Jimmy Ball emphasizes necessary change for Torquay's EFL return

Jimmy Ball did not sugar-coat it. Twelve years outside the English Football League, a stuttering start in National League South, and a manager insisting that uncomfortable change is now non-negotiable at Torquay United.

The Gulls sit 19th after winning just one of their opening six games, their latest setback a flat 2-0 defeat at Farnham Town on Bank Holiday Monday. For a club that has spent the past two seasons brushing the door of promotion without breaking it down, the early signs of this campaign jar badly.

Ball, who took over from Paul Wotton in March, laid out the reality in stark terms.

“The truth is it has been a long time since Torquay have played league football, and yes, the last two seasons have been close, but it's ultimately failed,” he told BBC Radio Devon. “That's not to blame anyone, but I was brought in to change that and sometimes change is difficult and slower than we would like – but it is absolutely necessary.”

Disruption, heads turned and a fractured summer

The manager pointed to a turbulent summer transfer window as a key factor in Torquay’s sluggish opening. He spoke of “a lot of disruption” and repeatedly referenced players having their “heads turned” by offers or interest from elsewhere.

From day one of pre-season, Ball said, some in the squad had not been fully locked in.

“I can't tell you what's going on behind the scenes, which has been caused through players having their heads turned since day one of pre-season and players not quite being at it,” he admitted.

He stressed that he “would love to tell the fans everything but you simply can't”, underlining the tension between transparency and dressing-room protection that managers at this level constantly walk.

What he did make clear is the standard he expects. He wants every player “100% committed” to Torquay United and prepared to “sacrifice and give everything” for the shirt. Anything less, in his view, will not drag this club back to the EFL.

No room for panic, no excuses for the start

Supporters have seen this film before: strong league finishes, crushing disappointment in the play-offs. Torquay ended last season in third place, only to lose 3-2 to Hornchurch in the play-off final. The year before, they finished second and fell at the semi-final stage.

Now they find themselves looking up from the lower reaches of the table, not down from the promotion spots. Anxiety in the stands is inevitable.

Asked directly whether fans were right to be worried by the slow start, Ball pushed back on the idea of alarm setting in.

“I don't know of any scenario when panicking is beneficial,” he said. “I'm not playing down the start, because it is not acceptable, but I believe there has been a lot of disruption.”

So he walks a thin line: refusing to hide from results, yet adamant that panic will not help him rebuild a focused, united squad.

“You have to deal with it the best you can and hope the men you're putting out on to the pitch are 100% committed to Torquay United Football Club,” he added.

Folkestone test looms as commitment check

There is no gentle reset on the horizon. Third-placed Folkestone Invicta, unbeaten in their first five matches, arrive at Plainmoor on Saturday.

For Ball, it is more than just another fixture. It is an early examination of character, of buy-in, of whether his squad truly shares his appetite for “difficult” change.

Twelve years is a long time to wait for league football. If Torquay are serious about ending that exile, the shift Ball demands cannot stay theoretical much longer.