Plainmoor: Torquay United

From Torquay United

Located in the Plainmoor suburb of Torquay after which it is named, Plainmoor was the home of Torquay Athletic Rugby Football Club when Torquay United Football Club was formed. When the rugby club moved to the Recreation Ground in 1904, Ellacombe moved into Plainmoor. When Torquay merged with Ellacombe and the club became Torquay Town, it also began playing its games at Plainmoor and sharing it with nearby rivals Babbacombe. A merger between Babbacombe and Torquay Town took place in 1921, with the newly formed club continuing to play its games at Plainmoor.

As you can tell from reading about the ground, Torquay United’s history is a mixed one. The club was originally formed by a group of students leaving school, being guided in their endeavour by Sergeant-Major Edward Tomney. The club’s first match was played against Upton Cricket Club XI on a nearby farmer’s field. Initially playing friendlies, Torquay United initially joined the East Devon League. The club underwent numerous mergers with other local clubs, with the name chopping and changing each time. When Torquay Town merged with Babbacombe in 1921, it became Torquay United once more and has kept that name since.

Stats

Plainmoor Photos

Plainmoor Stadium View from the Stands

Plainmoor Stadium Main Stand

Plainmoor Stadium Torquay Pitch

Plainmoor Stadium Torquay Turnstiles

Plainmoor Seating Plan and Where to Sit

Away supporters are houses in the Wollens Away Terrace, which is a standing area, whilst there are some seats available on what ask now as Bristow’s Bench. That also houses home supporters, whilst the most vocal fans are likely to be found in the Popside stand. The Family Stand is, as the name suggests, the best place for those with children or for anyone hoping for a slightly more relaxed experience.

Torquay United Ticket Prices

How much a ticket for a Torquay United match will cost will depend on a couple of things, including when you buy it. Tickets are £2 cheaper when bought in advance of the day, for example. The next thing you’ll need to decide is where you’re going to sit, with different prices for tickets depending on where in the ground you’re located.

Here is a look at the various prices for the 2023-2024 campaign, presuming you’re buying the ticket on the day:

*The tickets are free for an Under-7 supporter provided they are accompanied by a full paying adult.

How To Get Torquay United Tickets

Those looking to get tickets for a Torquay United match would be well-placed to have a look at the club’s official ticketing site. It is the best place to get tickets and will allow you to have it on your phone rather than needing to print anything out.

Where to Buy

• Ticket Compare

Getting To Plainmoor

Train – Any supporters hoping to get to Plainmoor by train will be heading to Torre Station, which is located about 25 minutes away on foot.

Bus – The 35A bus will run from Torquay Harbourside out the shops at Plainmoor, with the Wollens Terrace then being about five minutes away if you’re walking.

Car – The South Deven Link Road is the road that will take you from Newton Abbey to Torquay, providing quick access to the ground for both home and away supporters. As you get close to Torquay, therefore, you’ll want to keep your eye out for signs to the stadium.

By Air – Exeter Airport is less than 20 miles from Torquay, so is obviously the best one to aim for. If you want to look for a bigger one then Bristol Airport will likely serve your needs, although it is more like 75 miles away.

Taxi – Given the distance from the train station to the ground, the likelihood is that most people will be considering a taxi. You will be looking to spend around £15 or so for your journey, depending on what the traffic is like on the way into Plainmoor.

Parking Near Plainmoor

There is no dedicated parking at the stadium, so supporters are advised to head to Plainmoor early in order to find a parking space on the streets nearby. Of course, if this is what you’re going to do then you will need to make sure that you obey the parking rules and don’t make life difficult for locals.

• See Available Parking Near Plainmoor

Useful Resources

• Parking - Just Park

Pubs and Bars Near Plainmoor

About Torquay United

The early years of Torquay United were taken up with mergers and takeovers, which is common for smaller clubs in their more formative periods. Having bobbed around some local leagues for a number of years after the club’s initial formation, there was a desire from many to see the club enter the Football League. This was largely fulled by the fact that both Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City had been elected into it after the formation of the Third Division in 1920. The result was that Torquay Town merged with the other team in the town, Babbacombe, creating a stronger club that regained the title of Torquay United.

In spite of the merger, it took the club another six years to be elected to the Football League, entering the Third Division in 1927 at the expense of Aberdare Athletic. Their first match at that level was against rivals Exeter City, with more than 11,000 people watching the two teams play out a 1-1 draw. The club’s first season at the professional level could hardly be called a raring success, with the 48 games resulting in just eight wins. The club had made to the fourth round of the FA Cup on numerous occasions, as well as having won lower leagues such as the National League South a few times over the years.

Plainmoor History

During the club’s formative years, matches were played on a farmer’s field on Teignmouth Road. For a time, Torquay United played at the Recreation Ground, but when Torquay Athletic Rugby Club left Plainmoor and took on a lease at the Recreation Ground in 1904, with Ellacombe taking on the lease at Plainmoor, there was no option but for the club to return to the farmer’s fields on Teignmouth Road. When the fields were sold to developers, however, that necessitated another move, this time seeing the club play at the home of Torquay Cricket Club in nearby Cricketfield Road, where they remained until 1910.

That was the point at which Torquay merged with Ellacombe to become Torquay Town, playing at the ground that Ellacombe had been playing at, Plainmoor. Nearby rivals Babbacombe also used the ground, with a merger between the two clubs in 1921 creating Torquay United. A new wooden grandstand was built at the venue at a cost of £150, with the roof being blown off it in 1930. Little changed for the following 50 years, with the arrival of David Webb to Plainmoor in 1984 seeing some big cosmetic changes taking place. More alterations would come in the decades that followed to make it into the ground that we know today.