season. The Gulls started decently enough after winning two of the first three games and showing some decent spirit and togetherness. But these wins remained the only two secured in the first 15 games and actually this limited and undermanned side managed just three wins until the festive period. Cox was still holding it together somewhat early on as Torquay lost just four of the first ten games. But the manager then dropped the bombshell by leaving immediately, having not ben offered the more long-term contract he was promised by the cash-strapped club. A dreadful battering by 7:3 at the hands of Bromley was delivered just a few days later and Torquay dropped into a hole that they did not seem like getting out from anytime soon. They lost five games on the spin and dropped into second from bottom as their status was relegation candidates was very much ascertained. Former Gulls legend and seasoned defender Kevin Nicholson took over from Cox on player-manager role in what was his first role in such capacity. He initially struggled in the new role but secured a rare win in his third game in charge. He was focusing on making the team solid, hard to beat and working their socks off all over the pitch. But the quality was clearly lacking in the squad as a whole and wins remained hard to come by. A few spirited showings in getting draws against Grimsby and Braintree raised hopes for something more but the Dorset club was firmly in the relegation mire in the weeks before the turn of the year. What changed their discourse and general belief in themselves was a shocking 4:1 win over one of the best sides in the league in Forest Green. It was a really good, efficient display against a side full of quality and confidence, and their first home win since the opening day of the season. And while performances were certainly improving, results were not and January proved a month of struggle on the pitch and overhaul off the pitch. Big players in Marsh and Simon Heslop were signed by rivals but Nicholson managed to bring some pretty good additions to the squad. Nathan Blissett turned into a game-changer after joining up front and in the experienced Shaun Harrad he found an excellent partner too. Danny Racchi and Toby Ajala proved good additions as well and the squad had a more balanced and varied look from then on. Things started to take a turn for the better from February onwards, when the team was looking dead and buried and even sitting at the foot of the table. Wins against direct rivals Welling and Boreham Wood gave the Gulls belief and they never looked back after that. Indeed, the team went on a brilliant run of eight games without a loss and showed both attacking potency and ability to keep clean sheets when under pressure as well. Brendan Moore deserves special praise after coming for the final dozen games on emergency loan and bringing stability and calmness on goal. But the real heroes were defensive pairing Angus MacDonald and Nathan Smithy who really stood up big to help the Gulls. A hefty loss at Dover dulled their moment and indeed the team was still in serious predicament at the start of April. But the steely determination that the manager has instilled in the squad carried them through and a crucial run of four wins in the next five games saw them beat the drop against the odds. It was a turnaround that few saw coming back in February but Nicholson has done brilliantly in a very tough situation to get as much out of this squad as he did. He remains with the Gulls next season but still faces a lot of work to make them a better team and one that is not just battling against the drop.
