George Torrance (footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | George Clark Torrance[1] | ||
Date of birth | 17 September 1957 | ||
Place of birth | Rothesay, Scotland | ||
Position(s) | Left midfielder | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1980–1981 | Camberley Town | (4) | |
Farnborough Town | |||
1982–1984 | Wokingham Town | ||
1984–1986 | Brentford | 34 | (1) |
1986–1987 | Maidstone United | 40 | (6) |
1987–1994 | Falmouth Town | 252 | (55) |
Porthleven | |||
Managerial career | |||
Porthleven (player-assistant) | |||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
George Torrance is a retired Scottish professional footballer, who played as a left midfielder. He is best remembered for his time in the Football League with Brentford.
Club career
Non-league football
A left-sided midfielder, Torrance began his career with Isthmian League Division One side Camberley Town,[2] when he was stationed with the army in nearby Blackwater.[3] He moved on to join fellow Isthmian League side Farnborough Town, before being posted to Germany for two years.[3] While still in Germany, Torrance joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Wokingham Town.[3] He achieved notoriety in the 1982/83 FA Cup, scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 first round draw with Division Three high-flyers Cardiff City.[4]
Brentford
Torrance and Wokingham Town teammate (and fellow soldier) Steve Butler joined Division Three side Brentford in December 1984,[1] with the Griffin Park club paying £400 to buy the pair out of the army.[3] Torrance found himself used as a utility player in his early time with the Bees, playing six different positions in his first eight games.[3] He became an integral part of the side, making 21 appearances during the 1984/85 season, though an ankle injury saw him lose his place towards the end of the campaign.[3] Torrance was an unused substitute for the 3-1 1985 Football League Trophy Final defeat to Wigan Athletic and later recalled that failing to get onto the pitch at Wembley was his "greatest disappointment".[3] He played on into the 1985/86 season and departed the club during the campaign, having made 34 league appearances.[5]
Return to non-league football
Torrance joined Alliance Premier League side Maidstone United during the 1985/86 season, helping the club stave off relegation on goal difference.[3] He moved to Cornwall in 1987 and joined South Western League side Falmouth Town, winning three titles and making over 250 appearances for the club.[6] Torrance later joined Porthleven, playing well into his 40s and serving as player-assistant manager at the club.[3]
Representative career
In December 1986, Torrance was called upon to represent the FA XI in a match versus an Isthmian League representative side.[7] He scored in a 4-1 victory.[8] Despite being Scottish, Torrance appeared for England Police in a match versus Scotland in 1994, with England winning 3-0.[3] Also playing for England was Torrance's Welsh former Brentford teammate, Gary Roberts.[3]
Personal life
Torrance served in the Royal Engineers and later ran a residential home with his parents-in-law in St Keverne. He joined the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary in 1994, after moving to Falmouth.[3][9] He was later stationed in Truro and in 2010 was based at Royal Cornwall Hospital in the town.[9] Torrance has two children and lives in Helston.[9]
Honours
- South Western League (3): 1988/89, 1989/90, 1991/92
References
- ^ a b "Barry Hugman's Footballers - George Torrance". hugmansfootballers.com. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
- ^ "1980/81". camberleytownfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Brentford Official Matchday Magazine versus Camberley Town 14/11/98. London: Morganprint Blackheath Ltd. p. 19.
- ^ Bob Thomas. "Football FA Cup First Round 20th November 1982 Wokingham Town 1 v... News Photo 79019346". Getty Images. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/brentford/brentford.html
- ^ "Players with over 250 appearances". falmouthtown.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ Brentford F.C. Griffin Gazette versus Huddersfield Town 21/02/95. Quay Design of Poole. 1995. p. 33.
- ^ "Representative Matches - History - The Ryman Isthmian Football League". isthmian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2015-03-20. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ a b c New police officer welcomed to RCHT
- 1957 births
- Living people
- Scottish footballers
- Brentford F.C. players
- English Football League players
- People from Rothesay, Bute
- Association football midfielders
- Camberley Town F.C. players
- Farnborough Town F.C. players
- Wokingham Town F.C. players
- Falmouth Town A.F.C. players
- Porthleven F.C. players
- Scottish expatriate footballers
- Isthmian League players
- National League (English football) players