1925–26 Torquay United F.C. season

Torquay United
1925–26 season
Chairman	Charles Hore
Manager	Percy Mackrill
Southern League; Western Section	6th
Western League; Professional Section	3rd
FA Cup	First Round
Devon Professional Cup	Semi Final
Top goalscorer	League: ; George Appleyard (15); All: ; George Appleyard (29)
	Home colours
	Home colours
	← 1924–25 1926–27 →

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.

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[]

Pos	Team v t	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GR	Pts
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:^{[citation needed]}
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:

^ Number of goals for and/or against is inaccurate.

Western League Professional Section[]

Pos	Team v t	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		18	3	3	12	18	45	0.400	9
10	Bath City	18	1	4	13	20	50	0.400	6

Source:^{[citation needed]}

Results[]

Southern League Western Section[]

29 Aug 1925	Torquay United	1 – 2	Plymouth Argyle Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Mackrill (pen.)

5 Sep 1925	Torquay United	0 – 1	Exeter City Reserves	showPlainmoor

12 Sep 1925	Bristol Rovers Reserves	1 – 1	Torquay United	showEastville Stadium
			Appleyard

26 Sep 1925	Exeter City Reserves	2 – 2	Torquay United	showSt James Park
			Mackrill Hughes

21 Nov 1925	Swindon Town Reserves	2 – 2	Torquay United	showCounty Ground
			Marlow Chambers

5 Dec 1925	Ebbw Vale	7 – 1	Torquay United	showWelfare Ground
			Appleyard

12 Dec 1925	Torquay United	2 – 1	Mid Rhondda United	showPlainmoor
	Bell Chambers

25 Dec 1925	Torquay United	5 – 0	Taunton United	showPlainmoor
	Leslie (pen.) Appleyard Marlow Pither

26 Dec 1925	Torquay United	7 – 2	Bath City	showPlainmoor
	Appleyard Bell Chambers

9 Jan 1926	Torquay United	1 – 1	Yeovil & Petters United	showPlainmoor
	Appleyard

23 Jan 1926	Barry	2 – 2	Torquay United	showJenner Park
			Pither Garratt

27 Jan 1926	Bristol City Reserves	3 – 1	Torquay United	showAshton Gate
			Appleyard

6 Feb 1926	Torquay United	3 – 0	Barry	showPlainmoor
	Appleyard Pither Chambers

13 Feb 1926	Weymouth	3 – 1	Torquay United	showRecreation Ground
	Dale Bell Caswell		Appleyard

20 Feb 1926	Torquay United	3 – 1	Swindon Town Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Chambers Hughes (pen.)

27 Feb 1926	Torquay United	4 – 1	Weymouth	showPlainmoor
	Leslie (pen.) (pen.) Bell Bolt		Bell

6 Mar 1926	Yeovil & Petters United	1 – 0	Torquay United	showPen Mill Athletic Ground

13 Mar 1926	Torquay United	6 – 0	Pontypridd	showPlainmoor
	Hughes (o.g.) (o.g.) Morgan Bell

20 Mar 1926	Mid Rhondda United	1 – 2	Torquay United	showMid Rhondda Ground
			Appleyard

27 Mar 1926	Torquay United	3 – 2	Ebbw Vale	showPlainmoor
	Marlow (o.g.) Morgan

2 Apr 1926	Taunton United	1 – 5	Torquay United	showTaunton
			Marlow Appleyard Bell Pither

3 Apr 1926	Torquay United	1 – 3	Bristol Rovers Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Marlow

5 Apr 1926	Bath City	1 – 2	Torquay United	showBelvoir
			Appleyard Bell

6 Apr 1926	Pontypridd	6 – 3	Torquay United	showPontypridd
			Hughes (pen.) (pen.) Pither

10 Apr 1926	Torquay United	1 – 0	Bristol City Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Marlow

17 Apr 1926	Plymouth Argyle Reserves	2 – 0	Torquay United	showHome Park

Western League Professional Section[]

31 Aug 1925	Plymouth Argyle Reserves	2 – 3	Torquay United	showHome Park
			Marlow Pither

21 Sep 1925

Torquay United

0 – 0

Swindon Town Reserves

Plainmoor

10 Oct 1925

Yeovil & Petters United

0 – 0

Torquay United

Pen Mill Athletic Ground

24 Oct 1925	Torquay United	4 – 2	Bath City	showPlainmoor
	Appleyard Vallis Marlow

28 Oct 1925	Torquay United	1 – 2	Taunton United	showPlainmoor
	Vallis

17 Dec 1925	Torquay United	0 – 2	Yeovil & Petters United	showPlainmoor

6 Jan 1926	Weymouth	3 – 1	Torquay United	showRecreation Ground
	Caswell Bown		Chambers

13 Jan 1926	Torquay United	2 – 0	Bristol Rovers Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Bell Leslie (pen.)

16 Jan 1926	Exeter City Reserves	1 – 2	Torquay United	showSt James Park
			Pither Bell

30 Jan 1926	Torquay United	4 – 2	Bristol City Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Hughes (pen.) (pen.) Marlow Bell

4 Feb 1926	Taunton United	0 – 1	Torquay United	showTaunton
			Appleyard

10 Mar 1926

Bristol City Reserves

0 – 0

Torquay United

Ashton Gate

17 Mar 1926	Torquay United	3 – 1	Weymouth	showPlainmoor
	Bell Marlow		Bell

25 Mar 1926	Bath City	0 – 2	Torquay United	showBelvoir
			Appleyard Marlow

14 Apr 1926	Torquay United	3 – 1	Exeter City Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Appleyard

21 Apr 1926	Torquay United	1 – 1	Plymouth Argyle Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Marlow

24 Apr 1926	Bristol Rovers Reserves	3 – 0	Torquay United	showEastville Stadium

28 Apr 1926	Swindon Town Reserves	1 – 0	Torquay United	showCounty Ground

FA Cup[]

19 Sep 1925 Preliminary Round	Torquay United	5 – 1	Green Waves	showPlainmoor
	Pither Marlow Appleyard

3 Oct 1925 First Round Qualifying	Taunton United	1 – 2	Torquay United	showTaunton
			Vallis Appleyard

17 Oct 1925 Second Round Qualifying	Kingswood	2 – 3	Torquay United	showKingswood
			Vallis Marlow Appleyard

31 Oct 1925 Third Round Qualifying	Mid Rhondda United	1 – 2	Torquay United	showMid Rhondda Ground
			Appleyard

14 Nov 1925 Fourth Round Qualifying	Torquay United	3 – 1	Yeovil & Petters United	showPlainmoor
	Morgan Appleyard Pither

28 Nov 1925 First Round	Torquay United	1 – 1	Reading	showPlainmoor
	Vallis

2 Dec 1925 First Round Replay	Reading	1 – 1	Torquay United	showElm Park
			Appleyard

7 Dec 1925 First Round 2nd Replay	Torquay United	0 – 2	Reading	showAshton Gate

Devon Professional Cup[]

18 Nov 1925 Semi Final	Torquay United	1 – 2	Plymouth Argyle Reserves	showPlainmoor
	Pither

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Edwards, Leigh; Gibbes, Jon; Lovis, John (1999). Torquay United, The Official Centenary History, 1899-1999. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-38-0
^ Holgate, Mike (1999). Torquay United Football Club 1899-1999. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1814-9

External links[]

"Torquayunited.com". Archived from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
"TFF History Room". Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
"TUFC History". Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
"Historical Football Kits". Retrieved 13 July 2011.

[3] Number of goals for and/or against is inaccurate.

[Edwards_et_al-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Edwards, Leigh; Gibbes, Jon; Lovis, John (1999). Torquay United, The Official Centenary History, 1899-1999. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-38-0

[Holgate-2] Holgate, Mike (1999). Torquay United Football Club 1899-1999. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1814-9

[1]

[2]

[a]

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