After the Jaws of Victory is something no Gulls fan should be without

Every Wednesday in the Herald Express, our Torquay United correspondent Richard Hughes takes a sideways look at what's going on in the world of the Gulls. This week, he looks at a new book coming out about Torquay United's history

I have spent the last couple of weeks putting the finishing touches to a new book by Steve Harris in which the Torquay United superfan and journalist interviews 12 of the best players from the club’s recent history.

Although I must apologise to Steve for not being quicker in my design-work, the book is now at the printers and will be available from the club shop soon.

READ MORE: Torquay United's win over Weston-super-Mare had it all

READ MORE: We have to think smart and do things a bit differently to compete with the big boys

And having read the book many times while it went through the layout and then proofing stages – I am going to unashamedly highly recommend it as something no Gulls fan should be without.

When it comes out, I am sure you will agree it is a cracking read, with the stories of the 12 players fascinating and gripping. Five stars.

If you want to know what being a lower-league footballer was like, then After the Jaws of Victory will be the book for you.

It takes that famous ‘Great Escape’ game of 1987 as its starting point and tells the story of the club since then in the words of some of the key players in its modern history.

I asked Steve to write a piece for the back of the cover – and that piece of writing is worth reproducing here, because it explains exactly what the book is all about...

“On May 9, 1987, Torquay United drew 2-2 with Crewe Alexandra to retain their Football League status. However, this was no ordinary game as the Gulls equalised late on through Paul Dobson, after defender Jim McNichol required treatment following a bite by a police dog named Bryn.

“Far from being a stay of execution for United, it provided them with a shot at redemption as in the subsequent seasons they enjoyed one of the most successful spells in the club’s history.

“In the following 1987/88 season they narrowly missed out on promotion under the late Cyril Knowles. This was followed up with their first Wembley appearance in 1989 against Bolton Wanderers in the Sherpa Van Trophy final, after beat ing Wolverhampton Wanderers against the odds in the Southern Area final. In the 1989/90 campaign, they claimed one of the greatest FA Cup scalps in their history when they beat West Ham United in the third round. Over a year later, the Gulls won promotion through the play-offs against Blackpool in 1991 – becoming the first side to win a play-off final on penalties.

“These events were followed by numerous highs and lows in the 1990s and the 2000s. These included a return to Wembley in 1998 in the play-offs, their final day relegation decider against Barnet in 2001 and their first automatic promotion in 38 years under Leroy Rosenior in 2004, as well as their first ever relegation from the Football League and subsequent return under Paul Buckle in 2009.

“After the Jaws of Victory carries on from where the Netflix documentary on the club’s ‘Great Escape’ left off. Through 12 chapters, each dedicated to a different player who served the club between 1986 and 2010, the book tells the story of the Gulls’ numerous highs and lows during this period.”

The history of Torquay United is a rich, varied and complex one – and the further you go back, the more there is to discover. I have been trying to write a history of the club for many, many years. In the noughties I spent many hours in Torquay Library researching the early years, and still have reams of printed out pages I discovered while scrolling through ancient editions of the Herald Express and Torbay Times on the microfiche machine.

Since then I have been able to use the British Newspaper Database , which is an extraordinary resource – and I have managed to clear up a few mysteries which may well remain mysteries to you all until I finally get around to publishing my offering. Books about Torquay United are a joy and After the Jaws of Victory is Steve’s second, and it will be worth every penny when it becomes available. Keep your eyes peeled on this column for further updates...