New Torquay United players to be introduced at Buckland friendly

Torquay United manager Gary Johnson is looking forward to introducing some new players to fans when the club plays its first pre-season friendly at Buckland Athletic on Friday, July 8. Torquay’s manager has been tight-lipped about who is coming into the club after some big players left at the end of last season – with the latest, Joe Lewis, having now signed for League Two side Stockport County, with the Gulls receiving a believed £50,000 in compensation, and negotiating some lucrative add-ons.

Fans have expressed their worries over a lack of news coming out of the club, with only three players currently on contract, and a handful more agreeing to re-sign. But Johnson is happy that he has done some good business and he is looking forward to the fans getting a first look at some of his new players at Homers Heath, where the Gulls will take on Western League side Buckland.

Johnson said: “We have got a few lads in our pre-season programme that are new faces. So that’s a little clue that we are moving OK.

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“They are doing their pre-season runs so that when they come in on June 30 they will have done a couple of weeks of work – our work – ready so that we can get on the grass with the footballs almost immediately. And we are really pleased with their figures.

"Obviously we do this every year and I know who is fit and who is not fit – but I am pleased with the new ones, with what they are doing.” After the dramatic end to the season before last, when Torquay lost at Ashton Gate in the National League play-off final and then were quickly back in training for the next season – with coronavirus meaning 2021-22 had started late – this time