Torquay United sign former Plymouth midfielder Luke Young

Luke Young celebrates scoring his penultimate goal for Plymouth at Barnet in October 2012

Torquay United have signed former Plymouth Argyle midfielder Luke Young on a two-year contract.

The 21 year-old was released by Argyle at the end of last season, having come up through the club's youth ranks.

He played 108 games for the Pilgrims since making his debut for them as a 17 year-old in a 2-1 loss to Bournemouth in January 2011.

Young is the second new player to join Torquay this summer following ex-Mansfield winger Louis Briscoe.

"He's a good player, a good character and someone I was really surprised became available," Torquay boss Chris Hargreaves told BBC Sport.

"We've discussed at length our plans for the club and Luke's bought into it.

"Although he had a lot of people after him he's chosen us, which I'm really pleased about.

"He can dictate a game, his passing's excellent, he's got a goal in him and he's not afraid to shoot. He can play the dictating play role and he can also be the box-to-box midfielder," Hargreaves added.

The release of Young by Plymouth Argyle came as a surprise to some supporters, and a number of Football League clubs offered the experienced 21 year-old opportunities to stay in the the league.

"When Torquay came up and I met the gaffer and saw the training ground I thought to myself, 'if someone speaks that well of you and a club wants you then you'd be silly not tot take that offer up'," said Young.

"Things like this don't come around very often and to get an offer from Torquay I'll be coming here full of confidence and enthusiasm and I want to do well."

The Gulls finished bottom of the Football League and have made a number of players available for transfer as they cannot afford the wages they are currently paying them.

But despite the club's limited resources in comparison to other teams at the same level, Young still feels the Gulls are capable of challenging near the top of the Conference.

"You've got to look at promotion, whether it's through the play-offs or automatic," he added.

"At any club you've got to have the ambition and mentality to do well and finish as high as you can and that's for us to get out of this league and back in the Football League."