Let's face it, supporters are the lifeblood of the game, and without them, there would be no teams.

Supporters are the people who pay their money at the turnstiles, they are the ones who snap up the merchandise in the club shop and they are the ones who turn up week in, week out to cheer on their side. So why shouldn't they be listened to?

So how can TUST help you, the ordinary punters who love their club and regularly hand over their cash at the turnstiles at Plainmoor? Well, a core aim of any trust is to gain fan representation at the club, so that the voice of the supporter is directly heard by the club. Here at Torquay, we are what is known as a 'slow-burn' trust. This basically means that we were not borne out of a crisis or some trauma that loomed over the club.

Some people labour under the misapprehension that TUST was formed in reaction to the sale of the club to Chris Roberts and the ensuing chaos that ensued. That simply is not true, as the trust was initially formed long before Mr Roberts came onto the scene. In many ways, it could be considered to be have been a huge stroke of luck that the trust was around in embryonic form at that times, because we were able to react and respond to the debacle as is rapidly and alarmingly unfolded.

Our intention is to formulate plans and projects to improve the match day experience of supporters, while trying to establish policies which will enhance the Plainmoor experience. We also aim to be socially inclusive, because at the end of the day, a football club has the potential to be the hub of the community, and with hard work, we can bring in other agencies such as the council, the police, education providers and increase social inclusion as part of our remit.

We have great plans for the future, and we hope that we can continue to work in harmony with the club and bring these proposed projects to fruition for the good of the supporters, the club and the wider community.